One of the most legendary aspects of Bullitt is its iconic car chase through the steep streets of San Francisco—a sequence that redefined action cinema. Steve McQueen, a passionate car enthusiast and skilled driver, was adamant about performing much of the high-speed driving himself.

To prepare, McQueen trained extensively and even participated in camera tests to prove he could handle the demanding stunts. During the shoot, however, the studio’s insurance company grew increasingly nervous about the risks. In the most dangerous scenes, such as the jumps over San Francisco’s hilly intersections, McQueen was ultimately replaced by his stunt double, the renowned Bud Ekins (who had also doubled for him in The Great Escape).

Despite that, McQueen did drive in many of the close-up and medium-speed shots—and insisted the film be shot in a way that clearly showed he was behind the wheel. He even helped choreograph parts of the chase with director Peter Yates and stunt coordinator Carey Loftin to make it as realistic and thrilling as possible.

As a result, the chase sequence—lasting over 10 minutes—became a benchmark in action filmmaking and is still widely regarded as one of the greatest car chases in cinematic history.