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In the Heat of the Night

Play trailer Poster for In the Heat of the Night 1967 1h 49m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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96% Tomatometer 91 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

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 The New Yorker 07/29/2022
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. Go to Full Review
Derek Smith Slant Magazine 04/27/2022
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. Go to Full Review
Marjory Adams Boston Globe 02/03/2022
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. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 14
3.5/4
It relates an old-fashioned murder-mystery in a jazzy and progressive style. Go to Full Review
Kathy Fennessy Seattle Film Blog Jun 2
4/4
The movie has all the tropes of the conventional murder mystery–dead body, colorful suspects, potential coverup–but everything leads back to the way this small-minded Southern town treats a Black detective from the North. Go to Full Review
Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid May 12
3.5/4
These are two great performances that are strikingly opposite but snap perfectly together. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Emiliano F @DrAlanGrant Oct 27 Both an absolute masterclass in writing subtext, and acting with subtlety. Only an actor with Poitier's confidence can say so much by doing so little. The level of restraint in this film is what makes it so brilliant and tense. See more Jonathan K Sep 28 It's an interesting mystery, at least up until the end, when the final reveal feels a little pedestrian compared to the whole buildup. The movie just sort of ends without much wrap-up, which I think kind of fits the era of filmmaking. Seems like movies were a bit more subtle back then. At first, I thought Rod Steiger, who won Best Actor for this, was over-acting and not very convincing. I think that's partly just the style of acting in the 60s, but as it went on, his skill became clear. There are some very natural moments in his performance and a few points where the editing, which also won an Oscar, stood out. The movie won five Academy Awards total, and in the editing, I noticed shots and visual effects type cuts that seemed very cutting edge for the time. I can see why it was so impressive back then. See more Peter W Sep 17 Overall, if you’re seeking a murder mystery film with some excellent moments of tension and drama, In the Heat of the Night is highly recommended. It should come as no surprise that actor Sidney Poitier commands the screen wonderfully with his performance, which always feels compelling and genuine. Rod Steiger, like Poitier, is convincing in his role, so much so that it’s easy to have a dislike for his character in the opening scene alone. The mystery component begins instantly, and the pacing of watching it all unfold is also entertaining. However, the film does rush its reveals and conclusions, and some minor details in the ending may seem unclear to some viewers. Nevertheless, it remains an outstanding watch, and now I’m eagerly seeking out the film’s two sequels. See more O g Aug 30 Open to accusations of extreme patronisation. See more Mitch B Jul 10 I love the story, the acting and just how fast paced it was. For such a thought-provoking movie, I thought it e was also kind of fun as well. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jun 9 Success in 1 hour and 49 minutes!!!!!!!!!! Starring Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Read all reviews
In the Heat of the Night

My Rating

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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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