The Cool Rule

I hook up every so often with a life long friend and we head to Toronto to catch up: discussing everything from women to wine, film, art, music- the past, present and what remains of life's game. And it's usually in that order. As we did our last buying spree- he said he was looking for a certain copy of Bullitt (with the bonus special features). I found it and passed it along according to the good friend rules- but his purchase got me thinking: I have to check Bullitt out again.

I don't think I'm a huge McQueen fan but funny thing is- if I picked my top 50 films 4 of his are there (and primarily because of what he lets rip, performance wise). Truth be known- Sand Pebbles is my second favorite film of all time and I personally think he's amazing in it. So... long story long. I picked my own copy of Bullitt up and not only was bowled over by how well it's aged- but by how well made it is.

Frank Bullitt (McQueen) and his team of two other detectives have been asked to protect a snitch who is about to turn states evidence on a syndicate. Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) is an up and rising DA with intense political ambitions and he has single handedly selected Bullitt because of reputation. An inside leak has revealed the location of the said/kept snitch- he is murdered and Bullitt's fellow detective, who had that shifts watch, is wounded badly. Chalmers is out for Bullitt's head, Bullitt is out to find the leak and the men who hit both the snitch and his fellow detective. Bullitt's career is riding on it and so is Chalmers.

In rewatching the film, I was struck by how good it was on a number of levels.

Steve McQueen seemed so cool to watch in this film for so many years, I missed the fact that he actually gave a very solid performance that rises above the cool.

He is aloof, detached and a loner but also attached at the hip to his profession, at the beginning of the film. Slowly, as the crap hits the fan and he and his team lose the ball, he grows intense. He doesn't like Chalmers, he doesn't like leaks or loose ends and he doesn't like being played for the fool. And when he takes matters into his own hands, McQueen conveys with a subtle, slight but noticable delivery- the pressure's on.

Equal in performance and what ultimately makes this work, for me, is Robert Vaughn's portrayal of Chalmers. He oozes with a political ambition that's self serving, arrogant and so subtle in delivery as well- it's like watching gold as its being melted into bars. A far cry from what he was doing on television as Napoleon Solo. Also a revelation in how good he was as an actor, too.

I couldn't help thinking as I was watching it- for a film that's considered one of the action genres best- boasting what I still think is the best car chase sequence ever committed to film- this film said a number of things as well.

ie: the shootout at the airport- watch as the crowd's reaction to the bloodied dead body is observed with great intensity by Peter Yates camera/direction. Watch as McQueen-who was accused earlier by his girlfriend (Bissett), for being desensitized to murder and death by his professional association, suddenly covers the body with his coat.

Chalmers replacing of George Sanford Brown's intern at the hospital (because he's African American and has a backbone that's not impressed by Chalmer's status or his sad need to flex his political muscle).

McQueen and Vaughn's showdown of subtle nerves that ends with McQueen's delivery of " you work your side of the street and I'll work mine. "

In a very interesting way, Peter Yates fashioned an action film that had some political observations as well. Observations about the courts relations with the police force- about how the law actually delivers on both fronts (or in some cases, doesn't)- and about ambition in relation to everyday delivery of the law on the streets.

The film has solid performances by almost everyone involved: Simon Oakland, Norman Fell, George Sanford Brown and even Robert Duvall (driving cab!).

It also boasts Ford product line (1967) against Chrysler product line on the streets of San Francisco. Apparently tears flowed in the Chrysler boardroom when the contest of suspensions came to a head! If you haven't seen the film- watch and you'll see what I mean.

McQueen did some of the driving but wasn't allowed to do the famous sequence for insurance reasons. Those of us who've done some reading on McQueen know- it could have been him easily- just watch him spin out in the one sequence. If anyone knew how to handle a car- it's Steve McQueen.

ie: I read a marvelous story that drives the point home. Bruce Lee trained McQueen in Jeet Kune Do. Lee wanted to buy a Porsche and he asked McQueen to come for a test drive. McQueen got behind the wheel to demonstrate what the car could do. When the test drive was finished, Linda (Lee's wife) said the only time she ever saw Bruce Lee terrified is after getting out of the car after that test drive! McQueen later joked about it. Cool rules.