You should’ve seen the movie Bullitt by now, and if you haven’t you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on this classic during your extended holiday weekend.

Steve McQueen was the quintessential old school badass. Whether he was rapping with Sinatra in Never So Few, quick on the draw in The Magnificent Seven or downright daring in The Great Escape, his handsomely steely demeanor encased within it a truly fearless nature.

But it was his role in Bullitt that really showed off his preternatural bent towards driving both fast and hard, and doing it well. McQueen wasn’t reckless behind the wheel of his ‘Highland Green’ 1968 Mustang Fastback—more, under control for the duration of that classic car chase.

Playing the role of Lieutenant Frank Bullitt, he zipped through the streets of San Francisco as the ultimate good cop chasing two hit-men in a ‘Jewel Black’ 1968 Dodge Charger R/T 440 Magnum—guys who offered a solid game of cat and mouse, but in the end were no match for Bullitt’s high-speed prowess. Keep in mind, Steve McQueen was an accomplished driver and managed to perform the bulk of the driving stunt work in the movie.

So every time you reel with excitement that deals strictly with the theme of the car chase in today’s cinema, remember McQueen. His tour de force performance behind the wheel is one of the screen’s all-time best.

Image: Wikipedia