(MGM,1965)
Screenplay by Ring Lardner Jr and Terry Southern, based on the novel by Richard Jessup
Produced by Martin Ranshoff
Directed by Norman Jewison
| Eric Stoner | Steve McQueen |
| Lancey Howard | Edward G. Robinson |
| Melba Nile | Ann-Margaret |
| Shooter | Karl Malden |
| Christian | Tuesday Weld |
| Lady Fingers | Joan Blondell |
| Slade | Rip Torn |
| Pig | Jack Weston |
| Yeller | Cab Calloway |
| Hoban | Jeff Corey |
| Felix | Theo Marcause |
The Cincinnati Kid was taken from the Richard Jessup novel and tells tells the story of an upcoming stud player who dreams of playing the best and finally gets the chance to play the ageing champion known as "The Man". McQueen plays Eric Stoner the up and coming youngster who feels he can take on the world. This seems the ideal part for McQueen to play a loner aggressively trying to seek respect and not feeling he has won until he has beaten the best.
After the producers had secured McQueen's commitment Spencer Tracey was approached for the Howard Lancey role but did not feel it was right for him at this stage of his career. McQueen had a great deal of respect for Tracey and saw him as something of role model so he wrote to him and begged to take the role, even offering him top billing which was very much out of character. Edward G Robinson was eventually given the role, which worried McQueen as he felt he may be upstaged and the public may not realise that he was supposed to be the star of the movie.
Of the female lead, Ann-Margaret, McQueen later commented "She was a lady, everybody's wet dream." However the two did not get on at all during filming.
Sam Peckinpah was hired as the director. He was a respected director but had a reputation for being awkward and egotistical. He insisted that the film be shot in black and white to which the producers reluctantly agreed. A colour film would certainly make more at the box office but Peckinpah considered himself an artist, a filmmaker not a money-maker.
Filming began in November 1964 but Peckinpah sent the entire cast home after only four days and shot a sex scene with a black prostitute and riot scene involving 300 extras. Neither appeared in the script. The producers panicked, fearing an X rating and Peckinpah was fired. Production halted while another director was found and McQueen was given $25,000 to lose in Vegas while improving his stud skills.
Norman Jewison was eventually hired as the director even though was totally unproven in this field of work. He had mainly worked in TV and had directed two comedy films, both starring Doris Day. McQueen and Jewison were very different people, "blacksmith and a brain surgeon", however despite the battles they got on OK.
The Cincinnati Kid was a box office hit bringing in $6million in the US and $10million world-wide. McQueen was very impressed with the finished product.