MPAA Rating: PG/Genre: Neo-Noir Action Thriller/Stars: Steve McQueen, Don Gordon, Robert Vaughn, Simon Oakland, Felice Orlandi, Pat Renella, Jacqueline Bisset, Carl Reindel, Paul Genge, Bill Hickman, Robert Duvall, Norman Fell, Georg Stanford Brown, Justin Tarr, Al Checco, Victor Tayback, Robert Lipton, Ed Peck, John Aprea/Runtime: 113 minutes
I think it can quite reasonably be said dear reader that if I asked all of you to tell me the actor that you thought best operated as the epitome of cool and who was currently working in the land of movie magic today I’m sure that while some might throw out “Brad Pitt” and a very significant number might belt out “Keanu Reeves” at the top of their lungs, I also feel that overall a vast majority would go with none other than Tom Cruise and honestly can you blame them? I mean, certain elements of his background notwithstanding, here is a man who not only has a genuine love for entertaining people and making movies, but who is someone that gives his all on every film he signs up for (especially when it comes to his own stunts) and is definitely someone that men can look at with key lime green envy coursing their veins and women can think is nothing short of devilishly charming. In short: Tom Cruise is a genuine one-of-a-kind cinematic icon and the likes of which the land of movie magic has managed to produce only a select few during its time who could really compare when it comes to the megawatt charisma that he brings forth with a remarkably effortless ease. Incidentally the reason I add that last part dear reader is because among the few who could be viewed as the “old school Hollywood” equivalent to Tom Cruise, the name that definitely would get the lion’s share of the votes would be none other than Steve McQueen (Paul Newman though would definitely be on the list at either 2nd or 3rd). Indeed for those of you who might either be too young, too unaware, or some combination of both McQueen was a guy who between his rebellious nature, his calm and composed yet also detached demeanor, an anti-heroic flair he brought to his performances, his extraordinary sense of style, and the fact that (much like Cruise) he did a lot of his own stunts whenever he got the opportunity, resulted in a man who not only turned the heads of seemingly everyone whenever he walked in a room, but also a body of work that is still (by and large) quite impressive. Among the entries on that list however, there is one that I feel will not only consistently stand the test of time, but also serves as the perfect jumping off point for anyone wanting to see this icon of cinema at his coolest. That being the 1968 film, and movie I happen to be reviewing for you today incidentally, Bullitt. Indeed here is a film that, yes, is mostly known by cinema enthusiasts for a car chase scene that even to this day is still one of the finest put to celluloid, but the truth is that it’s much more than that should you give it a chance to work its magic on you. Yes there are those who see that it was made in 1968 and might think “OMG! That’s like sooooo old!!”, but for those of you who haven’t been hit up the head for saying that (joking, joking) there’s no denying that with the aid of top-tier on both sides of the camera, Bullitt is both a wonderful showcase for its leading man’s extraordinary talents and a just plain taut and riveting film from start to finish.
The plot is as follows: An adaptation of a novel from 1963 called Mute Witness by Robert L. Fish, Bullitt gets its thrilling story underway in the city of Chicago late one Friday night as we witness a member of that distinct group known as the Mafia named Johnny Ross meet with his brother Pete. Yet this is no ordinary reunion between the brothers; it seems that Johnny is on the run from his organized crime colleagues due to “borrowing with no intent to return” (or stealing if you prefer) over 2 million dollars from them and he is seeing his brother one last time before he goes into hiding. From there, our story transitions over to Saturday in that equally as iconic city of San Francisco where we are quickly introduced to the hero of this tale who takes the shape and form of a member of San Fran PD known as Frank Bullitt. A skilled and more than qualified member of law enforcement to be sure, but also someone who is a bit of a maverick and really prefers doing things his way. Yet as irksome as Bullitt’s method of going about his job can be, we see that it isn’t long before he is called by his partner on the force and told that he is being requested for an urgent assignment. An assignment that not only originates from a more than slightly shady yet, to the public at least, quite charming politician by the name of Walter Chalmers, but also consists of what amounts to a glorified babysitting gig. It seems that Chalmers has managed to get our friendly neighborhood Mafia thug Ross to come to San Fran and testify in court against his former compatriots. The only catch is that Ross’s court appearance isn’t until Monday and until then he’s going to need some serious police or security watching his back to make sure those out to get him aren’t able to do so. As a result, we see that our hero and two of his law enforcement colleagues are being assigned to keep an eye on Ross over the ensuing 40 hours and make sure that nothing, not even a hang nail, bad happens to him or that would make him testifying in court all but impossible. Unfortunately for our hero, it isn’t long into this babysitting duty that we see something does in fact (surprise surprise) go awry with the assignment and in such a way that now both the department, and Bullitt in particular, are facing some serious heat from Chalmers as a result. Thus, with the blessing of his captain to look into the matter, we see that Bullitt starts to make some serious inquiries into the situation to see if he can not only find the men responsible for the crime, but also locate who might have hired them to do so as well. Of course, as we all know dear reader, sometimes the more one looks into a situation the more one starts to see that it might be a bit more complicated than it initially appeared. Suffice it to say that this is definitely one of those times. As for what this means for our hero and his investigation though I think I’ll let you see for yourself…..
