Only the Real McQueen

Posted by Maggie Van Ostrand (maggie@filmschoolrejects.com) on August 23, 2007

There has been speculation (via Cinematical, among others) about one or even two biopics on Steve McQueen, the sexiest man who ever lived. One might be in the works based on a book by Neile McQueen Toffell (first wife), the other based on a book by Barbara McQueen Brunsvold (last wife).

Possibly the most interesting book would be the one as yet unwritten, by second wife, Ali McGraw, who co-starred with him in The Getaway. So powerful was the attraction between them that McGraw left her then-husband, head of Paramount, Robert Evans, although she did manage to pry herself away from McQueen long enough to attend the premiere of The Godfather, produced by Evans. In his autobiography, “The Kid Stays in the Picture,” Evans admits he was a fool to cast his wife in a movie opposite McQueen.

It doesn’t matter on which book a movie is planned or whether or not Daniel Craig gets the role as has been suggested. He can’t play it. He has not got anything near what McQueen had. Nobody has.

There’s no actor who could possibly portray the real McQueen, the one with that touch of danger mixed with sex mixed with mischief and a large dollop of total cool, that put McQueen on top in Hollywood, and kept him there.

Possibly Brad Pitt, if he could get back that touch of mystery, danger, and attitude he had in Thelma and Louise. Nah, not him either.

The only one who could pull it off would be Kiefer Sutherland whose “24″ character, Jack Bauer, has the same essence and is reminiscent of McQueen at his best.

Anyone who saw the original The Thomas Crown Affair starring McQueen and Faye Dunaway knows what I’m talking about and would have forgone the second, tepid version with two actors I don’t even remember.

Even slobbed up, as he was in Papillon, women would’ve gladly left home and kids to spend a hour with him whether on Devil’s Island or not.

In The Great Escape, you couldn’t take your eyes off him, no matter what other stars were in the picture, and there were plenty of them. McQueen did his own stunts and supplied the excitement pretty much by himself. His historic motorcycle ride is still talked about as one of the most exciting ever filmed. That’s not to say the other actors weren’t good. They were. But it was McQueen you wanted, McQueen you watched, McQueen you worshipped.

Playing opposite Natalie Wood in Love With the Proper Stranger, the fact that his musician character had left her, a one-night stand, pregnant and in the lurch, did not tarnish his film image in the least. Women wanted him to do the right thing but would’ve understood and accepted him, even if he didn’t. That’s not normal. But that’s what it was like with McQueen onscreen. Irresistible.

There is not one actor around anywhere that I know of who has what McQueen had. So how can a biopic about him be successful? I can’t imagine that it could be, and certainly not with someone as seemingly bland as Daniel Craig. (Sorry Daniel Craig fans, there’s simply no comparison.)

If you want a biopic of McQueen, rent his movies. You’ll see what I mean.

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