Steve McQueen’s Bullitt (1968) is more than just a police thriller—it’s a time capsule of late ’60s San Francisco, a blueprint for modern action cinema, and home to arguably the most iconic car chase in film history. Directed by Peter Yates and based on the novel Mute Witness by Robert L. Pike, Bullitt blends gritty realism, minimalist dialogue, and tightly wound suspense.
Detailed Summary
Setup: A High-Stakes Witness
Lieutenant Frank Bullitt (Steve McQueen), a cool, reserved San Francisco cop, is assigned to protect a key witness, Johnny Ross, over a weekend. The witness is set to testify against a powerful Chicago crime syndicate. The assignment is handed to Bullitt by ambitious politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn), who wants the testimony to boost his political career.
Ross is placed under protection in a modest hotel, but things quickly go sideways when hitmen break in and shoot both Ross and a guard. Ross survives for a while but eventually dies in the hospital. Bullitt now faces the pressure of unraveling what went wrong, while being hounded by Chalmers and his political maneuvering.
Investigation and Misdirection
Bullitt, working largely on instinct and quiet determination, begins to suspect that Ross might not have been who he claimed to be. He starts piecing together fragments of evidence, visiting the hotel, the airport, and Ross’s background. The film’s tension isn’t just in action, but in watching Bullitt work—always thinking, barely speaking, never showboating.
One of the film’s most famous sequences occurs here: the legendary car chase through San Francisco. Bullitt’s green Ford Mustang GT 390 pursues two hitmen in a black Dodge Charger in a nearly 10-minute sequence that was entirely practical—no CGI, no green screen, just raw, rubber-burning realism.
The Identity Twist
As Bullitt digs deeper, he uncovers a major twist: the man shot and killed wasn’t the real Johnny Ross. The actual Ross had killed a man and switched identities to evade both the mob and the law. The dead man was a decoy, and Ross used the confusion to attempt an escape via commercial airline.
Bullitt traces him to the airport and deduces he’s attempting to flee. In the film’s climactic sequence, he confronts Ross at San Francisco International Airport. Ross tries to escape onto a moving plane, leading to a tense chase across the runway and within the terminal.
Movie Ending
In the final moments of the film, Bullitt corners Ross on the runway. Ross attempts to run for the plane again but is shot and killed by Bullitt in a shootout. There is no cathartic monologue or extended celebration—only quiet resolution.
After the case concludes, Bullitt returns home, worn and weary. He washes his face and stares at himself in the mirror, his reflection mirroring the psychological cost of what he’s endured. The film ends not with triumph, but with quiet ambiguity—Bullitt has done his job, but he remains emotionally distant, haunted, and morally ambiguous. This ending solidifies Bullitt as a meditation on duty, identity, and the personal toll of police work.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, Bullitt does not contain any post-credits scenes. As with most films of its era, the story ends definitively before the credits roll, with no teasing of sequels or extended universes. The final image is intended to linger in the viewer’s mind, unbroken by any additional scenes.
Type of Movie
Bullitt is a neo-noir crime thriller and police procedural. It’s known for its realism, minimalistic style, and focus on character over plot twists. It also functions as an early action film, particularly due to its car chase and grounded approach to tension.
Cast
- Steve McQueen as Lt. Frank Bullitt
- Robert Vaughn as Walter Chalmers
- Jacqueline Bisset as Cathy (Bullitt’s girlfriend)
- Don Gordon as Delgetti (Bullitt’s partner)
- Simon Oakland as Captain Bennett
- Norman Fell as the Hotel Desk Clerk
- Pat Renella as Johnny Ross
- Robert Duvall as Taxi Driver (a small but notable role)
Film Music and Composer
The jazz-inflected score was composed by Lalo Schifrin, who blends cool, minimalist jazz with orchestral tension. His music underscores the film’s understated, methodical tone while heightening suspense in the chase and action sequences. The score is as much a character in the movie as Bullitt himself.
