L'organisation

Virgil Tibbs apparently left his detective post in Philadelphia for one in San Francisco, where he shows up investigating a robbery of furniture company that's actually a front for The Organization, a group of businessmen dedicated to the sale of heroin. A Mod Squad of locals orchestrates the robbery as the film opens, stealing four million dollars worth of smack, not to sell it, but to keep it off the streets. Since they're not hardened drug dealers, they're not much of a match for the well-portrayed hit men of the Organization, leaving it up to Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) to try to protect them while working to break the heroin ring. The outdoor locations are great, with one car chase that succeeds quite well, but overall it mostly resembles one of those made-for-TV movies of that era.

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.

Sydney Poitier is marvelous in any movie he has been in, so far as I have noticed. When he first showed up as MISTER Tibbs in Heat of the Night, I knew it would be a great watch. Unfortunately, by the third run, The Organization, even his usual and expected dazzlement could not save the faulty plot and slow pacing. The premise of a group of amateurs trying to bring down "the organization" and then trying to drag in a good cop like Tibbs (who doesn't let the force know what he is doing) is, well, thin and silly. There were great slices of Tibbs' home life with his son and daughter, which goes to show that Poitier brings life into even a tedious period cop piece like this one. Overall, it's still watchable, but only if you are a dedicated Poitier fan.

Sydney reprises his Mr. Tibbs moniker in a nicely paced crime drama that has some well orchestrated action sequences, especially the one at the onset of the film. Those first 10 minutes or so reminded me of the heist scene in "Rififi" (1955), in that this scene too was captured with no dialog, letting the viewer see for himself how the action plan was set into motion.

Some reviewers "dissed" the 70's sound track and street jargon, but what do you expect? It's a period piece, a 70's action film and by definition will employ those contemporary motifs. To me, it's both refreshing and amusing to be thrust back into the cultural modes of yesteryear.

The plot line may have had some small weaknesses to it and some of the actors were no Academy Award nominee hopefuls, but the thrust of the film keeps you attentive and anticipatory. Also, it was nice to see Raul Julia, Demond Wilson and Ron O'Neal in one of their earlier films. Sydney, as usual, shines in his rendition of the Tibbs detective. But the plot twists toward the end where Mr. Tibbs puts the pieces together and gets ready to see justice served... Well, see for yourself in this brutally realistic conclusion.

3º installment based on the role originated in the successful ¨In the heat of the night , this ¨The organization¨(1971) directed by Don Medford , in which Tibbs/Sidney Poitier is out to break up a ring of dope smugglers while helps a bunch of idealistic vigilantes (Ron O'Neal ,Raul Julia , Miyazaki , James Watson , Billy Geen Bush) expose a drug ring run by a powerful ringleader . This outing boasts a nice cast as Barbara McNair , Shree North , Raul Julia , Ron O'Neal , Allan Garfield and Daniel J Travanti . Here we find San Francisco Police Lieutenant Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) called in to investigate a sinister case . The African-American detective now married (to Barbara McNair) with family pursues baddies and tries to bust a major dope-smuggling operation .

It is a weak sequel to immensely popular ¨In the heat of the night¨ , this third one results to be an inferior follow-up that has action , suspense , drama , thrills , violence and intriguing finale . This packs the further adventures of the role Tibbs/Sidney Poitier created for the film ¨In the heat of the night¨ . The picture turns out to be slow , boring and it has dated one bit . The movie is realized in Television style , though contains some exciting chase sequences , pursuits and surprising ending . Here Sidney Poitier reprises his ordinary character , giving nice acting . Remaining cast is frankly well , such as : Raul Julia , Fred Beir , Billy Green Bush , Ross Hagen , Allen Garfield , Sheree North and special mention for Gerard O' Loughlin . Atmospheric and evocative cinematography by Joseph Biroc . And adequate music score by Gill Melle in his usual style , mixing sounds from Lalo Schifrin , Isaac Hayes and Quincy Jones .

The trilogy starts with the excellent ¨In the heat of the night¨ (1967) that won 5 Oscars , in which Tibbs joins forces with redneck sheriff who grudgingly accepts helps in resolve a bizarre killing , being directed by Norman Jewison , it stars Rod Steiger , Warren Oates , Lee Grant , Anthony James . The second installment is ¨They called me Mister Tibbs¨ (1970) in which Tibbs is called to investigate when a liberal street preacher (Martin Landau) is suspicious the murder a prostitute , as again finding out a killing and attempting to clear his friend , as well . And the third and final appearance , this ¨The Organization¨ is the third and last in Tibbs series .

The motion picture was middlingly directed by Don Medford . This is one of various and professional works of his long career as filmmaker . He directed a lot of TVfilms and episodes as ¨Dinasty¨, ¨Colby¨, ¨Alfred Hitchcock presents¨, ¨Airwolf¨, ¨Trauma center¨, Baretta¨, ¨City of Angels¨, ¨Most wanted¨,FBI¨, ¨Twilight zone¨, and made films as ¨To trap a spy¨and a good as well as violent Western : ¨The hunting party¨. Rating : 5,5 Passable and acceptable . The flick will appeal to Sidney Poitier fans .