Cheap In the Heat of the Night (DVD) (Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant) (Norman Jewison) Price

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Customer Reviews of In the Heat of the Night

Explosive Mystery-Drama
In The Heat Of The Night is an explosively powerful murder mystery that at the time of its release in 1967 was quite controversial. It deals with a black detective, Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) going to a small southern town to investigate a murder. At first he meets the usually hatred and racism from the local cops led by the gruff and racist sheriff, Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) He is arrested and accused of the murder, but when discovered innocent, he goes on to solve the mystery and gain the respect of the sheriff. Both Mr. Poitier and Mr. Steiger are brilliant in the film. Although they do sometimes plays things over the top, the acting fits the mood. The actors make a fine team and they push one another to excellence. The supporting cast is quite strong with Lee Grant, Warren Oates and William Schallert and Norman Jewison guides the movie with his deft hand. Haskell Wexler's cinematography is sharp and Quincy Jones' soundtrack is right on. The film went on to win the Best Picture Oscar and Mr. Steiger took home the Best Actor prize.

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Superbly Portrayed Mid-Sixties Prejudice
This milestone 1967 racial commentary spawned two sequels and a long-running TV show, and won that year's Best Picture Oscar.

Sidney Poitier plays Virgil Tibbs, a Philadelphia homicide expert visiting family in Sparta, Mississippi. When a Northern industrialist is found dead, Tibbs is immediately arrested to confront Police Chief Bill Gillespie (Best Actor Oscar-winner Rod Steiger), who, after learning Tibbs' credentials and calling his chief, must grudgingly accept Tibbs' help in solving the murder.

Steiger's performance as the dedicated chief is brilliant ("I am familiar with the laws in the state of Mississippi, thank YOU!), as he somewhat breaks the film stereotype of Southern sheriffs. However, Warren Oates' superb portrayal of Deputy Sam Wood reinforces those stereotypes; so much so that the disgusted widow (Lee Grant) asks, "What kind of place is this? Who are you people."

What follows is the pair's struggle to work together despite tremendous opposition from the town. In one memorable scene, Tibbs exchanges slaps in the face with the white owner of Endicott Cotton, who compares his fragile plants to "the Negro," in that they "need special care." Endicott is Sparta's most influential businessman who'd least appreciate an influx of Afro-American labor.

As Tibbs brilliantly eliminates suspects, backtracks, and continually re-evaluates evidence, his time is running short as his sophisticated detective efforts begin to pay off.

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Just About as Good as a Movie Gets
In 1967 Poitier made this movie and Look Who's Coming to Dinner. Both were extremely well received and this won academy awards for best picture and best actor. Poitier's career slid downhill from here almost immediately. That his status as The Greatest Black Actor Ever hasn't diminished nearly 40 years later is a testament to his excellence and influence in the late 50's and the 60's up until '67. The movie is nearly perfect. Rod Steiger gives the performance of his career. Poitier is excellent, of course. The story is good but the movie is really about the racial tensions and two men forced to work together despite their desire not to be in the same room together. Also at hand is a backward and archaic South being slowly dragged kicking and screaming into postwar 20th century.