Steve McQueen, one of the first "cool" film stars, remains a cultural icon the world over. From 'The Cincinnati Kid' to 'Frank Bullitt', 'Tom Crown' to 'Papillon', his roles exemplified a certain school of male charm, as well as grit and a hint of menace.
This is a full and frank portrait of the complex man behind the icon of cool. As Sandford reveals, McQueen's public demeanour of studied nonchalance hid chronic self-destructive urges which emerged in his favourite hobbies, including bare-knuckle boxing and Porsche-racing, as well several suicide attempts.
Sandford has spoken to a wide range of McQueen's contemporaries - Hollywood stars, friends and family - and discovered the man behind the myth, the abandoned little boy underneath the movie-god swagger.
