Bullitt (1968)

Director:

Peter Yates

Writers:

Alan Trustman (screenplay) and
Harry Kleiner (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Steve McQueen As 'Bullitt'

Plot:

An all guts, no glory San Francisco cop becomes determined to find the underworld kingpin that killed the witness in his protection.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Politician | Chase | Hotel | Shotgun

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Bullitt
Robert Vaughn	...	Chalmers
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Cathy
Don Gordon	...	Delgetti
Robert Duvall	...	Weissberg
Simon Oakland	...	Captain Bennet
Norman Fell	...	Baker
Georg Stanford Brown	...	Dr. Willard
Justin Tarr	...	Eddy
Carl Reindel	...	Stanton
Felice Orlandi	...	Renick
Vic Tayback	...	Pete Ross (as Victor Tayback)
Robert Lipton	...	1st Aide
Ed Peck	...	Westcott
Pat Renella	...	John Ross
Paul Genge	...	Mike
John Aprea	...	Killer
Al Checco	...	Desk Clerk
Bill Hickman	...	Phil
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mal Alberts	...	Airport Information Agent (uncredited)
Scott Beach	...	Man (uncredited)
Mary Benoit	...	Voice (uncredited)
Barbara Bosson	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Roger Bowen	...	Man (uncredited)
Joy Carlin	...	Woman (uncredited)
Brandy Carroll	...	Mrs. Dorothy Rennick (uncredited)
Joanna Cassidy	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Julie Christy	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Robert Cleaves	...	Uniformed Courtesy Officer (uncredited)
Tony Dario	...	Cop (uncredited)
Michael L. Davis	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Jim Demarest	...	Captain Brady (uncredited)
Chuck Dorsett	...	Airport counterperson (uncredited)
Thomas Duncan	...	Clerk (uncredited)
Marjorie Eaton	...	Mrs. Larkin (uncredited)
Walker Edmiston	...	Voice (uncredited)
Sam Edwards	...	Voice (uncredited)
Mimi Farina	...	Woman (uncredited)
Shirley Fitzgerald	...	Mrs. Bennett (uncredited)
Dick Geary	...	Bully Cop (uncredited)
Frank Gerstle	...	(voice) (uncredited)
Dennis Gribbon	...	Tony Bennett, Captain Bennett's Son (uncredited)
Stacy Harris	...	Voice (uncredited)
Bill Jones	...	2nd Aide (uncredited)
Stu Klitsner	...	Man (uncredited)
Jean Le Bouvier	...	Woman (uncredited)
Margo Lungreen	...	Irene Chalmers (uncredited)
Larry D. Mann	...	Voice (uncredited)
Claire Merrill	...	Mrs. Merrill (uncredited)
Kathleen Morrissey	...	Chalmers' Mother (uncredited)
Ned Moss	...	Senator Dixon (uncredited)
Vic Perrin	...	Voice (uncredited)
Charlene Polite	...	Woman (uncredited)
Suzanne Somers	...	Bit Role (uncredited)
Liz Treadwell	...	Woman (uncredited)
Reggie Waldon	...	Woman (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Yates

Writing credits
Alan Trustman		(screenplay) (as Alan R. Trustman) and
Harry Kleiner		(screenplay)
Robert L. Fish		(novel "Mute Witness") (as Robert L. Pike)

Produced by
Philip D'Antoni	....	producer
Robert E. Relyea	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
William A. Fraker		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frank P. Keller

Art Direction by
Albert Brenner

Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson		(as Phillip Abramson)
Ralph S. Hurst

Costume Design by
Theadora Van Runkle

Makeup Department
Pat Davey	....	hair stylist
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist
Jay Sebring	....	hair designer: Steve McQueen (uncredited)

Production Management
Joe L. Cramer	....	unit manager
Jack N. Reddish	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tim Zinnemann	....	assistant director
Walter Hill	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John K. Kean	....	sound
Dan Wallin	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sass Bedig	....	special effects

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Max Balchowsky	....	stunts (uncredited)
Lightning Bear	....	stunts (uncredited)
Everett Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack L. Dill	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bud Ekins	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Geary	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Harris	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Hickman	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steve McQueen	....	stunts (uncredited)
Paul Nuckles	....	stunt double: Pat Renella (uncredited)
Paul Nuckles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Perkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Sharp	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Steele	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Courtland	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Douglas Freeman	....	electrician (uncredited)
William Kenney	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Rexford L. Metz	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Bernie Schwartz	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alan Levine	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Ralph H. Martin	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Mike Deasy	....	musician (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bill Hunt	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Marshall J. Wolins	....	script supervisor
Max Balchowsky	....	car modifications: Mustang Charger engine and suspension (uncredited)
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
• Solar Productions

Distributors

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1969) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner-Pathé Distributors (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1998) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Creative Design (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (2005) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1969) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pablo Ferro Films  titles

Also Known As:

Bullitt (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Bulit (Serbia) [sr]
Bullit (Spain) [es]
Bullitt (Greece) [el]
Bullitt (Poland) [pl]
Bullitt (France) [fr]
Bullitt (Brazil) [pt]
Bullitt (Denmark) [da]
Bullitt (Finland) [fi]
Bullituv prípad (Czechoslovakia) [cs]
Gangsterin kaderi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp | Brazil:14 | Australia:PG (TV rating) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1968) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

1153-57 Taylor Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Trivia:

First major film to use the word "bullshit."

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Mustang makes its U-turn at the 66 station, Bullitt yields to a 66 Plymouth Fury, which becomes a late 50's Ford Victoria. With the same scene change, the time of day switches from late afternoon to mid-morning (see the shadows).

Quotes:

Cathy: What will happen to us, in time?
Bullitt: Time starts now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Top Gear: (2007-03-04)" (2007)

Bullitt-speed

The late 1960s saw two classic, hard-boiled thrillers set in San Fransico; John Boorman's stylised 'Point Blank', and Peter Yates' 'Bullitt'. Calling your hero Bullitt might seem an unsubtle way to emphasise his macho qualities, but in fact Steve MacQueen plays him as a quiet man, not some wise-talking maverick: he does what he has to do, but takes no pleasure in his actions; and survives the roughness of his work not by becoming a monster, but simply by becoming a little less human. It's a believable portrait, and the film as a whole has a procedural feel: there are action scenes, but these are kept in their place in the overall design.

Today, the film is most famous for its celebrated car chase, which makes excellent use, as indeed does the movie as a whole, of the bay area locations, but is not actually shot that excitingly: the conclusion at the airport is more original, though it roots the film in the time when it was permissible to take a loaded gun onto a plane. But overall this is still a classy film, dry, exciting and bleak, and among the very best films of its day. William Friedkin's brilliant 'The French Connection', made a short while afterwards, would appear to owe it a debt.