Steve McQueen was a superstar actor who became a top box-office draw for films in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. He was nicknamed the ‘King of Cool,’ which was fitting since he also raced cars under the alias ‘Harvey Mushman.’
In the first clip from ‘The Great Escape,’ Steve is held captive in a Nazi camp with other soldiers. He throws his ball to the wire fence to see how close he can get. After getting shot at, a group of Nazi soldiers approached him and asked what he was doing.
Steve tells the first group that he was retrieving his baseball, but when the leader comes over in the second group, Steve tells him that he was trying to cut through the fence. Steve gives him his wire cutters, and after he delivers some smart remarks, he ends up in isolation.
The following clip is from ‘The Magnificent Seven.’ Steve is traveling through town on a stagecoach holding a rifle. His driver tells him there’s a man in the second-story window. Steve calmly responds, “I’m not in a good position. Let him stick his neck out.” When the man in the window fires his first shot, Steve quickly turns and shoots him clean.
In a clip from ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ Steve laughs as he lights up a cigar, puts his feet up, and has a drink. The police are feverishly scrambling around while Steve continues to laugh from his fancy office.
In another clip from ‘The Great Escape,’ Steve is caught in disguise as a Nazi soldier while riding a motorcycle. He quickly kicks the soldier who questions him and drives off on the bike, leading a massive chase through the countryside.
The montage shows off Steve’s tough guy persona and driving skills. The classic films ‘The Great Escape,’ ‘The Magnificent Seven,’ and ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’ show why America fell in love with Steve McQueen.
