The "telecopier" scene

Agreed. Tense ain't half of it. It's a Mexican Standoff with glances only. The amount of tension and suspense in that scene is just crazy. And it's interesting Yates was able of doing so much with so little. It's great, great scene...

Absolutely! Today that scene would last ten seconds and have no impact at all.

There was a similar scene in Call Northside 777 made in 1948. That technology was around for quite a while. The earlier version depended on using photographic paper which had to be developed. In the process of developing, the image slowly appears on the exposed blank paper. It can be watched by lighting the area with red light. Watching the image slowly emerge in the tray of developer created the same kind of tension as in Bullitt.

I've felt the same way when it's crunch time at work and I'm waiting on a slow inkjet printer. ---It wants no straps. - Karlhttp://www.imdb.com/board/bd0000024/nest/158601447

The other thing that makes that scene work, is that the room they are in is not very big, so you have characters that have a mistrust or doubts about others actions put in close proximity to each other, an then you have the officer that operates the equipment sitting there an he can feel the tension. It's just well set up and shot having them all so close to each other that it gives you that feeling of tension.



1 Baker 11, in pursuit of 1973 yellow Mustang license number 614 Henry Sam Ocean

It's extremely well-crafted and possibly ingenious. Terrific scene.


Hey there, Johnny Boy, I hope you fry!

Yes.

I also like the scene where the Captain intercepts Bullitt at the office and demands to know what went wrong.

Bullitt hands him a sheaf of papers. "Here's the report."

I've used that in real life and relished it beyond imagining.

i was confused about what tf the purpose of the scene was.