Perhaps in the hands of someone like Tony Curtis, more skilled in the comedic arts a flop play like Golden Fleecing on Broadway might have become a better film. But Steve McQueen himself was most dissatisfied with this film. He did much better with comedy in The Reivers.
McQueen is a Navy Lieutenant assigned to a destroyer with a Univac like brain and he thinks that this super thinking machine should not be limited to the mundane tasks that the Navy has for it. With the ship putting into the port of Venice of NATO ally Italy with casino gambling, he figures that the brain could be put to use breaking one of the casinos at the roulette table. In this he's aided and abetted by civilian computer tech Jim Hutton, fellow officer Jack Mullaney, and signalman Norman Grabowski.
McQueen and Hutton's women Brigid Bazlen and Paula Prentiss respectively get in on the scheme, a bit conflicting for Bazlen as she's Admiral Dean Jagger's daughter. Note in the film how comedy comes so much easier to Hutton and Prentiss than to the leads. Also there's a nice performance by Jack Weston as a sailor they get smashed after he's on their trail.
On Broadway Golden Fleecing ran for 84 performances and had Tom Poston, Suzanne Pleshette and Constance Ford in the cast. I can see the whimsical Poston playing this far different than action hero Steve McQueen. Also according to the Citadel Film series book on The Films Of Steve McQueen it was at one time suggested that Cary Grant be cast in the role of the admiral. Grant at the time this was out was out in Operation Petticoat a much better film.
If Steve McQueen's fans want to see him in something funny that suits him, check out The Reivers.
McQueen is a Navy Lieutenant assigned to a destroyer with a Univac like brain and he thinks that this super thinking machine should not be limited to the mundane tasks that the Navy has for it. With the ship putting into the port of Venice of NATO ally Italy with casino gambling, he figures that the brain could be put to use breaking one of the casinos at the roulette table. In this he's aided and abetted by civilian computer tech Jim Hutton, fellow officer Jack Mullaney, and signalman Norman Grabowski.
McQueen and Hutton's women Brigid Bazlen and Paula Prentiss respectively get in on the scheme, a bit conflicting for Bazlen as she's Admiral Dean Jagger's daughter. Note in the film how comedy comes so much easier to Hutton and Prentiss than to the leads. Also there's a nice performance by Jack Weston as a sailor they get smashed after he's on their trail.
On Broadway Golden Fleecing ran for 84 performances and had Tom Poston, Suzanne Pleshette and Constance Ford in the cast. I can see the whimsical Poston playing this far different than action hero Steve McQueen. Also according to the Citadel Film series book on The Films Of Steve McQueen it was at one time suggested that Cary Grant be cast in the role of the admiral. Grant at the time this was out was out in Operation Petticoat a much better film.
If Steve McQueen's fans want to see him in something funny that suits him, check out The Reivers.