MOVIE NEWS – Paul Newman and Steve McQueen were two of the biggest stars of the 1970s. But their only film together is remembered for their incredible feuds and rivalries…

Steve McQueen and Paul Newman were two of the most iconic actors of the ’60s and ’70s. But they famously got on badly, and it got ultimately out of hand when they starred together in a $203 million film. Newman was one of the most sought-after actors of the era. Few actors were nominated so many times in a row without winning. The actor was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and finally won his eighth nomination for his performance in The Color of Money. In stark contrast to Newman, McQueen was considered the “King of Cool” but never earned the same recognition.

McQueen made a name for himself by playing lovable anti-hero characters in films such as Le Man and Bullitt, which were a complete departure from Newman’s award-winning work.

At the time, Steve McQueen did not have the prestige of Newman. But in 1966, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in The Sand Pebbles. Unfortunately, the nomination did not result in an award. McQueen was jealous and wanted to be lumped in with Newman. He was seen as a heavyweight dramatic actor, which led to one of Hollywood’s most famous feuds.

Paul Newman and Steve McQueen rivalled for the lead role in The Towering Inferno

The book Paul and I revealed how Newman and McQueen hated each other. McQueen thought he had reached Newman’s level in 1974. He was in talks to star alongside the actor in the epic disaster film The Towering Inferno. Despite this, it was still not good enough. McQueen wanted the top-list role instead of Newman. Although the actors were not on the same level regarding talent, they were equally bankable. It is hard to say who should have ended up with the lead role, as both were guaranteed to bring in an audience.

The controversy didn’t end with the lead role either, with McQueen outraged that he didn’t get as many lines in the film as Newman.

McQueen went through the whole script. He counted how many lines each actor had. When it turned out that he had fewer lines, McQueen asked the scriptwriter to give his character more lines. McQueen not only wanted that, but he wanted to have the film’s last line, regardless of whether it worked narratively. This petty move led to Newman calling his colleague a “chicken s***”.

The producers have found a creative way to resolve the conflict over the lead role, with McQueen’s name first and Newman’s second on the film’s poster. However, Newman’s name appears diagonally above McQueen’s. The arrangement of the names on the poster seems awkward, but it achieved the impossible, and both actors got what they wanted (almost.) Depending on how people look at the poster, Newman or McQueen could be the lead. McQueen, however, was still not entirely happy and saw it as a compromise.

Given that McQueen had already lost so many roles because of his exaggerated demands, it is likely that the actor finally realised that if he stuck to his guns and demanded the lead role, he could lose another monumental role.

The Towering Inferno was a big success for both stars

Not surprisingly, the film was a huge success. The film grossed $203 million worldwide (Movies In Focus), $116 million in North America and $87 million internationally. This made it one of the biggest box office hits of the 1970s.

The film cost $14 million to make, and even a $50 million budget would have been a massive success for the studio. The $200 million take was no small feat, and ironically, this feat was mainly because McQueen and Newman were appearing on screen together for the first time. With two of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars in the lead roles, the film would always be a hit. Had it not been for their feud, the two could have starred in more movies and made millions of dollars together. Unfortunately, neither of them was willing to put aside their differences or even take a lesser role.

Source: Far Out Magazine, Daily Express, Movies In Focus