Alan Spencer on

Bullitt

Released 1968
Distributor Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Peter Yates’ supercharged detective blockbuster was a transitional film for Hollywood, introducing the concept of kinetic action into the gumshoe mix and making a superstar out of former tv actor Steve McQueen. It was his favorite role. Ironically Robert L Pike’s source novel “Mute Witness” had been first purchased as a vehicle for Spencer Tracy as an aging New York cop. It was retrofitted for McQueen and relocated to San Francisco, where its groundbreaking car chase scenes were shot with new lightweight Arriflex cameras.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRvESyo-E5M

About Alan Spencer

Alan Spencer is best known for creating the classic satirical eighties sitcom Sledge Hammer! and the recent controversial "ultra violent" comedy Bullet in the Face for IFC. For years he's been regarded as one of Hollywood's top script doctors and has never lost a patient.

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Stacy Masiero

I Nancy Drewed your name on this site because of your review of “Bullitt” on JustWatch. I was kinda blown-away by all the deets you were throwing out in under 4 minutes and especially impressed that you bought the green stang.. but I couldn’t believe you missed one of the most iconic things about “Bullitt” – the shoulder holster for his snub nose .38.

I remember watching “Zodiac”. The Jake Gyllenhaal character says to the detective played by Mark Ruffalo “You’re wearing your gun like Bullitt” or something similar..” The detective responds something like “No, he’s wearing his like me” which comes off just as a little bit of humor.. but it’s actually true.

McQueen based Bullitt after Toschi the San Francisco detective played by Ruffalo (Eastwood also based Dirty Harry on him) but Bullitt came out just before Toschi became really well known for his work on the Zodiac killings. FYI