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In the Heat of the Night

Play trailer Poster for In the Heat of the Night Released Aug 2, 1967 1h 49m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 88 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.
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In the Heat of the Night

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Critics Consensus

Tense, funny, and thought-provoking all at once, and lifted by strong performances from Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger, director Norman Jewison's look at murder and racism in small-town America continues to resonate today.

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Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael New Yorker Fast and enjoyable... The cinematography by Haskell Wexler has an exciting, alive quality, and the good Quincy Jones score includes a title song sung by Ray Charles. Jul 29, 2022 Full Review Derek Smith Slant Magazine With its stellar slate of extras, which includes both sequels, and top-notch AV presentation, Kinos 4K release is now the definitive home video edition of In the Heat of the Night. Apr 27, 2022 Full Review Marjory Adams Boston Globe The two stars play their roles to the hilt. You don't feel they are trying to surpass each other. Rather, it seems Steiger and Poitier are acting together like a team, each with his eye on the ball every second and not missing a single chance to score. Feb 3, 2022 Full Review Don Shanahan Every Movie Has a Lesson Even without the racial overtones that makes the film historic, "In the Heat of the Night" is a top-notch and superior mystery film and crime drama. That strength of story and intrigue only adds to the tangible racial tension of the setting. Rated: 5/5 Sep 4, 2023 Full Review Mark Johnson Awards Daily As usual, Poitier lights up the screen with dignity and grace as he works through racial bigotry opposite Rod Steiger. Jun 14, 2023 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies The small town vibe permeates every single scene, and the hot and humid Southern summer makes everything sweatier and grimier. Rated: 4/5 Aug 22, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ava S The racial tension affecting small-town America could've been explored more deeply, but upon its release, it struck the right balance, blending mystery with an unlikely team-up. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review philip w If you want to watch a first class film well you have found the one go for it Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/08/24 Full Review Roger T I first saw this movie in the late sixties and was mightily impressed by it then - I watched it again last night and was amazed at how well it held up more than half a century later. Sidney Poitier and Rid Steiger play their parts extremely well. It's a movie that already and justifiably has a high place in movie history. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/24/24 Full Review Jeff M This was a tough watch for me because of the hatred and vitriol spewed toward Poitier before he even uttered a word to the citizens of Sparta. I've seen countless movies featuring racial bigotry and prejudice, but for some reason this one hit me harder than most. Perhaps it's because of my personal regard for Poitier the actor and human. As for the movie itself, I was not expecting the mystery and thriller aspects which caught me off guard and left me pleasantly surprised. Steiger won an Oscar for his role here, but I found the performance a bit histrionic, although he does have a couple nice quiet moments toward the end. For some reason, I was reminded of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD often during the movie, especially with the introduction of a character named Delores, who reminded me of MOCKINGBIRD's Mayella. The rapport between the two leads is strong if a bit predictable, and I enjoyed seeing Poitier and Beah Richards share the screen together for the second time in 1967 - they also appeared together in GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review Blob 9 A gripping detective story grounded by excellent performances from the two leads creates this nuanced dynamic of prejudice, challenging their morals all the way to a cliff edge, and ultimately define their true character. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/24 Full Review Audience Member Groundbreaking and wonderful. I only reduce it one star because I really don’t like Steiger’s performance (despite his Oscar). He goes out of his way to make the character grotesque and unappealing. The gum chewing bit just screams as a gimmick of method acting. At only one point does he calm down and show a full human being who we might connect with. I would have loved to see a less show off actor like Robert Mitchum in the part. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
In the Heat of the Night

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.
Director
Norman Jewison
Producer
Walter Mirisch
Screenwriter
Stirling Silliphant
Distributor
MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
Mirisch Company
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 2, 1967, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 25, 2010
Runtime
1h 49m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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