Watch Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans is a documentary film released in 2015, directed by John McKenna and Gabriel Clarke, which explores the story behind Steve McQueen's passion for motor racing and his struggle to create a film about it. Steve McQueen, known for his iconic roles in movies such as Bullitt, The Great Escape, and The Thomas Crown Affair, had a deep love for car racing, and Le Mans was one of his favorite races. McQueen had a vision to create a movie about the Le Mans race, which would capture the essence of the sport and convey the thrill of racing to the audience.

The movie takes us back to the 1970s, when McQueen was at the height of his fame and decided to pursue his dream of making a movie about the Le Mans race. The film offers an inside look at the making of the movie, which was plagued with issues such as budgetary problems, creative differences, and McQueen's own personal struggles.

The filmmakers combine interviews with McQueen's friends and colleagues, including his former wife Neile Adams and his son Chad McQueen, with archival footage from the movie and behind-the-scenes footage. The interviews offer insights into McQueen's personality, his passion for racing, and the challenges he faced while making the movie.

One of the major themes of the movie is McQueen's obsession with perfection. The film showcases McQueen's attention to detail and how he pushed himself and his team to achieve the perfect shot. However, his perfectionism also caused tension on the set, and he clashed with the director and crew over creative decisions.

Another theme of the movie is McQueen's personal life. The documentary delves into his troubled past, including his difficult childhood and his marriages. It also explores his struggles with addiction and how his passion for racing and making the movie helped him escape his demons.

The film also highlights the danger of the sport, as several people were seriously injured during the filming of some of the high-speed racing scenes. The documentary shows how McQueen put himself in harm's way, driving at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, and how he was determined to capture the true essence of the sport.

Overall, Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans is a fascinating documentary that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of McQueen's most ambitious projects. It is a tribute to McQueen's legacy as an actor and racing enthusiast and sheds light on the man behind the iconic image.

Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans is a 2015 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 64.