In the Heat of the Night (1967)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Stirling Silliphant (screenplay)
John Ball (novel)

Release Date:

14 October 1967 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime

Tagline:

They got a murder on their hands . . . they don't know what to do with it.

Plot:

An African American detective is asked to investigate a murder in a racist southern town.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Racist | African American | Murder | Investigation

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Sidney Poitier	...	Virgil Tibbs
Rod Steiger	...	Gillespie
Warren Oates	...	Sam Wood
Lee Grant	...	Mrs. Colbert
Larry Gates	...	Endicott
James Patterson	...	Mr. Purdy
William Schallert	...	Mayor Schubert
Beah Richards	...	Mama Caleba
Peter Whitney	...	Courtney
Kermit Murdock	...	Henderson
Larry D. Mann	...	Watkins
Matt Clark	...	Packy
Arthur Malet	...	Ulam
Fred Stewart	...	Dr. Stuart
Quentin Dean	...	Delores

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound)

Certification:

Australia:M | South Africa:(Banned) | Iceland:16 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Brazil:12 | South Africa:A (re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1968) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:Approved | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Belleville, Illinois, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #75 Greatest Movie of All Time. It was the first inclusion of this film on the list.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Though the film takes place during a Mississippi summer, the exhaust of the patrol car can be seen briefly as condensed vapor as they drive up to Endicott's house. The only way this would be possible in the daytime is if the temperature outside was cold, which it was because the film was actually shot in Illinois during the fall.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ofcr. Sam Wood: Where you keeping the pie tonight?
Ralph Henshaw, diner counterman: I ate the last piece just before you came in.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Boondocks: The Garden Party (#1.1)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

It Sure Is Groovy!

A True Landmark Film

1967 was a turbulent year in the U S. Civil rights marches and demonstrations, anti-war rallies, the summer of love,psychedelic music and backlash against the previously noted, 1967 had it all. And this great movie came out, about a small Mississippi town embroiled in a steaming hot summer and a sizzling murder case. The movie diverges from the book on many aspects, mostly for the better. This is a serious look at a nation and a community in turmoil. The acting is first rate, from Sidney Poitier (one of the greatest American actors of this generation, regardless of race), Rod Steiger, Lee Grant, Warren Oates and the whole passel of townsfolk. The plot has been well outlined in previous posts, so I won't belabor it. My favorite scene is when Virgil examines the deceased, looking for clues in discoloration, type of wound, etc., while the sheriff looks on with his jaw practically on the floor in amazement. You can plainly see that he wanted to pin the crime on a hitch-hiker or one of the town's less desirable inhabitants. While some may see the film as preachy or presenting Virgil as a superior to the hicks, seen in the context of its time, it really tells a lot about race relations of the time. The movie is well filmed with lots of atmospheric detail of the time and region (even though it was filmed in Illinois, some areas of Illinois and Indiana were very Southern in their feel and outlook). Great acting, a good mystery, fine cinematography and an important theme make this a must-see movie. 10 stars.