IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
Sidney Poitier stars as Virgil Tibbs, a Philadelphia homicide detective passing through rural Mississippi and wrongly detained by bigoted sheriff Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) on a murder charge. Once cleared, he helps the sheriff solve the case. Poitier and Steiger electrify the screen as their mutual antipathy turns to grudging respect; Lee Grant is outstanding in a supporting role as the victim’s angry widow, with Warren Oates as a creepy deputy. The film won five Oscars®, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Steiger. Quincy Jones’ blues-infused score, with a title song performed by Ray Charles, received a Grammy® nomination for Best Original Score. DIR Norman Jewison; SCR Stirling Silliphant, from the novel by John Ball; PROD Walter Mirisch. U.S., 1967, color, 110 min. NOT RATED
Run Time: 110 Minutes
Opening Date: Sunday, November 09, 2025
Genre: Mystery
