So much average

A lot of fun.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Blistering performances.

While not a classic for the ages, this pre-noir gangster adventure is an excellent example of the studio product churned out in a short time to top a two-film bill at your local theatre in the 1940's, and one of the things that makes it great fun for committed film fans is the use of familiar faces to back up Tyrone Power, playing a rich kid turned bad boy, and Dorothy Lamour, who surprises us by offering a good deal more in the acting department than in the Crosby-Hope Road films, where she functioned primarily as tropical window dressing.One fascinating performance is offered by the underused Charlie Grapewin, perhaps known to the average film goer as Uncle Henry in The Wizard of Oz, or as Grandpa in Grapes of Wrath (Grapewins's most sympathetic and memorable role is as burned-out Jeeter Lester in Jonh Ford's misunderstood Tobacco Road). In Johhny Apollo, Grapewin's take on the burned-out lawyer who takes milk with his Scotch and mumbles Shakespeare when to evade confrontation is both funny and endearing and he becomes a pivotal plot element as the plot thickens.And thicken it does, with lusty Edward Arnold tossed into jail for embezzlement, and his disowned son, Power, taking up with gangster Lloyd Nolan (always reliable, but here essayed with a nasty undercurrent); much of what Nolan's brutal ganglord does adds a noir element to the film,and a brief scene in a steam bath is right out of Sam Fuller.Add thug Marc Lawrence from Broadway, Jonathan Hale, reliably a doctor, Fuzzy Knight as a nervous prisoner, and from the Son of Frankenstein, Lionel Atwill, cold and calculating as the lawyer without ethics--until money is dangled his way. The pace never flags, and, except for a short and absurd tagged-on ending that Zanuck probably demanded on behalf of Power fans, the film builds to a dynamic shoot-out in a prison. Not a great classic, but a perfect example of 20th Century Fox machine making a film worth watching.

Embezzler Edward Arnold goes to prison and son Tyrone Power tries to make it on his own honestly. Doesn't work out well. So Tyrone decides Pop was right and that the only way to make it ahead in the world is by being a crook. So he hooks up with gangster Lloyd Nolan and falls for Nolan's girl Dorothy Lamour. When Arnold finds out what his son is up to, he's none too pleased.Enjoyable gangster drama with a fine cast. Some have said Power is miscast. I think he's okay for the part. It's not really a gritty movie, despite the plot. Maybe if it had been a tough film noir, I could see the point that Power was wrong for the role. But it's not and he isn't. Edward Arnold is good. I doubt the man ever did a bad acting job in his career. His character is somewhat poorly written and hard to relate to, but it's difficult to dislike him due to Arnold's sympathetic performance. Nice to see Charley Grapewin playing something besides a grizzled old-timer without most of his marbles. Beautiful Dorothy Lamour is always a plus and it's good to see her in a serious role. Lloyd Nolan pretty much steals the movie as the gangster Mickey Dwyer. Lionel Atwill is largely wasted as Arnold's attorney.The biggest flaw with the movie is that its plot isn't always consistent. Arnold's character is a crook who first treats his son like crap for not being okay with his crookedness. Then later he treats his son like crap for becoming a criminal like Dad. Still, it's an enjoyable movie. The script's got some nice dialogue. Watch for the scene where Power chases, tackles, and beats Marc Lawrence's head against the ground! Yikes!

Wall Street millionaire Edward Arnold (as Robert Cain Sr.) is indicted for embezzlement and goes directly to jail. Canoeing in his swim trunks, college student son Tyrone Power (as Robert "Bob" Cain Jr.) is shocked and disappointed. He disowns his dad and drops out of school. Now a convict's son, Mr. Power finds himself unable to find honest work. While waiting to see alcoholic lawyer Charley Grapewin (as Emmett T. Brennan), Power meets attractive Dorothy Lamour (as "Lucky" Dubarry) and paroled gangster Lloyd Nolan (as Mickey "The Mick" Dwyer). Power assumes the name "Johnny Apollo" and drifts into a life of crime...This story is too loosely plotted, but not in a way that makes it difficult to follow...Helping immensely is that the film is great looking, and directed exceptionally by Henry Hathaway. The black-and-white cinematography is especially noteworthy; photographer Arthur Miller might have received his annual "Academy Award" nomination for this one, if the studio wasn't backing him in "The Blue Bird" (1940). Then Fox' biggest star, Power shows he might have accomplished the same feat at MGM or Warner Bros. Singing and "Dancing for Nickels and Dimes", Ms. Lamour is luscious, especially in a leggy skirt and clinging top. Dependable supporting actors like Mr. Nolan and Mr. Grapewin get juicy parts, too.******* Johnny Apollo (3/15/40) Henry Hathaway ~ Tyrone Power, Dorothy Lamour, Lloyd Nolan, Edward Arnold

***SPOILERS*** Nothing more then an average crime drama with an incredibly schmaltzy ending "Johnny Apollo" is only worth watching because of its all star cast that includes Tyrone Power as both Johnny Apollo, a name he took off a theater marquee, and collage swimming and rowing champ Bobby Cain.It's when Johnny finds out that his dad Wall Street investment giant Robert Cain Sr, Edward Arnold, was indited for embezzling his clients that his entire life turned upside down. Not being able to face his collage classmates in that his father is an indited, and later convicted, crook Johnny drifts from one menial job to another trying to support himself. With the name Cain not helping Johnny, who's at the time known as Robert Cain Jr, to keep a job he changes it to Johnny Apollo and ends up working as a debt collector or muscle man for bad guy mobster Mickey, known as "The Mick", Dwyer played by perennial good guy-in almost all his other movies-Lloyd Nolan.It's when old man Cain, known as Pop's behind bars, finds out that his clean cut collage boy son Robert/Johnny is in fact "In" with the "Mob" that he completely disowns him. This was an odd why of Pop's Cain treating his son Johnny who only got "In" with the "Mob" in order to spring him from behind bars with an early parole. The person that Johnny gets to do the springing is mobbed up shyster lawyer and ex-judge Emmett T. Brenner, Charley Grapewin, who got it through the grapevine, the D.A's office, that he can get Pop's off if his son Johnny turn evidence on his boss "The Mick".The movie gets more and more ridicules as it goes along with "The Mick" getting the lowdown that Brenner is setting him up, but not knowing that his boy Johnny is involved in it, has Brenner iced, with an ice pick no less, while he's drying out, from too much scotch & milk, at a local Turkish Bath. The undoubtedly most bizarre part of the movie is saved for last with "The Mick" and his gang, including Johnny Apollo, indited on a number of fraud and embezzlement counts, just like old man Cain was, and sent up the river, Sing Sing Prison, for some 3 to 5 years."The Mick" who's supposed to be so smart doesn't plan to go on the lamb, together with his gang, but in fact turns himself over to the prison officials in order to break out the very next day! This brainless and cockamamie plan on "The Mick's" part, with Johnny willingly going along with it, even if it succeeds will not only add twenty or more years on his already short 3 to 5 year sentence but may very lead to the death, in an inevitable shoot-out, of a prison guard as well as "The Mick" and the members of his gang themselves!****SPOILERS**** If you have a diabetic condition avoid at all costs the unbearably sugary ending in order not to overdose on it. Johnny and his dad are reunited outside, not in, prison with Johnny's girl Lucky, Dorothy Lamour, "The Mick's" former gun moll who alerted Pop's about the prison breakout-and almost got himself killed in trying to stop it-at Johnny's side as well.