pat obrien have his best role ever a notre dame football coach knute rockne . from humble beginning and rockne enter notre dame a a student circa 1910. he be into chemistry but become a marvelous football player and hero . upon graduation and he teach chemistry at the school but he have get the football fever that tug at him and this force him to give up chemistry to pursue his dream of coach the game . in a way and too bad and the school probably lose a great chemistry teacher certainly far well and nice than the one i have in high school . ( erasmus hall in brooklyn to be exact . ) he motivate his student . he will not tolerate academic underachievement . he be a coach for all season . obrien capture that common kind touch . one of his student and george gipp and be memorably play in a fine brief support performance by ronald reagan . the year pas and the achievement run high but knute remain the same kind coach who testify before congress when football be call into question . donald crisp be outstanding a a notre dame priest who know that rockne be destine to coach football . albert basserman be adequate and but his jewish accent in the portrayal of a priest be awkward at best . basserman be nominate that year in the support category for foreign correspondent . rockne tragic death and in a plane crash and rob the world of many more year of a totally professionally wonderful human be . the film be great .