There can be little doubt that when the subject of ‘Hollywood A lister’s’ raised it won’t be long before the name of Steve McQueen enters the discussion. Dubbed ‘The King of Cool’ by Esquire Magazine, McQueen is not only one of the greatest actors ever but his films are some of the most important and influential ever made.

Bullitt, The Towering Inferno, Le Mans, The Great escape, The Magnificent sever, the Thomas crown affair, to name but a few. Even his very first movie – The blob – has many fans and still regarded as an important contribution to the Sci Fi Genre.

Now a new documentary, available on DVD, tells McQueen’s life story with many contributions from those who knew him best as well as other Actors such as Mel Gibson.  The stories told of McQueen’s life both in private and on set will be fascinating for movie fans who enjoy learning more about how these classics were made and the people who made them.

The DVD tells of Steve’s fascination with machinery.  “If it had an engine he had to own it” says one of the contributors.  This led to his determination to make the ground breaking racing film Le Mans.  This collection of cars and in particular Motor Cycles is almost unrivalled. The famous story of this rivalry with Paul Newman on the set of the Towering Inferno is also repeated. Who was the number star of that film is the question. The issued was settled by giving both Actor the same number of words to speak!  We are also told how McQueen insisted on doing his own stunts for the famous Bike chase at the end of the Great Escape.

However the documentary also focuses on McQueen’s life away for the screen. Married 3 times it seems that McQueen struggled to find peace of heart and peace of mind for many years. Despite the fact that he exceedingly rich and could have – and did have – everything he wanted McQueen could never settle, never seemed to find satisfaction and struggled to maintain relationships.  Drugs, sex, and even the ability to do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted just wanted enough.  However, in his own words “did eventually find an answer”.

Something that is little know about the actor – and even some biographies fail to mention this – is that McQueen became a believer in Jesus Christ.  The very last interview that he ever gave is recorded here on the DVD and, again in his own words, “I never found happiness or peace until I met the Lord”. The Documentary doesn’t shy away from this aspect of McQueen’s life and is keen to stress how important his faith was to him. Those who were with him at the end tell us how he clung to his faith till the end.

On November 7, 1980, McQueen died of heart failure at 3:45 a.m. at the Juárez clinic, 12 hours after surgery to remove or reduce numerous metastatic tumours’ in his neck and abdomen. He was 50 years old. According to the El Paso Times, McQueen died in his sleep

If you are interested in exploring the life, motivations, career and faith of a Hollywood Superstar you will find this documentary moving, stirring and fascinating.