Al calor de la noche

Whodunits are a dime a dozen in my view.What makes In the Heat of the Night so unique in the murder mystery genre is it's setting:The racially tense deep south.This is what I enjoy about the film.You have two major plot lines to keep you engrossed:The investigation into the murder itself,and the racial tensions between Sidney Poitier's Virgil Tibbs character and virtually every other character in the film.The film is loaded with great acting,particularly from Poitier,who,not surprisingly,considers this his best work and is his favorite amongst all the projects he has done.Not only is this recommended viewing,it is recommended for a spot on your home video shelf.

A well-done film of the raucous Civil Rights era, and should be standard viewing in classrooms.

Here's my breakdown:

STORY: Up front, it's only lightly dramatic, fueled by the socially-supported bigotry of that era.

What's very clever about this film is the way the story reveals itself in stages.

It's one of the best stories in that regard; it actually just gets better as the film progressives.

If you're not interested in the race struggles of that era then this film may not interest you.

ACTING: Even with a swath of "dumb redneck" characters, the whole cast are believable and hold their characters well.

Of course, Poitier and Steiger are simply awesome on their own and fireworks together. Really superb blend.

TEMPO: An excellent pace with nothing hyper or dull. With Steiger there's a lot of yelling (as was his custom).

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Love old films, and settings all by themselves. If you want to step back into time and literally see what the "Old South" was like, watch this.

DIRECTING / WRITING: Excellent directing and writing ... so much attention to detail and the handling of the subject. My only critique is the screenplay was written by a man who did so primarily for TV, and it occasionally shows.

Is it a very good film? Yes.

Should you watch this once? A must.

Rating: 8.1.

One of the great films of the 60s, "In the Heat of the Night" hasn't aged a bit in the four decades since its release and now deserves to be ranked with the great films of all time. Beautifully atmospheric, Haskell Wexler's brilliant cinematography and Norman Jewison's first rate direction make you feel the humidity of the small Mississippi town in which a black detective teams with the redneck sheriff to solve the murder of an important industrialist.

As sheriff Bill Gillespie, Rod Steiger is superb in his Oscar winning role, and this film provides Sidney Poitier with some of his greatest screen moments, including his famous admonition to Steiger that became the title of the less impressive 1970 spin off: "They call me MISTER Tibbs!"

This is one of the few politically correct films to make its point without resorting to heavy-handed, sanctimonious preaching. Stirling Silliphant's Oscar winning screenplay never hits a false note, and the change that occurs in the relationship between the leading characters is subtle, and, therefore, believable. The two stars are ably supported by an outstanding cast of both veterans (Lee Grant, Warren Oates, Beah Richards) and newcomers (Scott Wilson, Quentin Dean, and the delightfully creepy Anthony James). The score by Quincy Jones, featuring Ray Charles' rendition of the title song, captures the proper mood throughout.

In a year when the odds-makers were predicting an Oscar victory for "Bonnie and Clyde" or "The Graduate," "In the Heat of the Night" surprised the prognosticators by taking the Best Picture prize and four other Oscars. Considering its theme of racial tolerance, it seemed an appropriate choice at an Oscar ceremony that was postponed following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. The film's theme made it timely, but its artistry makes it timeless.

The Academy made the right choice.

Brian W. Fairbanks

'In the Heat of the Night' was the winner of five Oscars with Norman Jewison for Best Director and the sound editing also receiving nominations, all richly deserved, especially the Best Picture and Best Actor.

Although the Best Picture was a strong one, apart from 'Doctor Doolittle', 'In the Heat of the Night' this reviewer finds the best of the five and also one of the greatest films of the 60s.

Visually, 'In the Heat of the Night' is an incredibly well-made film with cinematography that's both beautiful and gritty. It is immaculately directed also by Norman Jewison, who directed several other great films, and film and sound editing are also very good, fluid with a suitable unpleasantness which suits the atmosphere well and thrillingly authentic. Quincy Jones' soundtrack at least fits and evokes some good atmosphere, the title song sung by Ray Charles is a classic.

The script is incredibly thought-provoking with the racial tension tensely and vividly drawn, never resorting to heavy-handedness or talking at you, something that films with heavy subjects don't always achieve. The "they call me Mr Tibbs" line is iconic. The story is a gripping powerhouse and very ahead of and daring for its time with tremendous power, edge and emotion.

Characters are compelling, and the acting couldn't have been better. Rod Steiger has never been better as the bigoted police chief, and Sidney Poitier matches him every step of the way in a subtler and no less powerful performance. Warren Oates and Anthony James stand out in the uniformly strong supporting cast.

Overall, fantastic film and one of the greatest films of its decade. 10/10 Bethany Cox

IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT is a well-crafted murder mystery with a twist. Sidney Poitier is a big city detective wrongfully arrested by a racist small police detachment after the brutal murder of the town's would-be financial savior. Once the matter is resolved and Poitier released, he finds himself aiding his former captors, including Police Chief Rod Steiger, in their quest to get to the bottom of the crime.

An Academy Award winner for Best Picture, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT works on so many levels. It's a solid, unpredictable whodunit with beautiful cinematography and crisp direction from Norman Jewison. All the actors are on top of their games, particularly Steiger, whose not-entirely-likable chief gradually looks past his prejudices to warm up to Poitier. Poitier is his usual superb self, once again maintaining his vast dignity as the target of bigotry, much like he did in THE DEFIANT ONES.

And like THE DEFIANT ONES, a key theme in IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT is racism. In fact the racism on display here is so fierce and perverse that it's almost hard to believe (though I'm sure it didn't stretch a thing). You can't help but feel an emotional attachment to Poitier as he's subjected to taunts, attempted attacks, and off-color remarks from those who either don't realize the power of their words or don't care. Poitier proves again why he is perhaps the finest African-American actor ever to grace the screen.

IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT is one of those movies that, while not perfect, is impossible to dislike. It's classic, though still relevant, entertainment.