The Heat of the Night

This 1967 movie starring Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier tells the story of a murder in a small Mississippi town called Sparta. Poitier playing a Philadelphia police detective visiting his mother is caught up in the investigation by no choice of his own and then refuses to leave until he has solved the case.

Rod Steiger won the Oscar for Best Actor and deservedly so. His portrayal of the small town sheriff who still harbors many racist feelings having to deal with an African American detective who clearly knows more than him in how to deal with a murder.

Twice in the movie Chief Gillespie locks up the wrong man based on circumstantial evidence. As an aside here we should all sleep less soundly knowing that this sort of police work is still done in a great many cases. Often the evidence is tailored to fit the suspect.

The movie is a study in race and the Deep South. Racism permeates everything. White folks do not want to talk in front of black folks, serve them in their restaraunts or offer them any other courtesies they take advantage of.

In the end the murder is solved. We hear Poitier tell the Chief when asked what they call him in Philadelphia " They call me MR Tibbs." which has become an iconic statement.

The last line in the movie is the Chief telling Virgil " To take care you hear" is a classic understatement of an acknowledgement of a change in their relationship.

This is a great movie.