Steve McQueen

[dirtydan]

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2006/11/12/mcqueen-auction.html

I was watching the Great Escape on PBS Detriot last night and the host of the program showing the movie said afterward to the effect that McQueen was a real prick to work with. He often threatened to walk away from this particular movie because his part wasn't big enough, that he had to be the center of attention in his scenes. So the movie never had a completed script, but a constant series of on the fly re-writes in order to placate McQueen. And it wasn't just the Great Escape McQueen was a huge pain in the ass, but pretty much all of his movies including the Magnificent 7. Still I enjoy his movies and will always do so.

BTW, McQueen's most known scene, the motorcycle scene in the Great Escape, he did nearly all of the riding himself. Except for the jumping of the first fence. Then was by a stuntman while McQueen was riding one of the German motorcycles after him.

 

[Mick Shagher]

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2006/11/12/mcqueen-auction.html


BTW, McQueen's most known scene, the motorcycle scene in the Great Escape,

What about the car chase in Bullitt. Another memorable McQueen moment.

I agree with you in that I've always enjoyed his movies, with The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven being two of my faves. Bullitt, Papillon, The Towering Inferno, The Getaway, The Cincinatti Kid and Tom Horn were some more of his best.

Who cares if he was a prick on the set. It's the final product on the screen that counts. When you really get down to it, aren't most actors and recording artists very egotistical and a pain in the ass to work with.

 

[dirtydan]

What about the car chase in Bullitt. Another memorable McQueen moment.

I agree with you in that I've always enjoyed his movies, with The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven being two of my faves. Bullitt, Papillon, The Towering Inferno, The Getaway, The Cincinatti Kid and Tom Horn were some more of his best.

I love the ending to The Cincinatti Kid. The suspense is very well created and one would think the hero of the movie would have the right card. Be damned, I can't remember what card he was supposed to have. For me Edward G. Robinson and Karl Malden really made the movie great to watch.

Who cares if he was a prick on the set. It's the final product on the screen that counts. When you really get down to it, aren't most actors and recording artists very egotistical and a pain in the ass to work with.

Yah most them probably are. But I guess McQueen was one of the worst. I wonder if it was his ego that led to so many changes in the Great Escape that in the end the movie veered so far away from the truth at times that many a WW2 buff, especially British ones, actually hate the flick. But it isn't like a British movie company hasn't taken liberties with the truth in WW2 movies. The Dam Busters and the River Plate come to mind.

 

[souljacker]

On the DVD of Magnificent Seven, in one of the special features they talk about how the actors, in particular Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner, were constantly jockeying to be the centre of attention. They would often try to bring the focus of a particular scene to themselves even if they didn't have any dialogue in that scene. That's why you see that they have different mannerisms, quirks, and ways of moving that make them all stand out. It's kind of a prick thing to do on set, but in that particular movie it sure worked out, because it served to make all of their performances more memorable.

 

[Randy Whorewald]

One of my all time Steve McQueen faves is Bullitt, where he takes a 67 Mustang on a fantasic chase against a Dodge Charger.