Bullitt

 Although not a particularly romantic or away-sweeping role, Bullitt brought out the best of Steve McQueen, which, if you ask me, is his ability to play put-upon and still seem sexy. Although his girlfriend dumps him for the stupidest reason I've ever heard, he still comes off a winner, especially through the harrowing car-chases, in which McQueen typically does a significant chunk of his own driving stunts.
Knowing he eventually died of his cavalier recklessness does nothing to mitigate the fear, sensibly enough.

Robert Vaughn surprised me, playing a character despicable, if not truly evil. I had been used to seeing him from U.N.C.L.E. and even as a schmuck, I still think he's cute. I wouldn't date him, though.

The plot of this film rolls evenly, mostly set pieces for moments of adventure. The full story could be summed up in just a few words.

The filming and script are typical minimalist, and neither indulges in feeling or sentiment. Even the sense of relief when the action has passed lasts only a few dark seconds until the credits roll. It truly captures the essence of its era in film history that way.

This film will appeal to those who perhaps enjoyed the spy films of John Le Carre, or the sparer moments of classic adventure television.