Steve McQueen: the unauthorized biography

by Malachy McCoy

The loner who lays down the law to Hollywood. Today Steve McQueen wields a power rarely matched in moviedom. He commands a million dollars a film. His wild escapades on the set draw no reproofs. His withdrawn ways, his unpredictable behavior, all are somehow part of the chemistry that makes him a superstar. This is the most candid look ever at a fascinating figure. It tells of a child from a broken home who went to reform school, drifted through society's lower depths, became an anonymous Marine private, only to surface as an actor and rise to the top. It describes his relationship with the beautiful dancer who was his first wife, and his affair and marriage with Ali MacGraw which shocked even blase Hollywood. It sheds bold light on the forces that drive him, the reasons for his enormous sex appeal, and the unique place he has earned in contemporary films. Here is an unforgettable relvelation of the star who speaks to the rebel in all of us. With complete filmography.

Genres: Biography, Film, Nonfiction

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Alayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was definitely the unauthorised biography - the author only interviewed Steve McQueen twice in his life. It was written in a very superior sounding way as if the author considered McQueen to be beneath him. He also attempted to psychoanalyse him in a very amateur way. The book was full of information which could be found on the public record, but there was nothing about the real man. However, it has made me want to follow up and read more about McQueen.

[Chuck · Rating 1 out of 5]

Expecting to learn something about the inside of McQueen, I learned nothing. I couldn’t finish it. So, I skipped through it in hopes of finding something didn’t happen.
Written by a person who only briefly interviewed him twice, it appears that he got his information from friends and second hand sources.
Poorly written by a person who supposedly makes his living as a writer. I’m glad I paid less than a dollar for it in a second hand bookstore.

[Andréa Geleynse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of factual inaccuracies but still interesting because it was written while McQueen was still alive.

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just an okay read for me. It could have been alot better. First off, it was written in 1974. He died in 1980. So it's just short of a full biography as it misses his third marriage and his death by cancer. Not that the author had any idea these things would come up. I'm used to reading biographies but this one really dragged for me. It wasn't the info about Steve McQueen that dragged, more so in the way it was written. And it felt really really dated as well, like you were reading something old, which you were. It covered his childhood, his first marriage (of 15 years) and a majority of his movies so it did touch on most of his life. And I did learn alot about him. But it dragged reading it so much that it took me ages to finally finish it.

[Hermien · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got to about half-way and then decided it wasn't worth persevering. My impression was that McCoy never actually met the actor and the whole book was based on publicly available information. Steve McQueen also doesn't come across as a likable person, so for me it wasn't worth finding out more about him.