Pat O'Brien (1) (1899–1983)

This tough, tropical film set in Panama starring Pat O’Brien and pretty Anne Jeffreys was the kind of medium-budget entertainment RKO did better than any other studio. There are no really big stars, but a better than average original screenplay by Martin Rackin, fine atmosphere enhanced by George E. Diskant’s photography and Roy Webb’s good score make it grade “A” entertainment, even if it is just a big budget “B” film.

Carole Lombard’s favorite cinematographer, Ted Tetzlaff, directs this one and keeps it moving at a snappy, no-nonsense pace. Pat O’Brien never had the big star looks or charisma to carry “A” films by himself, but was terrific in a long list of medium budget films such as this one during the 1940s. Here he is Dan Hammer, the guy to go to if you’re in trouble or need something fixed.

When a plane takes off for Panama with two passengers and arrives with only one, that man hires Hammer for protection. It isn’t long before he ends up dead, of course, and a map to some oil wells in Peru worth millions are at the center of it all. Soon everyone wants Hammer to find the map for them, except a sleazy gangster named Molinar (Walter Slezak) who believes Hammer already has it and lets his thugs loose on him to get it.

No film like this is complete, however, without a love interest, and Anne Jeffrey’s Maxine fills out more than just the bill quite nicely. This one is fun to watch if you don't think too hard about it. Both the goings with murders and maps, and the romance get wrapped up nicely by film’s end.

A solid supporting cast that includes Percy Kilbride as Hammer’s taxi driver and right hand make this one a good bet for a weekend morning or late at night if you’re a fan of this type of film.… (más)

Born in Milwaukee to Irish immigrants, Pat O'Brien early on discovered a love of performing on stage. He spent many years struggling to survive as he as an actor mainly in New York. Financial security was achieved when Howard Hughes brought him to Hollywood for a part in the film adaption of The Front Page.

This is a lengthy biography that is full of anecdotes about famous actors both from the stage and the movies. I found Pat's tours entertaining the troops in WW II especially interesting. Pat was a Roman Catholic and his faith was a very important part of his life and he covers a lot of pages talking about it including a trip to Rome to meet Pope Pius XII.

One interesting opinion he expressed about the end of WW II was that the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan was unnecessary as Japan was ready to give up anyway. I think this an unusual thought from someone writing in 1962. He did abhor war and frequently mentioned in the book the thought that he wondered why mankind kept making war on one another.… (más)