Bullitt (1968)

One of the most popular stars of the 1960s and 1970s was Steve McQueen who is at his charismatic best in this stylish film about Frank Bullitt – a California cop who keeps secret the murder of an underground grand jury witness he was supposed to protect and who then pursues the killers himself.

Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn, Don Gordon, Robert Duvall and Simon Oakland round out the cast.

The movie boasts one of the best car chases in film history. During the chase scene, director Peter Yates asked the stunt drivers to drive at around 75 miles per hour but they exceeded their orders and reached speeds of over 110 miles per hour.

But most of all it is McQueen – full of contradictions – who makes the film work. He’s the anti-hero who’s a hero, the loner with charm, and an introvert loaded with energy.

McQueen became so enamoured of the one surviving Mustang used in filming (its twin was too damaged to be used again) that he tried, unsuccessfully, to buy it.

The movie is based on the novel Mute Witness by Robert L Pike.

Bullitt
Steve McQueen
Chalmers
Robert Vaughn
Cathy
Jacqueline Bisset
Delgetti
Don Gordon
Weissberg
Robert Duvall
Captain Bennet
Simon Oakland
Baker
Norman Fell
Dr Willard
Georg Stanford Brown
Eddy
Justin Tarr
Stanton
Carl Reindel
Renick
Felice Orlandi
Pete Ross
Vic Tayback
1st Aide
Robert Lipton
Westcott
Ed Peck
John Ross
Pat Renella

Director
Peter Yates