In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Movie"They got a murder on their hands. They don’t know what to do with it."
Audience Score
76
In the Heat of the NightApple iTunes logoWatch on Apple iTunes
PG-13 1 hr 49 minAug 2nd, 1967Drama, Mystery, Crime, ThrillerVirgil Tibbs Trilogy PosterPart of Virgil Tibbs Trilogy
African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.
StarringSidney PoitierRod SteigerWarren Oates
DirectorNorman Jewison

Movie Details

Theatrical Release:August 2nd, 1967 - Buy Tickets
On DVD & Blu-ray:January 9th, 2001 - Buy DVD
Movie Budget:$2,000,000
Movie Box Office Gross:$27,379,978 (Worldwide)
Original Language:English
Production Companies:United Artists, The Mirisch Company
Movie Tags:
murdersmall townpreserved filmpovertywhodunitsouthern usafalse accusationsstolen moneyblack peopleracial tension

Virgil Tibbs Trilogy

In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 American mystery drama film directed by Norman Jewison. It is based on John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name and tells the story of Virgil Tibbs, a black police detective from Philadelphia, who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a small town in Mississippi. It stars Sidney Poitier. The film was followed by two sequels also starring Poitier, They Call Me Mister Tibbs! (1970) and The Organization (1971). It was also the basis of a 1988 television series adaptation of the same name.