The Organization

Six people break into the Century Furniture factory. San Francisco Police Lieutenant Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is called in to investigate a dead executive. Nothing else is reported missing. The group of vastly different people reveals themselves to the trustworthy Tibbs. They had stolen a large stash of heroin from the factory in an attempt to overthrow a secret drug ring. They had kidnapped the executive but he was alive when they left.

This is the third and last movie for the iconic Virgil Tibbs who was first introduced in the hit movie, In the Heat of the Night. These sequels missed the point of the original and they paid dearly for it. As for this story, there are some inconsistencies. The group is trying to end the drug trade and one would expect them to destroy the heroin after showing it to Tibbs. Once one of them is tracked down by the Organization, the group's first priority should be to flush the drugs and I don't understand why he would go to Washington Square. A lot of the group's actions make no sense. The dialogue is pretty clunky and the flaws in the writing is too constant. At least, it's a little better than the second movie.

Following the success of "In the Heat of the Night", Sidney Poitier made two more films starring the cop, Virgil Tibbs. However, neither of the sequels were like the original film in several ways. Inexplicably, Tibbs works for the San Francisco Police Department, though in the original film he was a detective with the Philadelphia Police Department. He also didn't have a family...but does in the sequels. But, more importantly, neither of the sequels were about race prejudice...Tibbs was just a good cop working homicide as a detective.

When the story begins, a group of amateurs break into a building and steal millions of dollars in drugs. But they are not planning on selling it but stole it to hurt the organization marketing drugs in the city. But they don't want to work with the cops, as the department is apparently filled with men on the take with this organized crime ring...and they approach Tibbs since he's known as an honest cop. Naturally, there's a lot more to it than this and the plan does not go smoothly at all! So, it's left to Tibbs to pick up the pieces and work the case....even though he's not in the Vice Squad.

This film is a departure from the second film in that "They Call Me Mr. Tibbs!" had a lot in it about Tibbs' personal life and family. In "The Organization", there isn't much about this...it's mostly just a straight cop drama....much like a Dirty Harry film but without the same level of violence. Worth seeing but the weakest of the three films.

Perhaps the least-known Poitier work, certainly of the period; at date of writing only nine IMDb members had voted on this film. This is just over 1% of the votes attained by it's initial prequel, the superb "In The Heat of the Night". Between the two is the awful-yet-lovable "They Call Me MISTER Tibbs!" which took the Virgil Tibbs franchise on a downward slope.

Those that do get to see this movie on it's rare t.v. rescreenings and decide to give it a go after the disappointing "Tibbs" will be justly rewarded. Essentially, the production team is the same as the previous film, though Gil Melle provides a jazz-orientated score instead of Quincy Jone's adequate but inappropriate themes. The domesticity is also played down, with Alan R.Trustman absent as co-writer and James R. Webb taking full control of the screenplay. Most importantly, though, is Don Medford as the well above average director. Apart from a rather crude edit where a car accident occurs in the second half of the picture, the scenes are melded together seamlessly and flow together exceptionally well.

Poitier reprises the role of Tibbs, an arrogant, aloof, bad-tempered, authoritarian, bigoted Lieutenant. As a result, this is probably the most appealing of all Sidney's characters, and he slips back into the role effortlessly. With no star names to support him, such as Rod Steiger or Martin Landau (though Raul Julia did become a star later in life), Sidney stands way above his peers. His ability to project a bad atmosphere every time he walks into a room is flawless. This time he is not let down by the plot, either, which sees Tibbs caught between the Police Department and a vigilante gang that seeks to expose a wide net of heroin dealers. The plot takes on many shifts in loyalty and focus, keeping the attention, while a chase through underground tunnels lends the requisite chase an extra air of tension. The racial motif is again absent, though a rival black cop played by Bernie Hamilton gives off a frisson of resentment.

While predictably not of the calibre of "In Heat of the Night", The Organization stands as the greatest of Sidney's seventies vehicles.

Post-Script, March 2016: Over 16 years since I wrote this review (where does the time go?) I realise that I was too soft on what is quite a shaky film. Continuity and editing are not great, and the tone is frequently dirge-like. It's OKAY, but the concluding line that it's the best of Sidney's 70s movies was clearly written by a man who hadn't then seen The Wilby Conspiracy or Brother John. It's what's known as a "take a chance" point of view, and in this case it was wide of the mark.

Part three of the Mister Tibbs detective chapters. Sidney Poitier in another who-dunnit, this time in san francisco. which was also the setting for his "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" ! After a huge heroin robbery, Tibbs is brought in to figure out what's going on. Graham Jarvis is the employee "Martin". he was awesome in New Leaf and What's Up Doc ? Max Gail (Barney Miller) is in here as Rudy. keep an eye out for Daniel Travanti from "Hill Street Blues." and from The Rookies, Gerald O'Loughlin. those actors will be in all kinds of cop shows. Tibbs isn't sure who to trust, so he starts keeping secrets from his own boss, and from Narcotics, when they get involved. of course, that makes it look like HE was the guilty party. it's all pretty well done. quite rare, that a third chapter could be so good. Directed by Don Medford. he did mostly television after this one. Not bad.

We first met Virgil Tibbs waiting for a train in Sparta Mississippi In the Heat of the Night. For those that didn't know, he reminded us in They Call Me MISTER Tibbs. Now, he had his badge taken away after no keeping his Captain informed as he fought The Organization in San Francisco.

Maybe the hippie thing is getting tired: calling police "pigs," and the weird dress, and constant "man"'s, or maybe Tibbs is getting tired, but this was just a fair viewing of Sidney Potier as Virgil Tibbs.

Well, at least he is still married to the same woman (Barbara McNair), and I always like seeing Raul Julia (Moon Over Parador, Kiss of the Spider Woman), there is "Superfly" (Ron O'Neal), Daniel J. Travanti when he was Dan Travanty, and Max Gail, whom I remember from "Barney Miller." Sidney Potier is always worth watching and you might have an additional favorite above.