Johnny Apollo(1940).

Johnny Apollo(1940). Crime film. Cast: Tyrone Power, Edward Arnold, Lloyd Nolan and Dorothy Lamour.

The story begins when Bob Cain Jr., feels betrayed by his father, who is a multimillion-dollar stockbroker, indicted for embezzlement. Before going to prison, father and son have a terrible argument and Bob Jr. drops out of college to look for work. Because of his father's crime, Bob Jr. is still unemployed one year later.

When the gangster Mickey Dwyer, who was sentenced on the same day as his father, is paroled from prison, Bob meets with his fathers lawyer for dinner. In their meeting his father's lawyer informs Bob Jr, that only money can win a parole for his father. Bob Jr., changes his name to, Johnny Apollo, hoping that it will make it easier for him to find work.

Bob Jr. meets singer "Lucky" Dubarry, Dwyer's girl friend, while sitting on the steps waiting for Dwyer's lawer, Judge Emmett T. Brennan, to arrive back at his office. There he meets Dwyer, who asks him to do a favor for him. Dwyer, takes an instant liking to Bob Jr. and even puts a raw steak on Bob Jr. back eye, that he received during a scuffle.

 

Brennan and "Lucky", both notice the two becoming fast friends and wonder if the kid will reform Dwyer. Or maybe ...it will be the other way around..

After, "Pop" Cain, learns that his son Bob has become Dwyer's front-man, he disowns him. Soon after, Dwyer and Bob Jr., are presented with a warrant for their arrest at the night-club during Lucky's performance. Lucky, who has fallen in love with Bob, convinces Brennan to make a deal with the district attorney.. Bob's freedom in exchange for Dwyer. The man he really wants to see behind bars.

After Dwyer, learns that he was double-crossed, he murders his best- friend Brennan and both he and Bob Jr. are sent to jail. After overhearing plans for an escape, Lucky tips Pop, to their plans before leaving town. Will "Pop" get there in time?

Fun Facts:

In the scene with Johnny and his father talking in the bedroom, the photo over Johnny's shoulder of his mother, is a picture of Tyrone Power's mother.

Linda Darnell was the original female lead. Alice Faye was also considered by Darryl Zanuck before Dorothy Lamour was borrowed from Paramount in exchange for Don Ameche.

"Johnny Apollo" is a pretty good film and it's fun to watch  Dorothy Lamour, as a femme fatale, sing, "This Is the Beginning of the End"... I think this is one of my favorite Lloyd Nolan, performances.

Jean Arthur tries some EASY LIVING (1937)

This is the daffy story of a hard working girl named Mary (the always fresh and engaging Jean Arthur), who has a sable coat thrown on her from a window of a rich man named J.B. Ball (Edward Arnold) who is fed up with his free spending family. Directed by Mitchell Leisen from a screenplay by Preston Sturges, Easy Living is classic screwball comedy at its best. And mistaken scenarios abound as people think that Ball gave his wife's coat to Mary and she is his mistress. Ray Milland is on hand as Ball's son John who of course falls for Mary. Great slapstick scenes are aplenty in this film including a wild food fight that is hilarious. Jean Arthur is excellent in this film as she combines sex appeal, comedy, warmth, and a touch of bewilderment to her character. She is definitely one of screwball comedy's top queens. If you have never seen Easy Living, check it ASAP.

Come and Get It (1936).

Come and Get It (1936), Drama film directed by Howard Hawks and William Wyler. Based on the 1935 novel of the same title by Edna Ferber. Cast: Edward Arnold, Mary Nash, Charles Halton, Frances Farmer and Joel McCrea.

The story is about how a lumber jack manager, by the name Barney Glasgow, climbs to the top of the logging industry. Barney and his best friend Swan, go to a saloon to celebrate where they meet singer, Lotta Morgan. Lotta and Barney fall in love but, Barney decides to and marry Emma Louise, the daughter of his boss Jed Hewett, to further his career. Lotta then marries Swan, whom she says is the kindest man in the world.

Many years later, his son Richard objects to his father destroying forests without planting new trees. Barney visits his old friend Swan Bostrom, who married Lotta after Barney left. Swan is now a widower raising his daughter on his own, also named Lotta, who looks exactly like her mother. Barney finds himself falling in love with the young woman and offers to pay for her education. Things become complicated when the son Richard meets Lotta and they fall in love...

I thought Frances Farmer's, performance was amazing how she played the saloon singer and the young daughters part. Joel McCrea's, performance is perfect and you can see how he would soon become a major Hollywood star.



Fun Fact:

Walter Brennan won the very first Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Swan Bostrom. In the span of four years (1936-40), Brennan won a then-unprecedented three acting Oscars, also for "Kentucky" (1938) and "The Westerner" (1940). Unmatched, until Katharine Hepburn won her third Best Actress award for 1968's "The Lion in Winter". Brennan's Oscar success was seen as largely due in part to the fact that the Screen Extras Guild consistently voted for him, as Brennan had been an extra for many years until his breakout success as one of Hollywood's most respected character actors.

Frances Farmer (September 19, 1913 – August 1, 1970). Farmer studied drama at the University of Washington.

During the 1930's. Farmer stopped in New York City, looking for a theater career. Instead, she was referred to Paramount Pictures talent scout, Oscar Serlin, who arranged for a screen test. Paramount offered her a 7-year contract. Farmer signed it on her 22nd birthday and moved to Hollywood.

She had top billing in two 1936 "B" movies. She married actor Leif Erickson, while filming the movie, Too Many Parents. Later that year, Farmer was cast opposite Bing Crosby in, Rhythm on the Range.

She was loaned to Samuel Goldwyn to perform in the film, Come and Get It(1936).

Wanting to be considered a more serious actress, she left Hollywood in 1937 to do summer stock in Westchester, New York. There she caught the attention of director Harold Clurman . He invited her to perform in the Group Theatre production of Odets' play, Golden Boy. Where her performance at first received mixed reviews.

Later, she returned to Hollywood and arranged with Paramount to make motion pictures, who in turned loaned her out to other studios for a starring role opposite Tyrone Power in the film, Son of Fury.