Bullitt: Revisiting that golden chase
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sk any motor-head to name to most exciting car chase in the history of cinema and one will hear overwhelming the answer – “Bullitt ”. The scene when Steve McQueen, in a Ford Mustang, pursues a pair of hooligans in a Dodge Charger through the precipitous streets and rolling hills of San Francisco is still rated the most realistic car pursuit and is the progenitor of any subsequent movie car chase despite the film being 50 years old.
Even though the chase sequence in the film lasted ten minutes, filming took three weeks throughout the recognizable streets in and around San Francisco. The speeds were REAL without any computer generated imaginary – just lots of clashing metal, squealing tires and howling V8 engines. The sound recording was exceptionally good, emphasizing the differences between the two cars – the higher pitched Ford Mustang and the more muted growl of the Dodge Charger R/T.
The Ford Motor Company lent two 390GT models for the filming of “Bullitt” to Warner Brothers. What a perfect stage to entice potential buyers. At that time, the new 1968 Mustangs were bigger and faster than the previous pony models. This was aimed to keep an edge over the rival muscle cars such as the Camaro and the Charger. However, the engines, brakes and suspensions of the two loaners were modified to take the regimen for the filming of the movie. Also, at the request of Steve McQueen, Carroll Shelby personally removed the badges and chromework on the Mustangs to give them their known mysterious appearance. Some cars from the era went to the scrapyard. Many think the Mustang would have joined them if not for the romantic lure “Bullitt”.
Route of the infamous chase sequence. San Francisco, CA
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