Grade: C
Synopsis: A scheming naval officer (Steve McQueen) convinces a scientist (Jim Hutton) to use a shipboard supercomputer to help him win at roulette in a Venice casino.
An interesting thing about The Honeymoon Machine is that it’s premise, that roulette wheels are man-made and mechanical and therefore subject to imperfections, which can be exploited, is true. It’s unlikely playwright Lorenzo Semple Jr. or screenwriter George Wells realized it at the time, but exploiting biased roulette wheels is a recognized form of advantage play. Granted, it’s not as precise as in the movie, where the computer is able to pick the exact number that will hit on a given spin, but the principal is sound. MORE »
Posted 513 days ago in Movie Reviews and Steve McQueen. No responses
Grade: B
Synopsis: During World War II, a small group of American soldiers (Steve McQueen, Bobby Darin, Harry Guardino and James Coburn) is ordered to hold a position against an overwhelming number of Germans.
Hell Is for Heroes is a solid little war picture thanks to its great cast, gritty direction and tight script. MORE »
Posted 514 days ago in Movie Reviews and Steve McQueen. No responses
Grade: C-
Synopsis: A driver (Steve McQueen) coming off a nearly fatal injury, competes in the 24 hour endurance race, Le Mans.
Le Mans was star Steve McQueen’s dream project. After director John Sturges left the project due to McQueen interfering in nearly every aspect of production, Lee H. Katzin came aboard and the film essentially became McQueen’s show. MORE »
Posted 604 days ago in Movie Reviews and Steve McQueen. No responses
Grade: C+
Synopsis: The pilot (Steve McQueen) and co-pilot (Robert Wagner) of a bomber plane clash over the war and a woman (Shirley Anne Field) in World War II England.
The War Lover doesn’t start well. The military action sequences aren’t well done, splicing in grainy footage that doesn’t mesh with the otherwise crisp black and white photography, and lacking any real “wow” factor. That, combined with stilted dialog might have you reconsidering your investment, but if you hang in there, you’ll be rewarded by a terrific performance from lead Steve McQueen. MORE »
Posted 619 days ago in Movie Reviews and Steve McQueen. No responses
Grade: D+
Synopsis: In turn-of-the-century Mississippi, a young boy steals his father’s car for a road trip with two scoundrels (Steve McQueen and Rupert Crosse).
The Reivers is a supremely well produced coming of age story that just doesn’t work.
Part of the problem is the tone. The film flip-flops between outright farce and serious drama, but never finds its footing. The comedy seems forced and over the top while the drama seems out of place and almost off-putting, like the scene where one young boy pulls a knife on another in a fight. For a film that had, to a large degree, felt like a Disney family film up to this point, it’s a somewhat jarring image. MORE »
Posted 777 days ago in Movie Reviews and Steve McQueen. One response
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