Bullitt

A great example of the sordid, violent, 60's detective film, and a prime influence on every t.v. detective series from the 1970's onward. Grittily realistic with San Francisco making an excellent back drop for one of Steve McQueen's best roles. As detective Frank Bullit, assigned to guard a chief witness in a senate investigation, McQueen is a perfect combination of stoicism and jaded cool. Robert Vaughn makes an excellent corrupt politician attempting to gain publicity with a mob investigation, and Jacquline Bisset is beautiful as McQueen's girlfriend and voice of normalcy. The stylish medium shot direction of Peter Yates ( his best film) makes for a fast past action /suspense/ police thriller. And of course there's the justifiably famous car chase.

Steve McQueen is Frank Bullitt! Frank Bullitt is slick! 'Bullitt' is thrilling! The stylish mystery thriller that created a basis for all future police procedurals to follow! With fantastic direction from Peter Yates and immaculate attention to detail on the stunning cinematography, 'Bullitt' is an attention-demanding and action-packed adventure supported by a jazz-fuelled score. When reviewing this crime flick, who could overlook the unforgettable Mustang v Charger chase through the streets of San Francisco which is arguably the greatest and most influential car chase ever filmed. 'Bullitt' is a dark and suspenseful masterpiece from Peter Yates.

The late 1960s saw two classic, hard-boiled thrillers set in San Fransico; John Boorman's stylised 'Point Blank', and Peter Yates' 'Bullitt'. Calling your hero Bullitt might seem an unsubtle way to emphasise his macho qualities, but in fact Steve MacQueen plays him as a quiet man, not some wise-talking maverick: he does what he has to do, but takes no pleasure in his actions; and survives the roughness of his work not by becoming a monster, but simply by becoming a little less human. It's a believable portrait, and the film as a whole has a procedural feel: there are action scenes, but these are kept in their place in the overall design.

Today, the film is most famous for its celebrated car chase, which makes excellent use, as indeed does the movie as a whole, of the bay area locations, but is not actually shot that excitingly: the conclusion at the airport is more original, though it roots the film in the time when it was permissible to take a loaded gun onto a plane. But overall this is still a classy film, dry, exciting and bleak, and among the very best films of its day. William Friedkin's brilliant 'The French Connection', made a short while afterwards, would appear to owe it a debt.

Despite having aged somewhat, Bullitt remains a tough, gritty, and altogether realistic portrait of police life in late sixties San Francisco. The film is of course most renowned for the spectacular (even by today's standards) car chase in which star Steve McQueen famously did his own stunt driving (I wonder what the insurance policy was like?!) Although McQueen didn't really have to stretch beyond his already established screen persona, he is perfect in the role. He is Bullitt like Connery is Bond. Maybe the role was tailored specifically for him. He also has Jacqueline Bisset (Cathy), who can more than hold her own with any Bond girl, to come home to! She adds a welcome domestic quality and the audience feels relieved that despite the unforgiving profession Bullitt works in, at least he has a good woman at his side. The location photography in beautiful San Francisco, the to-the-letter accurate procedural dialogue, the political infighting with the smarmy D.A. Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) and the brutally violent action scenes all complement the fine performances to create an entirely engrossing authentic crime drama. Watch for the great Robert Duvall in a minor role as the cabbie.

With the possibly exception of Casablanca, I think this must be the film I've watched on TCM more than any other. I mean, I feel like I must catch it every time it airs, not intentionally, but I turn on my TV, and there it is. It's gotten where not only do I know how every scene unfolds in order, but I also almost feel like I could write down the action shot by shot without looking. And even so, I'm still not sure I understand the plot after all these viewings! The mobsters and informants are almost meaningless. They're just there to give Steve McQueen someone to chase and shoot.

The real conflict of the movie is between McQueen's Bulitt and Robert Vaughn's Chalmers (is Superintendent Chalmers, or "Super Nintendo Chalmers" as Ralph Wiggum once called him, named after this character?). The whole movie appears to be a set-up for the one moment McQueen can say BS to Vaughn when he suggests compromise is sometimes okay. Anyway, I love the '60s vibe. I love Jacqueline Bissette wearing only pajama tops and apparently sleeping nude. I love the view of the street from her breakfast nook (looks just like the view from the apartment Benjamin rents in The Graduate). I love the flute-led jazz combo at the restaurant (they're probably somebody real and famous, at least within jazz circles, but I've never learned who).