Tough Guy

Bullitt is a steady, slow-burn of a tough guy cop flick. Hard-bitten and distrusting of authority, just like its protagonist, it’s a matter of fact film of few words. Long revered for its grueling, engine-roar of a car chase down the streets of San Francisco, it's also an acute portrait of the the strong, silent male archetype, without any of the ego-stroking and emoting of the Tony Soprano era. Bullitt is one of those movies where the cop’s girlfriend complains about his hardness to violence, and he doesn’t even try to respond—just heads right out and nails the bad guy in a crowded airport terminal. Steve McQueen comes off as the king of old-school cool, a stylishly dressed man who runs his own show and doesn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks. Distant, gruff, and occasionally heartless, he nevertheless always gets the job done. With no patience for political battles or image issues, his only concerns are women and work—he’s the cold, callous ideal of mid 20^th century manliness: "confidence and command in a situation of risk." Harvey Mansfield would be proud.