The Italian Job (1969) vs Bullitt (1968)
Overall
Italian
>Bullitt
The Star
Steve McQueen==Michael Caine
The Chase
Italian==Bullitt
Directing/Cinematography
Italian
>Bullitt
Music
Bullitt
>Italian
Supporting Performances
Italian
>Bullitt
Story
Italian
>Bullitt
Coolness
Bullitt
>Italian
Ending
Italian
>Bullitt
I know they are very different, IT Job is a comedic heist movie and Bullitt is a serious cop drama, but I thought I'd put them head to head after a recent back to back viewing.
Overall: Italian Job just edges it for me. I like the heist better than Bullit's cop involved in politics and bribery story. I read a few comments that they didn't like the beginning of Italian, but I found it very good. It set the scene very well, entertaining, every shot has something interesting in it, a bright and colourful 60s time capsule with crazy outfits, Caine speaks perfect old school RP, and we get decent character introductions, while all the dominoes are set up to be tumbled later on. The same couldn't be said for Bullitt, where McQueen hangs out with his girlfriend, it looks rather drab, and nothing much of interest happens.
The Star: It's a draw for both McQueen and Caine. The films call for very different performances, McQueen is ice cool, and says a 1000 words without saying anything. Caine is tasked with delivering a comedic performance of a confident, loud-mouthed criminal.
The car chases: It's a draw, both are excellent.
Directing/Cinematography : This is where Italian Job excels over Bullitt. The Hollywood gloss ain't that glossy. Yes, Bullitt is filmed in San Francisco. How can you mess that up, just point the camera, and it's a win. All the outside shots are great, it's the inside scenes that let it down, average looking, dark and drab. With the Italian Job every single frame has been pre-planned, and a lot of thought put into the shots no matter how simple of a scene, Im not just talking about the driving scenes, every frame. Every shot has something interesting in it, whether It's something as simple as Caine looking at a projection screen, or walking down a corridor to the Italian gangsters stood on the rock face. Inside or outside, Italian Jobs cinematography is really, really good. Bullit chase scenes are spectacular, but that's about it. Outside the driving scenes it's nothing special. I had this same problem with Dirty Harry, where the indoor scenes looked drab compared to the outdoor scenes.
Examples of Italian Job cinematography.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrpuwctUtDg&ab_channel=SilverScreens
Music : Bullitt Jazz score wins over Italian Jobs fun 60's time capsule.
Supporting Performances: Barring Robert Vaughn, Don Gordon and yet another cameo from Robert Duvall the rest of the cast are ok but nothing to write home about. I much prefer watching the British character actors doing their thing, and even Benny Hill makes an appearance. Although they could have deepened the roster by using some more well known stars like the "Carry On" players or have an Alec Guinness in there.
Coolness: Bullitt takes it. Steve McQueen, the music, San Fran and the Ford Mustang beat the mini coopers in red white blue formation and the Flamboyant 60's outfits.
Story: Italian job trumps again. Bullit is a little bit messy, and only somewhat interesting because of Mcqueen. Italian job is clear, concise, swiftly travels through A, B, C, in a fun romp that never slows down.
Ending: The Italian Job's "cliffhanger ending" beats Bullitts chase and shoot out in the airport.
I heard to this day the Italian Job gang are still perched on the edge of the cliff, edging back and forward to balance the bus and get the gold.
I have posted to the Bullitt board to see if there are different outcomes:
https://moviechat.org/tt0062765/Bullitt/60e463a69fc7160f4b953e24/Bullitt-1968-vs-The-Italian-Job-1969