A topical and hard hitting movie for its time, ‘In the heat of night’ is set during the most important decade for racial equality in the United States as it sensitively explores the struggle of an African American man who returns to his home town as a police officer only to find that the all-white police force loathes his colored presence as he guides them in an investigation.
The film is set in a small town in Mississippi where a murder of an important local has taken place. Around the same time, the police discover a young African American man, Virgil Tibbs waiting for a train at the station. They suspect him of the crime but soon learn that he is a police officer. Despite their disbelief they are forced to use him in the investigation due to his homicide expertise, but are faced with a self doubt as they see a man they could once even kill without accountability, showing himself their equal.
Norman Jewison’s direction based on Stirling Silliphant’s screenplay gives this film some extremely powerful moments. The bitterness that existed between the whites and the African Americans is showcased in multiple confrontations between Tibbs and Gillespie, the police chief. Apart from being a classic whodunit, the film is also a landmark in terms of portraying the fight for racial equality. Jewison makes you root for Tibbs as he takes the majority on.
The film belongs to Sidney Poitier. What a powerful performance from him, set during the times of Dr. Martin Luther King’s fight for equality. His body language, brilliant voice modulation and fiery eyes make Mr. Tibbs a hero in every sense of the word. Rod Steiger, playing Gillespie won the Best Actor Oscar for a multi-layered portrayal. His role is more complex than Poitier’s for it needs to blend in a shaky acceptance of the new detective along with the historical baggage of discrimination, which he is unable to shed completely.
This is a powerful and entertaining film that shouldn’t be missed.