Gene Hackman is a treasure of American cinema. His role in Bite the Bullet is a good example of a less-heralded performance that nonetheless sheds light on his brilliance. Born in 1930, Hackman served in the U.S. Marines shortly after the conclusion of World War II and then labored at various jobs before trying his hand at acting, both on stage and in various TV shows. His stage work led to his film debut in Lilith (1964), starring Warren Beatty, and that led to Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and his Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor. My first screen memory of Hackman dates back, I think, to seeing him when The Gypsy Moths or Marooned (both 1969) played on TV. He stood out visually with his face; he looked like he’d bitten something sour, which reminded me of some of my relatives. The command and weight and tone of his voice cut through any argument. Picking out a few favorites from the first half of the 1970s — The French Connection, of course; Prime Cut; Scarecrow; The Conversation, of course; Young Frankenstein, of course — makes me realize how busy he was during those years. In 1975 alone, he…