Bullitt (1968)
★★★½ — Bullitt (1968)
Bullitt arrived in 1968 as something of a personal project for Steve McQueen, whose production company Solar Productions co-produced the film alongside Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, giving him considerable creative control over the finished picture. The director, Peter Yates, was a relative newcomer to Hollywood, brought over on the strength of a car chase sequence he had staged in the British crime film Robbery (1967), which McQueen had reportedly seen and admired. The screenplay, adapted loosely from Robert L. Pike's 1963 novel Mute Witness, strips away much of the source material's procedural detail in favour of atmosphere and cool detachment, very much in keeping with the late-1960s shift toward anti-heroic leading men. The now-legendary San Francisco chase sequence, filmed on location through the city's steep streets with real cameras mounted on the cars, ran the production over schedule but became the film's defining sequence, winning editor Frank Keller the Academy Award for Best Film Editing.
The mustang is another character. What a legendary film. Great example of old school film making. I think it even won an award for it's editing The pacing is a little slow which is common for the time but the finale and the chase scenes are fantastic. Overall a really good film.
Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 1968 | Watched: 2025-05-11
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from Peter Yates: Murphy's War (1971)
More with Steve McQueen: The Magnificent Seven (1960) · The Getaway (1972)
More from the 1960s: Viy (1967) · Persona (1966) · Carnival of Souls (1962) · Daisies (1966)
More action: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · The General (1926) · Hand of Death (1976) · Daredevil (2003)
More crime: A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Angst (1983) · Stolen Face (1952) · Cairo Station (1958)
