Remembering the Legendary Mustang Chase in Bullitt

The movie that made the Mustang...

Although a car with as star-studded of a history as the Mustang is going to merit some diversity in my opinion. The 1968 police thriller Bullitt is arguably the best showcase the car's ever had in the movies. Keeping in mind that it's managed to hold the title now for a round half-century, that's saying a lot.

The  Ford Mustang had only gotten its start a few years prior to Bullitt. Movie placements quickly followed. The first significant appearance of the Mustang in a film was none other than Goldfinger in 1964. A James Bond film would seem to be the best-possible type of film to show off the Mustang, except that James Bond wouldn't actually drive the car himself. But even if he had, it's still hard to imagine the appearance topping Bullitt. Quite simply, the film boasts one of the most incredible car chases ever choreographed. The movie helped make the Mustang the icon it is today-- although, to be fair, far more credit could be given going the other way. 

The right place and time; a perfect blend of cool.

Bullitt was essentially a vessel for Steve McQueen, an A-List star then at the height of his career. The movie was pitched as a gritty police procedural "doing authority differently." Bullitt had a solid plot revolving around witness protection under its belt, but more than that, it was about being cool. McQueen himself was the embodiment of the era's sense of cool in many ways already. Add to that the San Francisco setting-- the counter-cultural hub of the world at the time-- and great action sequences to boot... Well, it's little wonder the movie's been remembered so fondly.  

>>Join the conversation about the Mustang chase in Bullitt right here in The Mustang Source.

The situation so far...

While driving through San Francisco in the iconic Highland Green Fastback remembered in the film, detective Frank Bullitt is pursued by a pair of hitmen, loosed on him as a result of his headstrong resilience against corruption. Turning the chase in on them and reversing the roles, Bullitt starts chasing them instead. The chase begins in the middle of town and ends just outside the city, where the fleeing 1968 Dodge Charger hits a gas station and explodes. All in all, the entire sequence is just shy of eleven minutes long, and it's some of the best driving choreography you'll ever see. 

>>Join the conversation about the Mustang chase in Bullitt right here in The Mustang Source.

Contrast of cars-- a well-chosen opponent.

Both of the cars used for the film are undoubtedly impressively.  The  Ford Mustang GT Fastback and Dodge Charger R/T were both state-of-the-art; frontline cool. One way you might judge something is by its competition. In that regard, the Mustang GT fared well. This sharp matchmaking is mirrored in the characters as well. While Steve McQueen was doing his own driving for the close-up shots, the hitman character was played by the Charger's stunt driver Bill Hickman, who plays the "hired professional" role so well it can be remembered beat for beat. The film's inkling for sweet cars goes a step further, too; Bullitt's girlfriend Cathy can be seen driving a Porsche 356. 

>>Join the conversation about the Mustang chase in Bullitt right here in The Mustang Source.

Masterclass in the rise and release of tension.

A car chase sequence has plenty to do with the cars and plenty more to do with going fast, but there's so much more that goes into a satisfying piece.  The direction makes the genius move to lead up the chase with a slow-burning suspense. The cat-and-mouse build, where the cars are trailing each other without making an obvious run for it, is a good part of what makes the following scene so intense; there's been ample time already for the suspense to boil up. There's a brilliant visual beat where the hitmen both affix and tighten their seatbelts, wordlessly communicating that things are about to let loose. 

>>Join the conversation about the Mustang chase in Bullitt right here in The Mustang Source.

Bullitt's San Francisco; inventing geography through editing.

Aside from the cars themselves, the chase sequence in Bullitt is defined by sharp edits and the uniquely vertical cityscape of San Francisco. While suspense and tension are vital concerns in film editing, it was arguably just as important that the scene make sense of the environment they're driving in. Bullitt was shot on location, but they wouldn't have had the entire city at their disposal. Nonetheless, it's up to the editing to make it appear as if they did. The footage was shot at many different angles in order to maximize use of the city blocks they had reserved without looking repetitive. They succeeded with this for the most part, although the repeated sightings of background cars (keep your eyes out for a green VW Beetle) gives the simultaneous footage away.  

>>Join the conversation about the Mustang chase in Bullitt right here in The Mustang Source.

Due credit for amazing work.

You could say San Francisco was "acting" in the movie also, with a few blocks masquerading as the larger thing. This also rings true when you consider it would not have been physically possible to make the distance depicted in the chase that the film implies.  That isn't a problem, either; the filmmakers shaped San Francisco as it suited them, and their success was such that they won the Best Editing Oscar that year because of it. 

>>Join the conversation about the Mustang chase in Bullitt right here in The Mustang Source.

A legacy beyond the movies.

The things pop culture considers "cool" typically wash out like a fickle ocean tide. What does it say, then, that the Ford Mustang is still so damn cool going fifty years on now? The car's own merits aside, it is inevitable a film like Bullitt would leave a powerful mark on anyone after watching it. The chase gives the Mustang a showcase that advertisements could only dream of. It shows what the car can do, and it makes you care about it. Even fifty years later, the movie is still being felt in the Mustang's mystique. Bullitt Special Editions have been licensed by Ford to commemorate it, with the most recent run celebrating fifty years since the film came out. If you ask us though, there's no better way to enjoy the anniversary than grabbing a drink and a quiet night to watch Bullitt; you'll likely be impressed by how well it holds up as a whole-- not just the chase. And in the case you've never seen it before... Well, just know you're in for something great. 

>>Join the conversation about the Mustang chase in Bullitt right here in The Mustang Source.

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