Bullitt is the 1968 film famous for its car chase through San Francisco. The chase follows police detective Frank Bullitt as he pursues hitmen across the city’s steep streets and surrounding roads.
Steve McQueen stars as Bullitt, a detective assigned to protect a witness connected to a political case. The film was directed by British filmmaker Peter Yates, who made extensive use of real San Francisco locations rather than relying entirely on studio sets. That location shooting gives the action its unusually grounded, documentary-like feel.
The chase features two Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastbacks, modified for the demanding stunt work. It begins in the city’s Mission District and eventually reaches roads near San Bruno Mountain. The sequence was assembled from multiple locations, so its apparent route is cinematic rather than a perfectly continuous real-world journey.
Bullitt’s chase became a landmark because it emphasized engine noise, speed, cornering, and practical stunt driving over constant dialogue or exaggerated effects. Another common mix-up is associating the scene with the Dodge Charger: a black Dodge Charger is the car Bullitt pursues, while McQueen drives the Mustang.