In the Heat of The Night (1967)

In the small town of Sparta, MI, a wealthy and important local businessman is found dead in the middle of the street. Detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) of Philadelphia, on his way out of town from visiting his mother, is arrested for the crime simply because he is a black man with money. Tibbs’ name is quickly cleared but his boss and his pride demand that he stay and lend his expertise to local police chief Gillespie (Rod Steiger). As the compelling case is revealed, Tibbs is forced to confront not only the prejudices of southern United States and Gillespie but also his own.

Since we started this blog, I couldn’t wait to arrive here because Katie had never seen this film and it is one of my all-time favorites. On top of being a powerful character study and just a great suspenseful mystery, In the Heat of the Night is a relevant character study and parable about discrimination that makes fellow Best Picture nominee Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner seem quaint. That film was considered a “big deal” because a black man is involved in an interracial relationship- imagine the gasps that came from an audience in 1967 in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement when Tibbs is slapped by a plantation owner and Tibbs slaps him back. That scene alone brings my jaw to the floor every time and ensured that this film had no plans to make its impact quietly. The grainy cinematography that lays bare the gritty, urban landscape defined the cinematic look of the ‘70’s and would become standard in many of the finest films of the next 15 years. This film would spawn a sequel and a TV series but nothing could ever recapture the power of the original, which still stands as one of the greatest films of all time.

This was my first viewing of the movie and anytime it would come up in conversation, Tim would get so excited.  "AHHH SOOO AMAZING!! AHHH AHHH!"  Right before we started the movie, Tim was hoping he hadn't ramped it up too much.  AND he hadn't.  It's a damn good movie.  The slap that Tim talks about it without a doubt the climax of the movie.  When Mr. Tibbs leaves, the plantation owner is on the verge of tears because of two very important things.  1. Poitier packs a man-sized slap. 2. This man's whole way of life is over and that slap made him see that real quick.  I don't think I will ever love this movie as much as Tim but it I did really enjoy it! 

According to Sidney Poitier, Tibbs' retaliation slap to Endicott was not in the original script nor in the novel on which the film is based. Poitier insisted that Tibbs slap Endicott back and wanted a guarantee that the scene would appear in all prints of the film. According to Stirling Silliphant, the slap was in the original script though not in the novel.  

Virgil Tibbs: They call me MISTER Tibbs!