Now right off, it should be noted that the work done behind the camera on this distinct cinematic stew all in their own distinct ways manage to be quite exemplary. This starts with the work done by director Peter Yates at the helm and honestly he does an amazing job here. Not just in the moments of action and/or thrills, but also in the quieter moments involving simple things like the main character buying groceries or spending time with his girlfriend where we see this film become less a taut action thriller and more in the vein of a hard-hitting documentary about a few days in the life of a truly dedicated member of the law enforcement community in San Francisco. Speaking of, I think praise should also be afforded to this slice of cinema’s crew behind the camera for both actually filming on location in the City by the Bay rather than just shoot on a Warner Bros. back lot and for incorporating a significantly higher degree of realism into the movie with respect to everything from how law enforcement handled evidence for cases at that time all the way to actually filming in the hospital and having actual doctors and nurses in those roles rather than hire extras to play those parts respectively. Indeed by engaging in this creative choice, one that incidentally is more often than not attributed to McQueen himself whose production company helped produce the film, this is one film that definitely feels more like a true to life story and less like one that the halls of fiction have helped cook up for our viewing pleasure. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt this film in the least that it is the recipient of a terrific screenplay by Alan R. Trustman and Harry Kleiner respectively. Yet as wonderful as the screenplay is at slowly but surely peeling back the layers to this mystery that the titular detective is working on, there are some who might find it frustrating that there are certain things that it purposefully leaves vague to us as an audience such as the character of Chalmers’ occupation or why he’s after the Mafia (here called the organization) among other things. Rather than operating as a detriment however, I feel that this is actually a strength on the part of the film since not only are we only seeing just a specific window of time in the life of this detective, but we also are seeing all of this unfold from his point of view hence we are only given just as much in the way of information as he is. Of course, no review of this film would be complete if I didn’t talk about its crown jewel in the form of its now legendary 11-minute-long car chase scene. Indeed through the phenomenal efforts of lead McQueen, director Yates, and editor Frank P. Keller (who won an Oscar for his efforts) this is one thrilling and riveting chase through the streets of San Francisco that not only could not be done nowadays, but will most assuredly leave you on the edge of your seat and then some. Lastly, I definitely feel like this section would be very much lacking if I did not take some time to focus on the wonderful musical accompaniment for this film by none other than Lalo Schifrin (who also did the score for the first movie I reviewed for this month 1979’s The Amityville Horror). Unlike that very ethereal and yet quite haunting score, this one is very much rooted in jazz music and operates as a wonderful blend of lively and quite kinetic yet also soft and very mellow dependent on what is occurring on screen at that moment. Suffice it to say then that the work done behind the camera on this film is nothing short of movie magic at its finest.
