There’s no doubt that Steve McQueen is an icon, but there’s sometimes an argument as to whether or not he was simply playing himself on screen (especially alongside Bill Hickman in Bullitt).

But McQueen isn’t just playing himself. Like Paul Newman or Humphrey Bogart, he was a presence on the screen, like a myth come to life.

In Bullitt, the icon plays a San Francisco cop who’s assigned to bodyguard a syndicate witness. There’s a murder, where our hero must hide the body until he can figure out what’s going on.

The actor based the role on real-life Inspector David Toschi, which is also who Clint Eastwood modeled for Dirty Harry and the subject of Mark Ruffalo’s character in Zodiac.

The story is tangled and the film is complex, even though many modern audiences feel it’s relatively slow. But, the biggest thing going for the film isn’t just the iconic car chase, it’s the authenticity.

It actually starts in the hospital scene, where the creators brought in real doctors for many of the scenes, to make the work look real.

Once this precedent was established, they could then do what they love most: tear up the streets of San Francisco.

In the 10 minute 53 second chase, drivers Bill Hickman and Steve McQueen started out somewhat slow, in an effort to build tension. But, once they got going, the rest was history…

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Sources:

The Making of Bullitt:
   • Video  

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Bullitt:
   • 7 Things You Probably Didn't Know Abo...  

“Permits” in The French Connection:
   • The French Connection (1971) - Permit...  

Rare Steve McQueen Interview:
   • Video  

Music…

“Suspense Chase” by WHAT Pictures