Bullitt (1968)

An all guts, no glory San Francisco cop becomes determined to find the underworld kingpin that killed the witness in his protection.

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Alan Trustman (screenplay), Harry Kleiner (screenplay),

Stars:

Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn

Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve McQueen	...	Frank Bullitt
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Cathy
Robert Vaughn	...	Walter Chalmers
Don Gordon	...	Delgetti
Simon Oakland	...	Captain Sam Bennett
Norman Fell	...	Captain Baker
Robert Duvall	...	Weissberg
Georg Stanford Brown	...	Dr. Willard
Justin Tarr	...	Eddy
Carl Reindel	...	Carl Stanton
Felice Orlandi	...	Albert Renick
Vic Tayback	...	Pete Ross (as Victor Tayback)
Robert Lipton	...	1st Aide
Ed Peck	...	Westcott
Pat Renella	...	Johnny Ross

Storyline

High profile San Francisco Police Lieutenant Frank Bullitt is asked personally by ambitious Walter Chalmers, who is in town to hold a US Senate subcommittee hearing on organized crime, to guard Johnny Ross, a Chicago based mobster who is about to turn evidence against the organization at the hearing. Chalmers wants Ross' safety at all cost, or else Bullitt will pay the consequences. Bullitt and his team of Sergeant Delgetti and Detective Carl Stanton have Ross in protective custody for 48 hours over the weekend until Ross provides his testimony that upcoming Monday. Bullitt's immediate superior, Captain Samuel Bennet, gives Bullitt full authority to lead the case, no questions asked for any move Bullitt makes. When an incident occurs early during their watch, Bullitt is certain that Ross and/or Chalmers are not telling them the full story to protect Ross properly. Without telling Bennet or an incensed Chalmers, Bullitt clandestinely moves Ross while he tries to find out who is after ...

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Plot Keywords:

witness | police | investigation | killer | politician | 

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Taglines:

Steve McQueen As 'Bullitt'

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Genres:

Action | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 October 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bullit

Filming Locations:

San Francisco Police Department, 850 Bryant Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 4,480,000 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts, Solar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Initially the car chase was supposed to be scored, but Lalo Schifrin suggested that no music be added to that sequence, pointing out that the soundtrack was powerful enough as it was.

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Goofs

During the airport chase Bullitt removes his jacket but when the chase continues into the airport building, he is again wearing the jacket.

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Quotes

Captain Bennett: Albert Edward Rennick, used car salesman, Chicago.
Walter Chalmers: Who's Rennick?
Frank Bullitt: He was the man who was shot at the Hotel Daniels. You sent us to guard the wrong man, Mr. Chalmers.

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Connections

Referenced in Where's Marlowe? (1998)

User Reviews

McQueen In The Driver's Seat

Steve McQueen was usually worth watching no matter what he was in, although he did a few stinkers like everyone else. This is not one of them; he's excellent here as an intense but low-key cop. It's a pretty solid police thriller which features a famous car-chase scene that supposedly set the standard (or maybe it did at the time of release.)

What's interesting to note, according to a documentary on the DVD, is that McQueen did his own driving! No stuntman for him, even at 110 miles per hour through the streets. Speaking of streets, San Francisco always makes for an interesting local.

Robert Vaughn, Don Gordon, Jacqueline Bissett, Simon Oakland and Robert Duvall complete the big-name cast, but this is McQueen's movie all the way.....and, for a film almost 40 years old, it's not very dated.