Director : Norman Jewison

Stars :
Sidney Poitier .... Det. Virgil Tibbs
Rod Steiger .... Police Chief Bill Gillespie
Warren Oates .... Off. Sam Wood
Lee Grant .... Mrs. Leslie Colbert

Preparation :
Read the movie reviews filmsite.org

Historical/Social Significance :

"The hot surge of racial hate and prejudice that is so evident and critical now in so many places in this country, not alone in the traditional area of the Deep South, is fictionally isolated in an ugly little Mississippi town in the new film, In the Heat of the Night, which opened at the Capitol and the 86th Street East yesterday." New York Times August 3, 1967

"And this juxtaposition of resentments between whites and blacks is vividly and forcefully illustrated, one of the awful dilemmas of our times." NY Times

"... a milestone for racially divided mid-60's because it forced the odd-couple collaboration of a bigoted but shrewd Southern sheriff and a lone, intelligent black homicide expert from Philadelphia." Tom Dirks

The film, with a non-white leading actor role was so controversial that it couldn't be filmed in the Deep South. Tom Dirks

Synopsis :
An African American detective is asked to investigate a murder in a racist southern town. Links

Guided Questions for Viewing :
Assessment questions will be based on the following :
• One of the quotes above said that the sheriff was bigoted. Give examples from the movie to prove it.
• What do you think the ending signified? Things would get better? Things could get better? Things would remain the same?
• Describe the changing relationship between the two men as the movie went on. Reference the movie with your answer.
• Comment on the portrayal of the white characters in the movie. Were they an admirable group? Do you think it was a fair portrayal? Why do you think they were portrayed that way?
• "In the Heat of the Night was in its time the most searing indictment of American racism that Hollywood had dared to produce".¹ Discuss the indictment of racism as portrayed in the movie.
• Audience often view a movie through one of the characters eyes. As this character gets educated, the director hopes the audience will too. Discuss the education of Denzel Washington's character in Philadelphia and Rod Steiger's character in In the Heat of the Night.

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  Sources:
  
  1. Vanking, Jonathan and Whalen, John. Based on a True Story. Chicago : A Capella Books, 2005.
  
  Dirks, Tom. "In the Heat of the Night" http://filmsite.org/inth.html