Details on Steve McQueen as lead in Sorcerer from Friedkin himself
Great interview. Go directly to 7:13 for details on Steve McQueen's response to being offered the lead in Sorcerer:
Friedkin: "I was an idiot. I didn't realize then that a close shot of Steve McQueen is worth the most beautiful landscape you can photograph. If the same situation occurred today, I would do whatever I had to do to get McQueen into that film". "Now I think Roy was great in the film, I really do, but Roy was not a movie star".
More here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl-So0Kqbkk