*Bullitt*, the 1968 American crime action thriller, plunges audiences into the complex world of San Francisco police detective Lieutenant Frank Bullitt, portrayed by Steve McQueen. The film's narrative is a tightly woven tale of deception, political ambition, and a detective's unwavering commitment to uncovering the truth, even when it means defying authority. From the initial assignment to protect a witness to the climactic airport shootout, Bullitt's
journey is fraught with peril and moral dilemmas.
The Witness Protection Gone Wrong
The story begins on a Friday night with Chicago mobster Johnny Ross fleeing the Outfit. The following morning, Lieutenant Frank Bullitt and his team, Delgetti and Stanton, are assigned by the politically ambitious Walter Chalmers to guard Ross. Ross is slated to be a witness at a Senate subcommittee hearing on organized crime on Monday morning. The detectives are informed that Ross is staying in a cheap hotel on the Embarcadero, with Delgetti taking the first shift, followed by Stanton, and then Bullitt.
However, at 1 AM on Sunday, while Stanton is on the phone with Bullitt, Ross unchains the room door. Two hitmen burst in, shooting Stanton in the leg and Ross in the neck. Chalmers immediately holds Bullitt responsible for the injuries. After Bullitt thwarts a second assassination attempt at the hospital, Ross succumbs to his wounds. In a move to keep the investigation open and bypass Chalmers' interference, Bullitt sends the body to the morgue as a John Doe, setting the stage for his independent pursuit of justice.
Unraveling the Deception
Bullitt's investigation quickly uncovers layers of deceit. An informant reveals that Ross was in San Francisco because he had stolen millions of dollars from the mob. Bullitt also discovers that Ross made a long-distance phone call to a hotel in San Mateo. This lead becomes crucial as Bullitt, while driving his iconic Ford Mustang, realizes he is being followed by a Dodge Charger driven by the two hitmen. An extended and now-legendary car chase ensues through the streets of San Francisco to Brisbane, culminating in the Dodge crashing and its occupants dying in a fiery explosion.
Following the chase, Bullitt and Delgetti face confrontation from their boss, Captain Sam Bennett, and Chalmers, who is assisted by SFPD Captain Baker. After being served a writ of habeas corpus, Bullitt reveals Ross's death. Bennett, however, ignores the writ due to it being the weekend and allows Bullitt to investigate the San Mateo phone call. Without a car, Bullitt gets a ride from his girlfriend Cathy. At the hotel, Bullitt discovers the woman who was called, garroted in her room. Cathy, horrified by the scene, confronts Bullitt about his work, questioning his life in what she calls a "sewer" and expressing concern for their future.
The Body Double and the Airport Climax
Examining the victim's luggage, Bullitt and Delgetti find a travel brochure for Rome and traveler's checks made out to an Albert and Dorothy Renick. Bullitt requests their passport applications from Chicago. As the applications arrive via telecopier, Bullitt, Captain Bennett, Chalmers, and Captain Baker gather. It is revealed that Chalmers had sent Bullitt to guard an Albert Renick, a used car salesman from Chicago, while his wife Dorothy was staying in San Mateo. Bullitt realizes that Ross had manipulated Chalmers, using Renick as a body double to escape the country on Sunday night.
At San Francisco International Airport, Delgetti and Bullitt watch the Rome gate, but Ross, now using Renick's passport, has switched to an earlier London flight. Bullitt boards the plane after it is ordered to return to the terminal, but the mobster escapes through the rear cabin door. In the crowded passenger terminal, Ross kills a deputy sheriff before being shot dead by Bullitt. Chalmers arrives but leaves without a word. Early Monday morning, Bullitt returns home to find Cathy asleep in his bed, having chosen to stay, bringing a quiet, reflective end to the intense pursuit.
