On I List of Movie Reviews
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In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
1/11, 8/15, 5/19, 1/22
1/11:
Growing up as a kid, I used to be a huge fan of a TV show called In the Heat of the Night because it had a great
cast with many memorable characters.
It was years later that I realized there was a movie before the show came out. Now, I've finally seen the movie like
I've never seen a side of it before. Certainly, there's a huge amount of difference between these two. I must say I
like the film version a lot.
Sidney Poitier has a terrific screen presence and has a commanding demeanor. Rod Steiger, of course, can handle
him because he's known for being in the same taxicab with Marlon Brando for what's considered the most famous scene ever.
The story, especially the drama, is equally gripping and shocking. The idea of a black man who's intelligent and
articulate throwing white people off in the town of Sparta, Mississippi, is a sight to behold. What's brilliant is the way
Sidney Poitier worked around the corpse. At that moment, he, all of a sudden, earned respect. Hence, I'm still surprised to this
day Sidney Poitier wasn't nominated for an Oscar, let alone winning it.
One scene shows a white man slapping Virgil Tibbs first in the face before being slapped back which leaves him crying as
Virgil walks away. It's a hilarious movie moment. That's Sidney Poitier, and you better make sure that you address him as "Mister
Tibbs," too. Although Rod Steiger won the Oscar for his portrayal of Chief Gillespie and is an excellent actor in his own right,
let's be fair...it's Sidney Poitier who gave a more superior performance by stealing the movie from start to finish.
What's interesting is, even in the face of grave danger and tremendous odds that are stacked against him, Virgil Tibbs
never backs off or shies away from the challenge of tackling a murder case that he's trained and qualified to handle.
Hence, he's a role model to many black people. There are a couple of negatives. One is I find it hard to believe
the town wasn't rocked to the core after the murder. Two is, at the end, there isn't a sense of closure among the
characters other than Virgil Tibbs and Chief Gillespie.
All in all, In the Heat of the Night is a can't-miss Best Picture winner.
8/15:
Seeing In the Heat of the Night again confirms my opinion that it isn't a masterpiece but a standard policier.
However, it's Sidney Poitier's performance that's first class all the way through. As unbelievable as it seems, Sidney Poitier wasn't
nominated for an Oscar when he should've won it. Besieged by racism, the emotions he showed through Virgil Tibbs
to overcome intolerance are brilliant. The best part is when his character was slapped in the face by Mr. Endicott, he
shockingly slapped him back.
Sidney Poitier's co-star Rod Steiger is okay; he doesn't do anything out of ordinary except to chew a lot of gum. But he's
an able actor who can hold his own when confronted by an actor with huge star power as he proved it in
On the Waterfront with Marlon Brando. My gripe is the murder mystery; the clues were
withheld, and I was in the dark the whole time. Then, the mystery got solved in a way that I would've never seen coming.
It's like an Agatha Christie novel.
All in all, when I think of In the Heat of the Night, I think of the great TV show and Sidney Poitier's powerful
peformance.
5/19:
Two acting powerhouses come clashing in In the Heat of the Night: Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger.
This time, I'm raising the rating of the film from '9' to '10'. What people don't realize is the murder is meant to be
ordinary, rather a throwaway, as the movie is about two men overcoming the difference of skin color in order to work together.
As great as Rod Steiger is, Sidney Poitier should've been the Oscar winner. He has two unforgettable scenes when his
character warned, "They call me MISTER Tibbs!" and slapped Mr. Endicott back after being slapped in the face. You could hear a
pin drop in the middle of the Deep South during that moment. The supporting cast is excellent. Warren Oates, Lee Grant, and
Scott Wilson are impressive. Sidney Poitier liked Scott Wilson's performance that he had him recommended for
In Cold Blood.
All in all, Sidney Poitier is magical in In the Heat of the Night.
1/22:
Sidney Poitier recently died, and the two films I immediately thought of are
Lilies of the Field and In the Heat of the Night.
He gave a fantastic performance in the former and was iconic in the latter. Both are a one-of-a-kind, thanks to
Sidney Poitier. The famous slap incident with Mr. Endicott remains unforgettable to this day, and so is
the line: "They call me MISTER Tibbs!"
Rod Steiger deserves credit. Sidney Poitier and he are one and two, but it's the trailblazer who owns the film because
of his commanding presence. Calling Chief Gillespie an outright racist might be an easy thing to do. He's truly dumb when it comes to
solving a murder case. I've thought about his character for a long while, but I'll say it's the culture he grew up in that's
deeply entrenched through his blood. Gillespie is racist, yes, but he's tough and fair but gives Virgil a chance while keeping
him on a short leash. Deep down inside, he felt Virgil was going to solve the case.
All in all, because of Lilies of the Field and In the Heat of the Night,
Sidney Poitier is the greatest black actor ever lived.