Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool (2005 TV Movie) User Reviews

Interesting bio of McQueen with good insight from Neile Adams...

[Doylenf · 7/10 · 22 August 2010]

Fans of actor STEVE McQUEEN will no doubt admire this compelling bio of his early days, through to his career highlights and untimely death from cancer--all of it helped by some insightful comments from co-workers, but particularly his wife NEILE ADAMS who divulges a lot of information about her marriage to the man who became a superstar and rugged hero.

Especially good are the film clips including some from his early days on TV in "Wanted: Dead or Alive." His first breakthrough came with THE BLOB, never expected to be the major hit it became on a low budget--and then onward to films like THE GREAT ESCAPE, BULLITT and PAPILLION.

Good contributions from Suzanne Pleshette, Martin Landau and several others make it a very watchable look at Steve's career. The final years are told in a way that is poignant and well documented.

His legend lives on

[TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews · 7/10 · 18 May 2010]

With a running time of 83 minutes, this is the shorter of the two feature-length documentaries on the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD of Bullitt. It consists of interviews(I liked the sort of "progression" in the on-screen graphic boxes that identify them) with those that worked with him, his friends and the like(not Ali McGraw, for some reason... and unsurprisingly, no one mentions why that is; maybe it had to do with something they experienced) and clips from his films(and yes, it spoils parts of several of them, obviously), a couple of times used to mirror the story being told, and done so really well. It's quite well-edited. This goes over his entire career and his personal life as well, from early on and throughout it. I have to admit, I barely knew anything about him before watching this, and now I might feel confident enough to describe him to someone else who is unaware of his personality. This keeps to a nice pace, if it doesn't seem to make efforts to mimic the energy of the man(honestly, that might have gotten straining to the viewer, what with this being an hour and a half). He is treated with respect, though the negatives of his behaviour are not ignored. The whole thing is interesting and the anecdotes are fun to hear. There is a little swearing, disturbing content and mention of drugs in this. I recommend it to any current or potential fan of McQueen, and anyone else who want to find out more about him. 7/10

Worth a watch but a bit sad.

[christopher-underwood · 7/10 · 23 February 2020]

Nothing like as good as the other documentary on the Bullitt Blu-ray disc, dealing with film editing but this is just about worth a look. From the title you would imagine this is a great celebration of a great charismatic and cool guy but that just isn't the way it turns out. All the usual suspects say all the usual things except for his first wife Neile Adams, who is great throughout and Dickie Attenborough who is sycophantic and boring throughout, what a terrible man hiding beneath such a gentle facade. Mr Cool himself, who insinuated himself into scenes that weren't intended for him and passed on dialogue he felt he couldn't deal with (while he was concentrating on looking cool and reflective!) seems to finally come apart during the filming of Le Mans. He's a big star, approaching 40 at the end of the sixties - he wants sex and drugs and that's the way he goes. The Getaway and Towering Inferno are late highpoint but it seems he makes so much money from Inferno that more bad than good comes from it. I shouldn't criticise the documentary for clarifying all this and so maybe just the title should be changed to Mr Cool boils over or some such. Worth a watch but a bit sad.

Work Hard and Trust the Camera

[boblipton · 10/10 · 3 June 2005]

This is a brilliant documentary on a fascinating film star. All too often, documentaries like this are bits of fluff that offer no insight into how the subject achieved what he did. Not this time.

The interviews are conducted in a variety of manners. Some are conducted solo: his ex-wife, Neile Adams speaks of him, with an air of getting a lot of her chest; Robert Vaughn and Martin Landau, two of the most cerebral actors of that generation, talking about craft. Only Richard Attenborough is guarded.

Other people they shoot in pairs or groups: director Norman Jewison and d.p. Haskell Wexler wind up talking freely, as do the three stuntmen, speaking in a group; and a taped interview with McQueen talks about his issues.

It is not often you see the craft behind what goes onto the film. You do here. Don't miss this.

Video history of one of the most dynamic and individualistic actors in film history.

[bskweeksdion · 10/10 · 7 December 2005]

As a MAJOR McQueen fan all of my life, I was eager to see this documentary and I was not disappointed. Many actors whom I have enjoyed and admired were interviewed and greatly added to the interest of the film. I especially enjoyed the interviews with his friends behind the camera and his relationship with them. I must agree with an earlier reviewer who commented on Neile Adams' statements but I also saw a woman who still loved that man after all these years. McQueen's last years as he battled with cancer were heart-wrenching but, I think, were handled with such honesty that it was bearable. Those last interviews were awesome and is this beautiful film available on DVD yet?

Unforgettable Steve

[liednangel · 27 January 2007]

This documentary is nostalgic and let us remember him as the way he was: the real fast and furious, but wonderful macho man on the screen, he often wanted to show everybody he was the strongest, the best, the most fearless and the bravest guy in the world, sometimes against the world, sometimes against the stablisment, sometimes against the unjustice, he was an example to many how to face adversity, no matter how tough the problems seemed to be, he tried to get over them and during his fifty years of live in this world, he lived in his own way and we'll always miss him, including new generations of fans and fortunately we can watch his films on TV and dvds.

An excellent and illuminating warts'n'all portrait of a major cinematic icon of cool

[Woodyanders · 10/10 · 11 May 2009]

This documentary offers a fascinating wealth of information on legendary tough guy actor Steve McQueen. Everything from McQueen's troubled childhood to his exceptional charisma to his cool masculine presence to his competitive nature to his involvement with sex'n'drugs to his brave struggle with cancer gets addressed. Among the interview subjects are his wives Neile Adams and Barbara Minty (Adams' amazing anecdote about McQueen ordering two steaks in a restaurant is quite revealing), fellow actors Don Gordon, Robert Vaughn, Robert Culp, Sir Richard Attenborough, and Eli Wallach, directors Peter Yates and Norman Jewison, Suzanne Plushette, and son Chad (his stories about his dad being a loving and generous father are especially poignant). Starting off with his humble beginnings as a struggling newcomer at the Actors Studio in New York City, with additional details on his first lead in "The Blob," his breakthrough role on the hit TV series "Wanted: Dead or Alive," his star-making part in "The Magnificent Seven," confirming his iconic status in "The Great Escape," doing the lion's share of the driving for that extraordinary car chase in "Bullitt," his eventual interest in car racing, outstanding performance in "Papillon," becoming a recluse at the height of his popularity in the 70's, and his last two films "Tom Horn" and "The Hunter," this always compelling and perceptive documentary on the mesmerizing bad boy and former Marine with the piercing blue eyes who was a loner, a straight-shooter, an incredibly honest actor, and an extremely loyal friend makes you feel as if you actually knew McQueen by the end of the picture. Essential viewing.

Loved the documentary

[yamatji · 26 February 2007]

Loved the documentary "Essence of Cool". I'd seen Steve McQueen in a few movies as a younger person but now, older with a slightly different outlook to "back then" I realized what a man Steve was as an actor. Every (mature aged) woman loves a dare devil!

Most interesting were the cool motor cycles Steve rode. And I loved how he taught his kids to ride. What a Dad!

I now want to go rent all his old movies - asap.From humble beginnings came a focused, risk taking, talented individual. Well done to the producers and to all the contributors of this great documentary. They captured the man, especially his "Essence of Cool".