In the Heat of the Night
Norman Jewison / US, 1967 / 110 min.
Norman Jewison’s indictment of racism in America’s deep south won five Oscars. Sidney Poitier plays a black cop suspected of murder; the colour of his skin says he’s guilty. Cooperation with the local authorities to unravel the murder is terrible and the majority of the population prove racist.
A man is murdered in a sleepy town in the deep south. Soon a black stranger Virgil Tibbs (Poitier) who is waiting at the station for a train becomes the prime suspect. After his arrest things don’t prove as clear cut: Tibbs is a policeman and a very good detective – he offers to help investigate to prove his innocence. However, sheriff Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) has already decided who the guilty party is.
In the Heat of the Night won five Oscars, including best film and best actor (Steiger). Jewison’s righteous critique of racism unfortunately still proves current today, all the more reason to create a 4K restoration of this classic that features music by Quincy Jones.
Screening of the 4K restoration
Special screenings
Details
Director
Norman Jewison
Production year
1967
Country
US
Original title
In the Heat of the Night
Length
110 min.
Language
English
Subtitles
NLD
Format
DCP
Part of
Sidney Poitier & Denzel Washington
Sidney Poitier was Denzel Washington’s shining example. The actors were good friends, but never played in a film together. This summer, Eye brings them together on the big screen for the first time by showing the best of their films.
‘The slap heard around the world’
For our online Magazine, The Black Archives’ Isabelle Britto placed ‘the slap heard around the world’ from In the Heat of the Night in a historical context. Why did this slap make such an impression in 1967, and what made Sidney Poitier such a special actor?
Share your love for film and become a member of the Eye Society.