Review of In the Heat of the Night (1967) by Lucas Q — 10 Jul 2008
Poitier has many great pictures to his name and the vast majority based around racial issues, which he handles with a fantastic care. This film is above the rest even his award winning performance in Lilies of the Field, which still stands as his best performance in my eyes, because of the butting heads of him and Rod Steiger the bigoted sheriff of the town, which is broiling with race issues.
The fact that the two have to work together to solve the case of the film adds even greater tension, because perhaps Poitier?s character is just as bigoted as Steigers, or perhaps not. The performances are riveting as are the issues and everything is handled brilliantly by director Norman Jewison.
The line, ?They call me Mr. Tibbs!? is iconic and adds to the flavor of the film making it highly memorable, but there are more broiling tensioned filled confrontations in that film that hold just as much weight.
The story goes Tibbs, Poitier character, is just visiting his mother in this small town when a rich white man is murdered. The local police on principle pick him up. His identity is later revealed to be that of a detective from the North and he is then ordered by his superior from up above to cooperate and help the small town sheriff, Steiger.
They do not really want to work together, but they have to.
This review of In the Heat of the Night (1967) was written by Lucas Q on 10 Jul 2008.
In the Heat of the Night has generally received very positive reviews.
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