Filming Locations
The movie was shot entirely on location in San Francisco, which was rare at the time and gave the film a heightened sense of realism. Key locations include:
- Potrero Hill: Site of the famous car chase
- San Francisco General Hospital: Used for the hospital scenes
- San Francisco International Airport: Climax of the film
- Embarcadero and Market Street: Used in chase and tracking sequences
These locations weren’t just backdrops—they anchored the film in a very real world, elevating it from typical Hollywood crime fiction.
Awards and Nominations
- Academy Award Win: Best Film Editing (Frank P. Keller)
- Academy Award Nomination: Best Sound
- Often included in “Greatest Car Chase” and “Top Action Films” lists
Behind the Scenes Insights
- McQueen performed many of his own driving stunts, leading to one of the most realistic chases ever filmed.
- The Mustang vs. Charger chase took three weeks to film and used up multiple cars due to damage.
- Director Peter Yates was hired after McQueen saw his British crime film Robbery.
- The sound of the engines was recorded live, not added in post, giving the chase scene its raw energy.
- McQueen wanted Bullitt to feel grounded, often cutting unnecessary dialogue and insisting on naturalistic performances.
Inspirations and References
- Based loosely on the novel Mute Witness by Robert L. Pike (pseudonym of Robert L. Fish), though the film takes a looser, more character-driven route.
- Bullitt’s character influenced later film cops like Dirty Harry and even modern detectives in TV and film.
- The film’s visual and narrative style helped lay the groundwork for realistic crime dramas like The French Connection and Heat.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
No alternate endings are known to exist. However, a few minor scenes were cut that offered more background on Chalmers and the political fallout of the case. These were removed to keep the film’s tight pacing and focus squarely on Bullitt’s perspective.
Book Adaptations and Differences
While the film is based on Mute Witness, there are several differences:
- The setting in the book is New York, not San Francisco.
- Bullitt’s name in the book is Clancy, not Frank Bullitt.
- The movie discards the book’s deeper exposition in favor of a leaner, more atmospheric narrative.
- The film adds the car chase, which was not present in the novel.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- The Car Chase: Through the hills of San Francisco, with no music—only engines and screeching tires.
- Airport Showdown: Tense and quiet, with Bullitt hunting Ross through the terminal.
- Hospital Death Scene: When Ross dies, and Bullitt’s steely reaction shows the toll of the job.
Iconic Quotes
- Bullitt (to Chalmers): “You work your side of the street, and I’ll work mine.”
- Chalmers: “Frank, we must all compromise.”
Bullitt: “Bullshit.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The Mustang GT 390 driven by Bullitt became an instant icon. Ford even released limited-edition Bullitt Mustangs years later.
- Bullitt’s minimal dialogue (he speaks less than 15 minutes in the entire movie) was a deliberate choice by McQueen.
- The doctor at the hospital is played by Justin Tarr, who also appeared on Mission: Impossible—a series that often shared tone with Bullitt.
Trivia
- Steve McQueen was so intent on realism that he refused to use process shots (rear-projected driving scenes) that were standard at the time.
- The film was one of the first to use real-time tracking in a chase, not sped-up footage.
- McQueen’s co-star Jacqueline Bisset had never driven in San Francisco before filming began—making some of her driving scenes even more nerve-wracking.
Why Watch?
Watch Bullitt for:
- The most influential car chase ever filmed—a masterpiece of editing and raw power.
- Steve McQueen’s stoic, magnetic performance, the template for the “cool cop” archetype.
- A realistic crime drama that prioritizes atmosphere and tension over spectacle.
- San Francisco captured in 1968, down to the sounds of the street and the curve of every hill.
Director’s Other Movies
- The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
- Breaking Away (1979)
- Krull (1983)
- Eyewitness (1981)
Recommended Films for Fans
- The French Connection (1971)
- Dirty Harry (1971)
- Heat (1995)
- Le Samouraï (1967)
- To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
- Ronin (1998)
