Title: In the Heat of the Night
Starring: Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger
Directed by: Norman Jewison
Number on the AFI List: 75
Year: 1967
This was a bold movie to make in the contentious 1960s, where the civil rights movement only three years prior achieved the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Exposing the remaining hostile racism in the formerly segregated south, In the Heat of the Night is a movie about a murder mystery, where Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is falsely accused of the crime, but turns out to be a police detective from Pennsylvania and exactly who the Sparta, Mississippi sheriff, Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) needs to solve the murder. While working together, Gillespie has to put aside his racism to accept that Tibbs is the right man for the job, while both face anger and violence from townsfolk who don't appreciate that a black man is carrying authority.
Poitier's performance is subtle and strong, and he carries the film with strength and dignity in the midst of the insanity that the other characters display. Steiger's performance goes all over the place, from anger to heartfelt; he's the only southern character by the end of the movie that has regained any sympathy. And can we talk about the looney-ness that was Delores (Quentin Dean)? Quite the extreme opposite of Poitier's steadiness.
Favorite moment: The ever famous slap scene.
Will I Watch it Again: Sure!
