The Wind at My Back : The Life and Times of Pat O’Brien by Pat O’Brien
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

St Patrick’s Day was in view and I thought I’d ready of a stalwart Paddy. Pat O’Brien was such a constant part of a long string of films with his fellow Irish in Hollywood, James Cagney, Frank McHugh, Allen Jenkins, etc, etc. Opening the recent book acquisition I settled in to a view of Hollywood from Paddy. But, that is not what i found.

O’Brien begins the book very strong laying out in great detail about birth, life in Wisconsin, war and all else leading to his career in show business. He steps that up with a fascinating view of his time on and off stage in theater. This is the strongest part of the book. Especially interesting is the parallel of career with Spencer Tracy.

In 1930 he found himself being bought off the stage and into Howard Hughes’ film, ‘The Front Page’. Thus began his film career. But here is where the book severely stumbles. After such great insights of life in the theater and his life, O’Brien then starts tacking together various vignettes of only some of his film work and his life. It’s an odd shift. Did he not want to write about his time in film? Was he behind in his deadline for the book and thought writing of his film time would be easier and then found he had to rush through it? Something else?

At a point in his career he found himself unable to get work. He writes in the book many times about his frustration never learning of his blacklisting, though he felt it had nothing to do with the more well-known communist black listing. As he writes, he was non-political. The passion of his writing of his frustration has me wonder if that is why he didn’t write much of his film work. Did the black listing make him feel his entire film career was wasted.

He writes of his favorite films he made. But the writing is with noted hesitation. There’s an entire chapter about Knute Rockne. But the writing leans more about the Catholic angle of the film than the actual making of the film.

Catholicism is the solid foundation that O’Brien built his life with. He writes of this in every way throughout his book. That might also explain his hesitancy of writing more about his film career. Did O’Brien feel it was God’s will to restrict his ability to make movies and thus he shouldn’t have pursued movies? This is somewhat supported by his writing that he returned to the stage to pay bills and there is obvious passion in his writing of his return to theater.

He also devotes significant space of his time, sometimes very dangerous, entertaining our military servicemen during World War II. He is clearly, and rightly, proud of his efforts. Exciting stories are presented in this chapter.

Though O’Brien is a noted member of the “Irish Mafia”, some members noted above, almost nothing is written of gatherings. What is well intertwined throughout the book is being a member of The Lambs Club in New York City. This he was proud to be a part of. I’m pretty certain he was part of other organizations. But those are not mentioned. The Lambs are.

This is otherwise a well written book, though not well laid out to tell O’Brien’s story. The book is clearly a view of what O’Brien was most proud of in his life.

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 7 of 10 points.

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