Directed by Norman Jewison,the film "In The Heat Of The Night" won five Oscars including the Best Picture of 1967 over some stiff competition which included "Bonnie and Clyde","The Graduate","Guess Who's Coming To Dinner",and not to mention in the same category the musical "Camelot".
Even after some 35 years later after its initial release it is still one socially important masterpiece of a motion picture and to this day still packs a mighty punch. However,this picture came out during a time of one of the most turbulant times in American history and the overall struggle for Civil Rights and at a time when America itself was confronted with its own racism including the escalating saga in Vietnam,and it also focus on the status of the black man in particular as an individual in his own right.
Based on the John Ball's novel of the same title,the story takes place in a sleepy little town in Mississippi where the sweltering conflict of racism is found everywhere and it shows during the first twenty minutes of the movie. Sidney Poitier stars as Virgil Tibbs,a young black policeman from Philadelphia who ends up in the small town of Sparta who happens to be the suspect in a grisly murder and is arrested just because he is black. When police chief Bill Gillespie(played by Rod Steiger in the role that won him the Oscar for Best Actor in 1967) learns that Poitier is an police officer and not only that a homicide detective,he enlists his help.
However,Virgil is relectant but knows that he is likely the only man who can piece the clues together and solve this complicated case and catch the criminals who did this and bring them to justice. But that will not be easy for our young detective since he has to confront complete bigotry and straight up hatred at every turn not to even mention having his own life hanging in the balance and some dealings with the town mob. Not only that but in turn having Gillespie there for help and every turn to catch a deadly killer.
However,there are some fine performances here that makes this film worth seeing. Poitier's portrayal of Virgil Tibbs is excellent and Steiger's portrayal of Bill Gillespie is brillantly portrayal and it shows just by watching these two actors go and it in the prime of their careers. Also straight support performances from Warren Oates and Lee Grant as well. The film itself is overall brillant because of the risk-taking elements that are exposed here and it is handled nicely due to some of the subject matter that is present throughout the film. The direction,and the screenplay are nowadays a standard classic. The film's theme song sung by the great Ray Charles is a wonder to behold and the score by Quincy Jones is superb. A great film that needs to seen again all the way around just to show how different as human beings we can be in hopes of working together in a time of great need. Catch it sometime on either on home video or later on TCM(Turner Classic Movies). Five Stars.
Even after some 35 years later after its initial release it is still one socially important masterpiece of a motion picture and to this day still packs a mighty punch. However,this picture came out during a time of one of the most turbulant times in American history and the overall struggle for Civil Rights and at a time when America itself was confronted with its own racism including the escalating saga in Vietnam,and it also focus on the status of the black man in particular as an individual in his own right.
Based on the John Ball's novel of the same title,the story takes place in a sleepy little town in Mississippi where the sweltering conflict of racism is found everywhere and it shows during the first twenty minutes of the movie. Sidney Poitier stars as Virgil Tibbs,a young black policeman from Philadelphia who ends up in the small town of Sparta who happens to be the suspect in a grisly murder and is arrested just because he is black. When police chief Bill Gillespie(played by Rod Steiger in the role that won him the Oscar for Best Actor in 1967) learns that Poitier is an police officer and not only that a homicide detective,he enlists his help.
However,Virgil is relectant but knows that he is likely the only man who can piece the clues together and solve this complicated case and catch the criminals who did this and bring them to justice. But that will not be easy for our young detective since he has to confront complete bigotry and straight up hatred at every turn not to even mention having his own life hanging in the balance and some dealings with the town mob. Not only that but in turn having Gillespie there for help and every turn to catch a deadly killer.
However,there are some fine performances here that makes this film worth seeing. Poitier's portrayal of Virgil Tibbs is excellent and Steiger's portrayal of Bill Gillespie is brillantly portrayal and it shows just by watching these two actors go and it in the prime of their careers. Also straight support performances from Warren Oates and Lee Grant as well. The film itself is overall brillant because of the risk-taking elements that are exposed here and it is handled nicely due to some of the subject matter that is present throughout the film. The direction,and the screenplay are nowadays a standard classic. The film's theme song sung by the great Ray Charles is a wonder to behold and the score by Quincy Jones is superb. A great film that needs to seen again all the way around just to show how different as human beings we can be in hopes of working together in a time of great need. Catch it sometime on either on home video or later on TCM(Turner Classic Movies). Five Stars.