In the Heat of the Night (1967)


Sidney Poitier          Virgil Tibbs
Rod Steiger             Bill Gillespie
Warren Oates            Sam Wood
Lee Grant               Mrs Leslie Colbert
James Patterson (III)   Purdy
Quentin Dean            Delores Purdy
Larry Gates             Eric Endicott
William Schallert       Webb Schubert
Beah Richards           Mama Caleba
Scott Wilson            Harvey Oberst
Jack Teter              Philip Colbert
Matt Clark              Packy Harrison
Anthony James           Ralph Henshaw
Kermit Murdock (II)     H E Henderson
Khalil Bazaleel         Jess
Peter Whitney           George Courtney
William Watson (II)     Harold Courtney
Timothy Scott           Shagbag Martin

Directed by:            Norman Jewison
Produced by:            Walter Mirisch


A black detective teams up with a racist white sheriff to solve a murder in a small town in the South. Over time, 
they begin to find respect for one another. 

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Virgil Tibbs is a Philadelphia Homicide detective home to see his mother in the rural south. He is arrested on 
general principles when a rich white man is found dead, and Tibbs' being Black is enough reason. When his identity 
is established, his boss offers his services to the small town sheriff who has little experience with murder 
investigations. As the two policemen learn how to work together, they begin to make progress on the crime.

==========

After a wealthy northern factory owner is murdered, racist Mississippi cops accuse African American Virgil Tibbs 
of the crime. Once they learn that he is a renowned Philadelphia homicide detective, they reluctantly seek his help. 
As Tibbs displays his skills as a detective, he begins to win the respect, protection, and ultimately friendship 
of the Police Chief Bill Gillepsie.