Of course, the other big element that is definitely working in this film’s favor would undoubtedly have to be the undeniably talented cast of players assembled in front of the camera as well. Without question this starts with Steve McQueen in the titular role and honestly he is phenomenal. To be sure, it isn’t that much of a departure from the kind of character that McQueen played as well as he did during his career aka reserved, stoic to a t, and without hesitation more than willing to have his actions let alone peering into his eyes say infinitely more than his (albeit limited) dialogue could ever say for him. Even so though, there is no denying that McQueen does a wonderful job at bringing a charming shrewdness, determination, and persistence to this guy who, despite working a job that has exposed him to all kinds of unpleasantness, still is doing his very best to ensure that he is able to keep a grasp on both his honesty let alone compassion and empathy especially where his relationship with his girlfriend is concerned. Suffice it to say that, much like with Sean Connery and the role of a certain British secret agent, I think it’s safe to say that McQueen IS Bullitt and anyone who tries to take on the role (should Hollywood decide to take another crack at the character) is most assuredly going to have a very tough challenge ahead of them. Proving to be just as brilliant as McQueen here is none other than the equally as incredible Robert “Man from U.N.C.L.E.” Vaughn as Walter Chalmers. Indeed I have always enjoyed Vaughn’s work as an actor (even IF it’s in something as moronic as 1983’s Superman III) and here is no exception as we see that Vaughn does a remarkable job at giving us a character who, startling resemblance to JFK’s younger brother Robert here notwithstanding, is unapologetically self-centered, sleazy, and driven to ensure that he always gets what he wants even if doing so means doggedly hounding the heck out of Bullitt and his fellow officers or threatening them and/or others with every kind of legal action possible. Indeed it’s the best kind of hiss-worthy performance imaginable and Vaughn nails it and then some in a manner that only an actor of his caliber could have brought to the character. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in solid support efforts from such talents as Don Gordon who is on-point as Bullitt’s equally dogged yet loyal and dependable partner Delgetti, Jacqueline Bisset who brings a touch of class and elegance as well as concern and welcome humanity to the small yet pivotal role of Bullitt’s girlfriend Cathy, terrific character actor Simon Oakland (who I loved in such efforts as two episodes of the original Twilight Zone and the 1960 Psycho among others) who is spot-on as Bullitt’s steely yet encouraging superior Captain Sam Bennett, Norman Fell, Georg Stanford Brown, Carl Reindel, Justin Tarr, Pat Rinella, Felice Orlandi, and even a small yet pivotal role from screen legend Robert Duvall among others it’s clear that this slice of cinema might have a few miniscule issues here and there, but the work done by this group of performers is most assuredly not one of them.
All in all and at the end of the day is Bullitt a perfect slice of cinema? Sadly nope though let me point out that’s most assuredly not for lack of effort by any stretch of the imagination on the part of either cast or crew. With that in mind though, does this make for the worst movie about law enforcement since 2010’s Cop Out or 2008’s Righteous Kill? Not really though in all fairness I do have a small degree of fondness for the former because I dig Kevin Smith as a director and for the latter because it does pair up Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro so I guess it has that going for it. Even with those wry observations aside though dear reader, there is no denying that Bullitt is definitely one slice of cinema that is most assuredly a must-see in every sense of the word. With that being said though, if you are the kind of movie goer who loves your cop movies to have shoot-outs a plenty, thrills around every corner, and the cop going home at the end of the day and spending some *ahem* “quality time” with their significant other which they then show off in all its glory then I am sorry, but by and large this film is not going to be one for you. On the other hand, if you want a cop thriller with a cast of intriguing characters, a fairly well-written narrative that focuses just as much on the characters as the crime itself (even if it could have perhaps been condensed down a wee bit), a car chase for the ages, a few well-staged thrills here and there, impeccable work done by the other departments behind the camera, and an genuinely spot-on lead performance from easily one of the coolest actors to ever grace the silver screen then I definitely think you will find more than a fair bit to enjoy here. Suffice it to say that whilst there have been more than a few cop thrillers to ever be put to celluloid, Bullitt is still one that is not just a tough and gritty film that many movies (even the Fast and Furious franchise) owe a more than slight creative debt to that they could never think of repaying. Rather, it is also no more or less than a stylish, well-made, and well-acted cinematic excursion that, 56 years having come and gone since its initial release, still holds up extremely well and is most assuredly one that fans of this particular subgenre of movie magic should definitely check out if they haven’t done so already. Make of that what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Bullitt “68” a solid 4.5 out of 5.
