In the Heat of the Night Overview:

In the Heat of the Night (1967) was a Crime - Drama Film directed by Norman Jewison and produced by Walter Mirisch.

The film was based on the novel of the same name written by John Ball published in 1965.

SYNOPSIS

Two powerful actors in a bitter showdown take this murder mystery to a higher level. Backwoods southern sheriff Steiger, in an Academy Award-winning role, doesn't appreciate the assistance offered by black, big-city detective Poitier. The uneasy pair reluctantly join forces to solve the strange murder of a wealthy industrialist. The element of racial tension gives Silliphant's screenplay a dimension and depth most detective tales can't match. Poitier returned as Tibbs in They Call Me Mr. Tibbs! (1970) and The Organization (1971). The characters appeared again in a TV series.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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In the Heat of the Night was inducted into the National Film Registry in 2002.

Academy Awards 1967 --- Ceremony Number 40 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best ActorRod SteigerWon
Best DirectorNorman JewisonNominated
Best Film EditingHal AshbyWon
Best PictureWalter Mirisch, ProducerWon
Best WritingStirling SilliphantWon
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BlogHub Articles:

In The Heat of The Night (1967): They Call Him Mister Tibbs

By 4 Star Film Fan on Feb 12, 2022 From 4 Star Films

In The Heat of The Night is a testament to the collaborative nature of Hollywood. We watch Sidney Poitier step off the train. Haskell Wexler’s cinematography gives an instant texture to the world so the sweaty atmosphere is almost palpable around him. However, one of my immediate recollections... Read full article


Rear Window: In the Heat of the Night

By Devon Powell on Sep 13, 2020 From Hitchcock Master

Exclusive Guest Article By: Robert Jones This article is the first in a series of four guest articles to appear on this page in celebration of Universal’s release of ‘The Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection.’ ??How do you know what the world is like? Do you know the world is a f... Read full article


In the Heat of the Night (1967) (3)

on Jan 21, 2014 From Journeys in Classic Film

The 1968 Academy Awards was probably the most important year for film production, rivaled by the heralded “best year in cinema” works of 1939.? The Best Picture nominees of ’68 were a mix of old-guard, big budget family features, and independently financed productions made by young... Read full article


In the Heat of the Night (1967) (2)

By Beatrice on Jul 3, 2013 From Flickers in Time

In the Heat of the Night Directed by Norman Jewison 1967/USA The Mirisch Corporation Repeat viewing #453 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDb users say 8/10; I say 9/10 Tibbs: Hit whom? Gillespie: “Whom”? “Whom”? Well, you a northern boy? What’s a northern ... Read full article


In The Heat of the Night

By Michael on Apr 11, 2013 From Le Mot du Cinephiliaque

In The Heat of the Night (Norman Jewison, 1967) In a small town of Mississippi named Sparta and during a normal night, a policeman Sam Wood (Warren Oates) finds the body of the richest man in town dead and in blood. His head seems to have been smashed by an object. Passing by the same night is the ... Read full article


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Quotes from

Gillespie: [on telephone to Tibbs' chief] I do want to thank you for offering such a powerful piece of manpower as Virgil Tibbs.


Chief Gillespie: You take care, y'hear?
Virgil Tibbs: Yeah.


Mrs. Leslie Colbert: I came by to make it as clear as I possibly can: that I do not want the Negro officer taken off this case.
Mayor Webb Schubert: Negro officer?
Chief Gillespie: Yeah, well he, uh...he comes from up North, you see, and he was, uh, kinda...passing through--
Mrs. Leslie Colbert: I don't care what he is. If it wasn't for him, your impartial chief of police would still have the wrong man behind bars. I want that officer given a free hand, otherwise I will pack up my husband's engineers...and leave you...to yourselves.


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Facts about

Due to the assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King (April 4, 1968), the presentation of the Best Picture Oscar for this film was postponed for two days from Monday April 8th to Wednesday April 10, 1968. (see also - The Life of Emile Zola and Raging Bull).
The scene that took place at the sheriff's house featured dialog that came out of improvisations between Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger.
Sidney Poitier insisted that the movie be filmed in the north because of troubles that other productions filmed in the south had had when using black actors, including Hurry Sundown which had recently been shot in Louisiana (hence the selection of Sparta, Illinois for the location filming). Nevertheless, the filmmakers and actors did venture briefly into Mississippi for the outdoor scenes at the cotton plantation, because there was no similar cotton plantation in Illinois that could be used.
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Best Picture Oscar 1967






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National Film Registry

In the Heat of the Night

Released 1967
Inducted 2002
(Sound)




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Also directed by Norman Jewison




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Also produced by Walter Mirisch




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