In this car, he got second place at the 1970 12 hours of sebring. Alltime film rental champs, variety, 7 january 1976 p 46. Making le mans nearly destroyed mcqueen, new documentary reveals. He was considered one of the biggest boxoffice draws of the 1960s and 1970s due to a. And in 1971, mcqueen tried to combine his passion for racing and filmmaking by directing and starring in le mans, a racing drama about the 24 hours of le mans in france, the worlds oldest. He followed it by starring in two backtoback films under sam peckinpah. This cannesselected documentary reveals the true story behind the infamously troubled film shoot that nearly destroyed the career of hollywood icon steve.
Steve mcqueen was not only a huge car enthusiast, but a great driver too. In this film, steve mcqueen is ideally cast as a champion racecar driver, participating in the famed 24hour race headquartered in le mans, france. The man and le mans is the story of obsession, betrayal and ultimate vindication. Steve mcqueen was born in beech grove, indiana, united states. Filming at speed the making of the movie le mans steve. Ace bonner returns to arizona several years after he abandoned his family, junior bonner is a wild young man. The car movie that made steve mcqueen lose his cool for steve mcqueen, filming his race car movie le mans was the culmination of a dream and yet it wrecked his life. Filming at speed the making of the movie le mans steve mcqueen documentary. For any fan of the great steve mcqueen this film is a must have part of any serious collection. With steve mcqueen, ali macgraw, ben johnson, sally struthers. The film focuses on film star steve mcqueens efforts to take control of his career. Steve mcqueen two finger salute autosports marketing.
Mcqueen began the 1970s with the sports drama le mans 1971, a fictional take on the annual 24 hours of le mans endurance races. The getaway is a 1972 american action thriller film based on the 1958 novel by jim thompson. Depicting the racing at the famous le mans circuit. Extreme cost aside, this 1968 ford gt40 gulfmirage has a more unique history than most. Steve mcqueen march 24, 1930 november 7, 1980 was an american movie actor, nicknamed the king of cool. For mcqueen, a serious amateur racer who had finished second sharing a porsche 908 with peter revson in the 1970 sebring 12 hours, making le mans was a selfconfessed seminal moment in his life. Protagonist, koga tumaci steve mcqueen, je profesionalni vozac autoutrka koji vozeci porsche 917 sudjeluje na znamenitoj automobilskoj utrci 24 sata le mansa. These are the words of john klawitter, the onset documentary maker during steve mcqueen s 1971 classic race flick le mans. Its a rather metaphoric description of a hollywood hero who, for a. Aug 21, 2017 this 1970 gulfliveried 917k was used as a test car for le mans before becoming the star car in steve mcqueens legendary racing movie legendary racing movie le mans film.
Katzin and starring steve mcqueen, siegfried rauch, elga andersen, ronald leighhunt and fred haltiner. The 1971 le mans film follows one of the drivers in the race, michael delaney played by steve mcqueen, the man in charge of the steering wheels of the porsche and who is affected by the memory of fatal accident at the previous years race. It was directed by peter yates and distributed by warner bros. Le mans 24 hours for steve mcqueen, and many others, a race. He drove cars and motorcycles in races all over the world like the mojave desert 500 and the 12 hours of sebring and he even filmed his 1971 classic le mans on the site of the actual race. I go to races all over the world, and ive had seventyyearold race drivers come up to me and say, hey, le mans was my inspiration. It is considered one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world 2 and has been called the grand prix of endurance and efficiency. Le mans is a 1971 film depicting a fictional 24 hours of le mans auto race starring steve mcqueen and directed by lee h.
It is the story of how one of the most volatile, charismatic stars of his generation, who. Katzin after the departure midfilming in le mans by john sturges who had directed mcqueen in the magnificent seven 1960 and the great escape 1963. Le mans je americki akcijski film snimljen u reziji leeja h. After le mans was released in the us, steve went bankrupt, his main solar partners left the company, and solar as a real production company had folded. With steve mcqueen, robert preston, ida lupino, ben johnson. Shot live at the actual 1970 24 hours of le mans where mcqueen s movie production company entered the now iconic porsche 917k seen in the film, le mans set the standard for every racing movie since.
May 17, 2015 mcqueen and his partner peter revson had finished a very close second at the 12 hours of sebring race in march and the star harbored hopes of actually racing in the le mans event, an idea he was. In 1970, steve mcqueen set out to make the ultimate racing movie. During preparation for the film, he drove a slate gray 1969 porsche. One driver lost a leg during production, and steve was nearly killed twice.
This included the ford gt40 used in his 1971 film le mans, along with ferraris and even a gmc pickup truck. The film got finished 2 months later than planned and 1. Bullitt is a 1968 american thriller film starring steve mcqueen, jacqueline bisset, and robert vaughn. Neile adams 1956 1972, ali macgraw 19731978, barbara minty married 1980. Steve mcqueen from 1970 to 1980 the film le mans came out in 1971. A mong a vivid collection of childhood memories, steve mcqueen s son chad has one that is seared into his consciousness. Le mans in the rearview mirror, chronicles the iconic 1971 racing film with hundreds of never before seen photos taken by don nunley. Acknowledgements a true steve mcqueen fan, don whistance provided the photograph of the chateau lornay. The man and le mans documentary bought by filmrise for u. He was the king of cool and the worlds most notorious ladies man. His son chad mcqueen and former wife neile adams are among those interviewed. Kanye west, steve mcqueen short film all day to play at lacma get more from variety and variety411. Mcqueen was a motorcycles and race cars enthusiast.
