Weekend Buff

Bullitt (1968)

Bullitt (1968)

Two of the coolest cops of all time both come from San Francisco; a little surprising when we look at San Fran today.  But Clint Eastwood’s Inspector Harry Callahan and Steve McQueen’s Lieutenant Frank Bullitt no doubt are two cool cats. 

That is why Bullitt (1968) is our recommendation for this installment of Weekend Buff.

Bullitt was a groundbreaking and innovative movie for its time.  The movie broke the mold by filming entirely on location in San Francisco, forgoing the usual Hollywood sets that couldn’t quite capture the feel of policework.  Director Peter Yates wanted to capture reality as best as possible and succeeded here. He paid particular attention to police procedures and jargon.  The scenes in the hospital were shot on location at San Francisco General Hospital, where real doctors and nurses played themselves in the movie.  

Yates used new technology including lightweight cameras to get some great scenes that gave the film the mobility it needed to record one of the greatest car chase scenes of all time.  McQueen rode his 1968 Ford Mustang GT fastback to chase down the mafia hitmen driving a 1968 Dodge Charger.  The iconic chase scene lasts over 10 minutes and drives through the hills of San Francisco.  McQueen, for much of his adult life a racing car enthusiast, did much of the driving and got into an accident while filming. 

The enigmatic McQueen is supported by his police partners, played by Don Gordon and Carl Reindel.  Robert Vaughn is great as Senator Walter Chalmers, the politician investigating the mafia.  Chalmers needs the testimony of Chicago mafia turncoat Johnny Ross, played by Pat Renella.  Jacqueline Bissett plays Frank Bullitt’s love interest and long-suffering girlfriend.  Great performances by Robert Duvall as a cab driver and Simon Oakland as Bullitt’s boss round out the cast. 

Lieutenant Bullitt and his partners must ensure the safety of Ross so that he can testify in Senator Chalmer’s Senate hearing.  The Chicago Outfit is out to make sure Ross doesn’t make it to the hearing.  

Much like Dirty Harry Callahan, Bullitt has little respect for authority.  He ignores orders for the sake of his assignment, going off the grid to avoid leaks in the case. 

Bullitt is a fantastic action film, but the incomparable Steve McQueen makes the movie with his cool, calm, and collected demeanor, and natural talent. 

Besides being two of the greatest cop characters of the silver screen, both Dirty Harry and Frank Bullitt have something else in common.  They were both based on the same real-life cop, San Francisco Investigator Dave Toschi.  Toschi, a flashy self-promoter and great investigator, worked on some of San Francisco’s biggest homicide cases, including the Zodiac Killer case. 

Bullitt runs about two hours and will keep you on the edge of your seat for most of it.  Shootouts, car chases, and political intrigue are interspersed with looks into the life and relationship troubles that plague many hard-working cops.  You can catch Bullitt on AppleTV or Amazon Prime for the usual $4.  Enjoy this fantastic and innovative film with American icon Steve McQueen and his classic whip.

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