Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Bullitt (1968)

In Chicago, Johnny Ross flees town before mobster hitmen can kill him.  He has embezzled two million dollars and now has a price on his head.  The next day, he's in San Francisco and calls Senator Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) to arrange for police protection.  He'll be an informant in exchange.  Lt. Frank Bullitt (Steve McQueen) of the SFPD is assigned to protect Ross for the weekend.  On Monday morning, he'll give testimony.  Bullitt and two other detectives meet Ross at a rundown hotel with inconveniently large windows.  They will work 8 hour shifts.  At 1 in the morning, two hitters gun down both Detective Stanton and Ross.  Both are alive but Ross is critical.  Chalmers can't wait to lay the blame on Bullitt.

Despite having one of the most iconic car chases in all of cinema, the movie is rather slow.  Bullitt is a world-weary veteran cop who is unfazed by the violence he sees.  His girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset), is shocked by this and wonders what the future holds for them if he is so numb to the horror.  The investigation, such as it is, is slow and plodding.  There are scenes that drag with no payoff.  Must we watch as the detectives sort through luggage?  The plot is excellent, a clever switcheroo, but the overall execution is mostly dull.  Take out the 10 minute car chase and this ceases to be a noteworthy film.

Though groundbreaking in its day, the movie is rather pedestrian now.  Later movies did every facet of this one better.  This is the first draft.  Just okay.

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