Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
On Target!, 17 Jul 2002
Although at the time, he was still reeling from the after-effects of doing "The Thomas Crown Affair", here star Steve McQueen gave what was possibly the best performance of his life and career, and one that has matured all the more with the passing of time.
"Bullitt", released in 1968, is a very neat, clipped and stylish thriller which, although the basic plot ia little weak, does not detract from this. Known for "that car chase", where McQueen carves up San Francisco in pursuit of a hot rodding black Pontiac
, the actual story focuses on a police operation to guard a mafioso before he gives evidence against his friends in the mob, which goes wrong. McQueen as Detecive Frank Bullitt is as always, clipped and razor-sharp, letting his senses tell half of the story for him. He's excellent, his casting is perfect. Also on board is Robert Vaughn, himself in excellent form as a scheming politician, and Jackie Bissett as Frank's love interest.
No its not the best thriller ever made, but frame for frame it is good.
Now you too have the chance to own this classic on DVD, restored in widescreen and with renewed picture clarity and a a good selection of extras to make this one wicked addition to your collection. If you never buy another McQueen film, buy this one, you will not be disappointed!
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a joyride, 19 Mar 2001
We all see films that stick in your mind for various reasons, the photography, acting, storyline, atmosphere, direction....Bullit has it all, I remember seeing when it was released in the late sixties and have never tired of it...it still evokes the atmosphere of the time and represented a new landmark in crime movies...the director was not afraid enhance the action of film with relaxed breathing spaces...the scene in the restaurant ( shot at a real restaurant from outside looking in) the jazz music the wondeful serene morning when Bullit parks his car and goes and buys his weeks precooked meals at the chinese grocers opposite his girlfriends apartment If only my shopping trips were so simple!!!! Mqueen superb in this roll as a laid back supercop apparently turned down the part as Dirty Harry...would that have suited him? There is, as in any good film, an excellent supporting cast especially Robert Vaughan who oozes just the right amount of sleaze, Don Gordon his sidekick and Norman Fell his boss. With the magnificent backdrop of San Francisco a stunning car-chase and the airport shoot out (copied in Heat) this film is almost perfect.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Steve McQueen as "Bullitt" -- 'nough said, 4 Jul 2006
It's not all about the most famous car chase scene in cinematic history, but that one extended scene does make Bullitt one of those rites of passage every serious movie fan must experience at some point in his/her life. This really is an unusual film in many ways; as much as it influenced scores of future films in the tough, gritty cop genre, it's still unique. More modern-day maverick cops spend half their time playing the fool, destroying half their cities, throwing random hissy fits, and posturing a lot. Steve McQueen didn't have to posture because he was the real deal. He could have gone through this entire movie without uttering a single word and still been hailed by fans and critics alike.
Bullitt sports an amazing cast: alongside Steve McQueen you have the lovely Jacqueline Bissett, Robert Vaughn, Robert Duvall, Norman "Mr. Roper" Fell, Victor "Mel" Tayback, and plenty of other actors I'm not familiar with serving up sustained dramatic brilliance. Let's hope they never try to remake this classic, especially since this movie's style would never pass muster at any Hollywood studio of the 21st century. Bullitt doesn't come right out and explain everything to you at the beginning, nor does it take the time to explicitly identify important clues as the investigation progresses. You can go several minutes at a time without hearing a word of dialogue. It's not a difficult movie to follow, but you do need to pay attention as a viewer. A few scenes seem superfluous, but I think that sort of adds even more to the Bullitt mystique. The final scene, for example, is quite subdued and unlike anything you'll find preceding any closing credits today.
As far as the story goes, Lieutenant Bullitt (McQueen) is assigned to guard a Mob witness set to testify against his old buddies. Walter Chalmers, a local prosecutor with political ambitions (Robert Vaughn, who's a natural at portraying sleazy politicos) is frothing at the mouth at the thought of all the publicity he'll get when his witness blows the lid on some major league players in organized crime. It turns out that the secret hiding place isn't a secret after all, and everything pretty much goes to heck, leaving the star witness fighting for his life while Bullitt finds himself in the crosshairs of an unhappy Chalmers. Already detecting the faint but undeniable odor of a rat, Bullitt truly takes charge of the whole investigation, even as Chalmers pressures the higher-ups in the police department to give Bullitt's lease several long, hard yanks. Now, as the action begins to ratchet up minute by minute, the plot gets curiouser and curiouser - and Bullitt's job more dangerous. The famous car chase up and down the streets of San Francisco is the highlight of the movie, but there's plenty of action all the way to the end.
The secret of the car chase's success is realism: no music, just tires squalling and engines revving (even if they're not always in perfect synch), with a great mix of external shots and point-of-view shots from inside Bullitt's Mustang, putting you right there zooming up and down the steep hills of San Francisco. The editing of this scene brought home an Oscar, and it's as thrilling today as it was in 1968 - despite the fact that several continuity errors are easily detected in the editing (that little green Doodlebug just keeps popping up, doesn't it?).
It's hard to really describe this film for others, although I can point out that, in terms of the action, it rejects melodrama in favor of authenticity. On the face of things, it sounds like a movie that shouldn't be all that special - but it is (at least for men; I'm not sure the movie will appeal to a lot of female viewers). The best way I can explain why this is so is to say this: Steve McQueen is the man.
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