Talk About A Wrong Turn!
It was Steve McQueen’s last film, and it included the most incredible car stunt Chicago has ever seen!
Time to celebrate “The Hunter!”
Steve McQueen was one of the biggest stars of the 60’s and 70’s, with films such as “The Great Escape”, “Papillon” and the iconic action movie “Bullitt.”
He was also one of Hollywood’s coolest stars…McQueen was a huge car buff and race car driver as well, and his last film included Chicago’s most amazing car stunt ever!
“The Hunter” was the true story of professional bounty hunter Ralph “Papa” Thorson.
Check out the trailer:
“The Hunter” was McQueen’s last film, and sadly, it was during filming that co-workers realized something was wrong with the Actor.
1980 — American actor Steve McQueen on the set of The Hunter, directed by Buzz Kulik. — Image by © Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis
According to numerous biographies and documentaries on Steve McQueen’s life, one of the first signs of problems relating to the cancer in his lungs occurred when shooting a scene in which McQueen is running down the street and turns a corner. When the director yelled, “Cut!”, McQueen didn’t come back around the corner. McQueen was found leaning against a wall trying desperately to catch his breath.
Steve McQueen was diagnosed with cancer the month after filming had ended.
Also tragic was the fact that the real Ralph Thorson, portrayed by Steve McQueen in the movie, was killed by a car bomb in 1994.
“The Hunter” is best known as the film that showed off Chicago’s iconic Marina Towers in a very special way!
Chicago’s Dual Corn Cobs!
Marina City includes a unique pair of apartment buildings on the Chicago River, and tenants have their cars valet parked on the lower floors of the building.
As the Chicago Tribune noted: “a car chase up Marina City towers’ parking ramp ends with a vehicle losing control on the 15th floor of the corncob-looking building and plunging into the Chicago River.
That’s right, the chase ends when the car shoots off of the 19th floor and into the Chicago river!
“It’s certainly a spectacular image people frequently associate with Chicago, it’s perhaps one of the more memorable stunts the city has done overall. Up until that point, so few big movies were made in Chicago. It helped put Chicago on the map when it comes to filmmaking.”
McQueen’s last movie isn’t one of his best, even with the amazing stunt – which has NEVER been allowed since!
If you want to see more classic Steve McQueen, you can begin here:
The Getaway!
Take notorious Director Sam Peckinpah, add the toughest – and coolest – action star of the time in Steve McQueen, and add new star Ali McGraw, and you have a dynamite action film from 1972 that is as entertaining today as the day it was released!
This is the film that led to McQueen and Macgraw leaving their spouses and running off together. Here is a surprisingly long trailer!
Here’s the plot: Master thief Doc McCoy knows his wife has been in bed with the local political boss in order to spring him from jail.
What he doesn’t know are all of the double-crosses that will sour the deal once he’s on the outside – and pulling off the ultimate robbery.
This is filled with iconic scenes, and so much cool it will put a chill on your living room! Just look at McQueen and MacGraw blasting their way out of trouble…
Ali McGraw’s Husband!
Ali MacGraw was one of Hollywood’s biggest female star when she made “The Getaway”, thanks to the mega-hit “Love Story.” She was also married to movie Executive Robert “The Kid Stays In The Picture” Evans!
MacGraw and McQueen began an affair during the filming of the movie, and ended up getting married…Evans discusses this part of his life in his terrific memoir, “The Kid Stays In The Picture.”
Oh Sally!
Sally Struthers has a deliciously wacky small role in the film, as the wife of a mild-mannered Dentist! They are both kidnapped by a ruthless thug out to find McQueen…
Struthers was a big star at the time on TV’s “All In The Family”…”The Getaway” is a great action movie, beautifully directed, and worth finding on dvd…
If this has whetted your appetite for classic 70’s action films, there I have a story for you!
Here is a story of some of the best 70’s action movies, with some of the biggest guns! Click on my story here:
“Thunderbolt And Lightfoot” is a classic 70’s movie…but somewhat neglected as well….here is another classic 70’s movie that is little known…
If you want to discover more classic 70’s films, click on my story here for ten neglected gems:
http://johnrieber.com/2012/01/29/ten-great-undiscovered-70s-movies/
And leave me a message to let me know if you’ve seen Chicago’s greatest car stunt of all time!
