The Iron Major is the saga of WW1 hero-cum-football coach Frank Cavanaugh, played with his usual no-nonsense professionalism by
Pat O'Brien. Leaving home and hearth behind to serve his country in the Great War, Cavanaugh goes on to lead the Dartmouth, Boston College and Fordham football teams to victory. His credo throughout is "Love of God?Love of Country?Love of Family"-inspiriational words indeed in war-torn 1943. Based on the memoirs of Cavanaugh's wife Florence (played in the film by
Ruth Warrick), The Iron Major suffers from repetition and overkill. But, as
Humphrey Bogart once said in an unrelated interview, "
Pat O'Brien was good? Pat was
always good." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide