It is apparently 55 years since “Bullitt” was released. My dad took me to see it, because he loved the car chase scene and thought I would too. And he was right.
But there’s another scene that stood out for me: The restaurant/jazz club scene. I loved the music and now that I look back as a screenwriter, I am amazed at what some would call a filler scene. What? No dialogue!
And yet, you know we always talk about sex scenes as only being included if they advance the plot. How does a dialogue-less scene do that? Well, that assumes that this little adage is correct…and I don’t think it is.
I think we can write scenes which help establish the characters and their relationships or the atmosphere of the divergent worlds of ur story. In this case, the cool jazz cultural scene of Jacqueline Bisset’s character Cathy and the dark sewer world of crime that Frank Bullit works in, are compared and contrasted, by location and music.
I wonder what the screenplay looked like for this scene?
It’s a beautiful scene and the music, oh the music…
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I've never seen that movie so now I will have to watch the whole thing. I liked the scene, it felt like I was there ordering my own meal and I was watching these two eyeing each other. The music made me feel like I was in amongst the diners.
That scene you shared reminds me of this one, how about this? I know it's a music video but I always felt something electric between Bruce Springsteen and the woman, even though we never see her face or the front of her. It's what they aren't saying in this scene, his demeanpur, the dialogue it sounds perfectly innocent if you were to just read it but its a different story when you are watching, before the music starts then the music is haunting about wanting and desire.
https://youtu.be/lrpXArn3hII?si=1BN-FlSOhh7LKrBM
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Agree completely and when he is looking into her incredible blue eyes he pops his in her direction. Pure magnetism and a magic moment. I read your post last night and watched Bullit. Brilliance! Greetings from Chios Greece!
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Almost bought a '68 Mustang fastback.
Anyways, Ive seen the movie about 10x, I still don't understand the plot.
Would love to see a database of production scripts than retyped scripts off finished movies- practically all produced scripts online are retyped.
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The plot is quite complex and hard to follow, it's a film that requires a couple of viewings. What does come over well is the feel of the film, the tone and atmosphere which is very much of it's time but doesn't feel dated if you watch it today.
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Geoff Hall Wow, Geoff! Now I have to dig out my Special Edition BULLITT dvd and watch again! It's been quite some time. Great scene you chose to focus upon. Speaks volumes in character and atmosphere! Totally agree with the music score. Man! 1968. An entirely different American universe! From a production standpoint, I absolutely adore the rack focus framing of Bissett's gorgeous face to McQueen and back again. Ah! The McQueen influence: I was once the proud owner of two Mustang coupes-- A '64 1/2 and a '65.
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Emma McBean Wow! Springsteen! Haven't seen this video is decades! Man, the '80s! What a FANTASTIC era to be a kid! The music. The movies. You name it. Great video! Yeah, I, too, went through my Bruce phase back in the day. Saw him "Live" back in '85! PHENOMENAL. Anyway, the video: Love the great divide in classes here-- working class and tremendously wealth. Her closeup of a flawless manicure and a huge rock on the ring finger. Bruce provides some amazing reaction shots here as well.
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I agree, Geoff Hall. We can write scenes which help establish the characters and their relationships or the atmosphere of the divergent worlds of our story. Even without dialogue, I [possibly] learn things about the man and woman. The man dresses sharply and hangs around other sharply dressed guys (maybe they're a group of investors or gangsters), and the woman looks at the food, surprised (maybe she's not from that world and she's not used to seeing that kind of food). So, the scene helps establish characters. I can tell the man and woman are interested in each other (at least a little), so the scene helps establish a relationship. And the music establishes the atmosphere.
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Maurice Vaughan McQueen is the Cop, Frank Bullitt and Jacqueline Bisset plays his girlfriend - as we called them in those days. She is an Architect. And of course, even playing a cop, McQueen has this immaculate style.
The jazz quartet is called Meridian West and were part of the jazz scene in San Francisco in the 60s. McQueen had seen them in a concert and asked them to be part of the film. I think that is such a wonderful story of different artists working with each other and elevating the thing they’re making.
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Emma McBean ah, Springsteen was always the champion of the blue collar community. I like the way he distorts the expected narrative and there is no sexual payoff. Now there’s a trick for a screenwriter to employ. Thanks for the share, Emma!
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Bill Brock it’s such a wonderful film and full of family memories for me. I’ve always wanted to buy a Mustang, but alas the bank account and my bank manager (my wife) won’t allow it! I’m hoping to watch it tonight, in honour of all that talent.
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That IS a very cool scene! I love all the detail...even when the waiter takes the menu and he laughs about getting clipped by it. Now I need to watch the movie again! Music is fantastic with those musicians. Even the waiter who carries a ton of glasses on his tray - as an AD, that's something we cross our fingers that the extra is okay. All those pieces together are awesome. And yes, I wonder how that was written out.
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Bullitt, one of my favorite car movies of all time, Geoff Hall!
"How does a dialogue-less scene do that?" Subtext! The most ideal scene contains little to no dialogue.
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As a kid, the first thing I noticed was how cool the opening titles were. I’d never seen anything like this. It also tells you something about the plot. So, check this out and enjoy:
https://youtu.be/S__L_OQe6NE?si=zBjb3uxOPqAN-L8x
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Ty Strange through staging and choreography. I’d love to see the original script for this, it would make intriguing reading.
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Xochi Blymyer McQueen was a stickler for realism, using locations throughout the movie and not studio sets. I think they’d have used real waiters and not extras, per se.