What's the deal with Ali McGraw

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Ali McGraw was so hot in that movie, possible one of the hottest anyone has ever been in a movie. Who cares if she can't act, anyway I personally think she was very effective the way she was.
The result was a classic Peckinpaw film, and Steve McQueen in his most bad*ss role. I love it when he shoots up the cop car. Some parts feel dated, but the overall result is timeless.

You say there are other reasons, please tell me because the points you gave, hold no water to me.

Okay Ali MacGraw is not the worlds best actress, not even great, but she in no way takes away from the movie. I even believe that were it another actress it would take away from it. (I mean look at her, damn, she is so hot, if you are gay tell me, because that is cool with me, I don't care.)

'Al Lettieri is a great heavy and I wanted to see his final demise at the hands of McQueen more draw out.' ??? If you are saying what I think you are saying, my reply would be that I thought his scenes were long and drawn out as it was, but were not very essential to the two main characters, and thus not needing to be killed in a long drawn out way. Maybe it even is saying something about Mcqueen's character, he spared him, he was his enemy, but felt a kin to him in a way, and only killed him when forced to.

And are you that desperate for pointless violence, it worked in 'The Wild Bunch,' but this is a different movie. More pointless bloodshed, would be... uh... pointless. You sound like a twelve year old wanting to be cool and watch a movie that is rated R. Unless you really are twelve, in which case that is okay.

"I have vision, and the rest of the world wears bifocals." - Butch Cassidy

I don't think Ali McGraw ruined the movie at all. Like other users have pointed out, she is really hot! OK, I know beauty is not the most important part of acting, but I don't think her role in the film called for any serious acting anyway. She was supposed to be a tough lady, maybe that is why her performance is so restrained. I haven't really seen her in any other film (I have seen Love Story but I was too young), but in this particular film, she is beauty and coolness personified.
And as far as I am concerned she and Steve McQueen looked so amazing together onscreen and that's one of the things I loved about this film.

(small spoiler)

I could appreciate her introvert acting. I think it's kinda part of her role. She keeps asking herself if it's all worth it. Throughout the movie, she gives up everything. She slept with a crook to get her man free, she murdered and did it all out of a love she isn't sure about. It is only untill the end that she melts a bit. (After the old guy pointed out that everything he owes was thanks to his wife...)

I do not agree with you. With all due respect to Ms. McGraw, I did not see Ali McGraw perform in 'The Getaway', not even phoned in! She was a pretty face on the screen to compliment Steve McQueen. However, she is beautiful reminder 'Beauty, does not an actress make'.
I think Jane Fonda would have been the perfect 'Carol McCoy' to balance and compliment Steve McQueen's 'Doc'. I feel her feminist convictions would have been in the way of finishing the script. So, whom from 1970-1 would have been available and would have been a better playing a non blonde 'Carol McCoy'; Gena Rowlands, Leslie Ann Warren, Shirley MacClain, Barbara Hershey, Ann Margret, Susan Sarandon, Marsha Mason, Sally Kellerman, Goldie Hawn, Susan Clark, Candice Bergan, Leigh Taylor Young, Karen Black, Stella Stevens, Trish Van Devere, Jessica Walter, Angie Dickenson, Pam Grier, Faye Dunaway, Paula Prentiss, Dyan Cannon, Lauren Hutton, Katherine Ross, Samantha Eggar, Julie Christie,...for starters?
As you can see the actress hopper was not empty.

I think that when your spouse is Robert Evans and one of the HOTTEST Producers in Hollywood, getting a gig can't be that difficult, especially when Steve McQueen had the hots for her. I have to wonder how hard did Steve McQueen push to have her in the movie?
Sam seemed to be turned on by buxom blondes and full figured brunettes...not a boyish ballerina's figure of a woman.
Check out most of the body types of the women in his films.

Silly Whyteboye
"Accept No Substitute!"

Watch Love Story. Thats why she made it.

Think with Objectivity, and become depressed
Action is the enemy of thought

>Maybe it's because I'm from a younger generation, but what is the appeal (aside from maybe her ability to look pretty)? This woman couldn't act her way out of a paper bag. Her range of emotions: stone-face-pouty, stone-face happy, stone-face sad... Her delivery : monotone, lacking in inflection or emotion.<

The appeal of Ms McGraw is simply that, she has an exceptional ability to 'look pretty'.

I once went out with a girl (a couple of months ago, actually) who looked the spit of Ali McGraw. I expected her to be the bees knees: she was absolutely stunning, and although I think that in The Getaway, Carol's (McGraw's) introversion makes her enigmatic and therefore even more 'hot', the girl I went out with was also exceptionally quiet. And she was just plain dull. Talk about disappointment. She was a nice girl, but you couldn't hold a conversation with her beyond inane chat about soap operas and chick lit.(When a girl goes 'Bridget Jones'on my behind, I cut my losses and pack up my bags.)

Just goes to show that what we find attractive in movies is not always what we seek in a partner in real life. In movies, I like brunettes who do the 'stone-face-pouty, stone-face happy, stone-face sad' bag, but in life I like women with a bit more zest. However, in life (as in movies) I still prefer brunettes, so there is some crossover.

I'm sure that women would say the same thing about the strong, silent types that they find attractive in films: they may be interesting to spend two hours with on the silver screen, but in real life they might be dull as ditchwater.

'I'm a by God constitutional anarchist'
Warren Oates.