THE TOWERING INFERNO & TOM HORN!

In 1974 and Steve McQueen's life changed quite a bit. Now married to Ali MacGraw he was billed with Paul Newman in Irwin Allen's production of:

THE TOWERING INFERNO.

_____

While this may be a bit difficult to understand, I struggled--actually agonized to be perfectly honest about it--over selecting "The Thomas Crowne Affair" with Faye Dunaway or "LeMans", a film that meant more to Steve than just about anything. It was around this time frame after "Bullitt" that friends noticed another side that had taken over Steve's persona. Some recall him difficult to work with, edgy, unpredictable and of course ridden with turmoil. In "Crowne" director Norman Jewison worked frantically hard with Steve who typically never worn a suit and tie before playing the role of a millionaire about to embark on a heist with Faye Dunaway. I wanted our Festival to have range and depth but not bordering on strained casting. With "LeMans" Steve enlisted the technical assistance of real-life LeMans Champion racer Peter Revson. Tensions flared with director John Sturges who came to view the film as a Character--driven story where Steve was intent on making an authentic movie about car racing. Schedules, budgets and Steve's insistence on authenticity and many multiple takes finally took its toll with Sturges feeling that McQueen had lost his focus with the stardom and endless women on the set. In a fit of pique Sturges blew up and yelled: "I'm too old and too rich to put up with this bullshit!" and threw the script in the air before walking off the film set for good. "The Getaway" and "Papillon" followed in 1972 and 1973, respectively. In 1974 Neille Adams, Steve's first wife and mother of their children daughter Terry (deceased) and son Chad received a visit from Steve at her house. According to Neille, Steve wanted her input on a new film."They've offered me the Architect part", he said. "But I don't want it. I want The (Fire) Captain". Neille recalls laughing incredulously wondering why Steve would want a smaller part. There had to be a reason. She read the script and saw what it was. The dangerous action sequences. Again, the pattern was pure McQueen. Stealing the show away from Paul Newman half-way into the film. When United States theater audiences saw Steve appear on the screen they burst into thunderous applause; they couldn't get enough of him!

_____

Okay, here's The Plot: Architect Doug Roberts (Paul Newman) returns from a long vacation to find work nearly completed on his glass skyscraper that stands 138 stories tall. He goes to the party that night concerned because he's found that his wiring specifications have not been followed and that the building continues to develop short circuits. When the fire begins Michael O'Halleran (Steve McQueen) is the chief on duty as a series of daring rescues punctuate the terror of a building too tall to have a fire successfully fought from the ground burns.

______

Check out this all-star cast: William Holden as James Duncan, Faye Dunaway (still a hottie) as Susan Franklin, Fred Astaire as Harlee Claiborne, Susan Blakely as Patty Simmons, Richard Chamberlain as Roger Simmons, Jennifer Jones as Lisolette Mueller, O.J. Simpson as Harry Jernigan (please people, no jokes it's not my fault) , Robert Vaughn as Sen. Gary Parker (anyone remember "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.?), Robert Wagner as Dan Bigelow, Don Gordon (YAY!) as KappyFelton Perry, Dabney Coleman as Deputy Chief #1, Scott Newman (Paul's late son) as the Young Fireman, Maureen McGovern (get this, I love it!) as "Herself" (Singer at a party)!

_____

Tagline: "One Tiny Spark Becomes A Night Of Blazing Suspense" (wish that was my love life).

Alright, here are The Oscars (c):
Best Cinematography: Fred J. Koenekamp & Joseph F. Biroc
Best Film Editing: Harold F. Kress & Carl Kress
Best Music, Original Song: Al Kasha Joel Hirschhorn:"We May Never Love Like This Again"

_____

ENJOY!

AND DON'T GET NERVOUS...I HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!

(I'll talk about "Tom Horn" tomorow)