It premiered at the 68th cannes film festival and was one of two british films to be an official selection for the cannes film festival in 2015. Hot off the back of classics like the thomas crown affair and bullitt, the racing fanatic began production of his passion project, le mans, centered on the 24hour car race in france. See more ideas about steve mcqueen, mcqueen and steve mc. The film was directed by sam peckinpah, written by walter hill, and stars steve mcqueen, ali macgraw, ben johnson, al lettieri, and sally struthers. Over 25 years after his untimely death from mesothelioma in 1980, steve mcqueen is still considered hip and cool, and he endures as an icon of popular culture.
Le mans steve mcqueen michel legrand movie press sheet 1974 japanese. Posters of steve giving the two finger salute taken by nigel snowdon on the set of the film le mans are available as an 18. In the latter, he was paired opposite his second wife, ali macgraw. It belonged to hollywoods king of speed, steve mcqueen, and was featured in the 1971 racing classic, le mans. Katzin and starring steve mcqueen, siegfried rauch, elga andersen.
Almost at the verge of documentary, film depicts a single. Le mans 24 hours for steve mcqueen, and many others, a. He was adamant about going to 24 hours of le mans to get some great footage of the race, and to prepare for his next role, he bought this amazing 1969 porsche 908 spyder. With sharon tate, roman polanski, steve mcqueen, chad mcqueen. From then on he mixed character roles in works such as 1973s papillon, with pure spectacle in the 1971 car races film le mans or in the getaway in 1972. Man on the edge narrated by james coburn the hollywood collection duration. Can you identify these steve mcqueen movies from a screenshot. Originally, mcqueen raced the 908 in the 12 hours of sebring race in 1970, finishing second overall after mario andretti.
The film was a critical and commercial disappointment, leaving him almost bankrupt. Terence steven steve mcqueen march 24, 1930 november 7, 1980 was an american movie actor and star of such films as the magnificent seven, the great escape, the cincinnati kid, the thomas crown affair, bullitt, papillon, the towering inferno, and le mans his early film work included a supporting role in the paul newman film somebody up there likes me, about boxer rocky graziano. Papillon movie poster italian locandina x27 inch size steve mcqueen 1973 film. Following his death in 1980, mcqueen s estate was auctioned in 1984. He would lose his marriage, close friendships and control of his film, and risk lives in the. Following the epic disaster movie, the towering inferno 1974, mcqueens career hit a down slope that was later revealed to be the result of his. Oct 12, 2016 filming at speed the making of the movie le mans steve mcqueen documentary duration. After the underperforming race movie le mans 1971, he had one of the biggest hits of the year with the getaway 1972 and delivered a solid turn as an escaped prisoner in papillion 1973. On 12 july, production of the movie about ferrari and fords duel at the 24 hours in the midtolate 1960s made a stop in le mans. Steve mcqueens connection with porsche during the production process of le mans 1971 had been quite well documented by 2008.
This 1970 gulfliveried 917k was used as a test car for le mans before becoming the star car in steve mcqueen s legendary racing movie legendary racing movie le mans film. For steve mcqueen, filming his race car movie le mans was the culmination of a dream and yet it wrecked his life. The original trailer in high definition of le mans directed by lee h. Against the typical rodeo championship, family drama erupts. Steve mcqueens famous porsche 917k displayed in new museum. He was the ultracool male film star of the 1960s, and rose from a troubled youth spent in reform schools to being the worlds most popular actor. Both steve mcqueen and carroll shelby owned this classic. And ultimately, 43 years later, he was proven to be right. With steve mcqueen, siegfried rauch, elga andersen, ronald leighhunt. Nov 19, 2015 these are the words of john klawitter, the onset documentary maker during steve mcqueens 1971 classic race flick le mans. The story was adapted for the screen by alan trustman and harry kleiner, based on the novel titled. Of course, mcqueen valued the road far more than he did anything related to martial arts.
See more ideas about steve mcqueen, le mans and mcqueen. After the towering inferno in 1974, mcqueen did not return to film until 1978, when he played in an enemy of the people. What watch is steve mcqueen wearing in the 1971 film le mans. In 1971, mcqueen starred in the poorly received autoracing drama le mans, followed by junior bonner in 1972, a story of an aging rodeo rider. Following the epic disaster movie, the towering inferno 1974, mcqueen s career hit a down slope that was later revealed to be the result of his. Nov, 2015 mcqueen was at the height of his considerable stardom in 1970 when he tried to make a scripted movie centered on the 24 hours of le mans, the sports car race in france. Le mans documents actors drive to complete illfated 1971 film.