In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Stirling Silliphant (screenplay)
John Ball (novel)

Release Date:

14 October 1967 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Crime

Tagline:

They got a murder on their hands . . . they don't know what to do with it.

Plot:

An African American detective is asked to investigate a murder in a racist southern town.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Racist | African American | Murder | Investigation

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 12 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Dec. 7

5:30 AM

MAX

Cast

Sidney Poitier	...	Virgil Tibbs
Rod Steiger	...	Gillespie
Warren Oates	...	Sam Wood
Lee Grant	...	Mrs. Colbert
Larry Gates	...	Endicott
James Patterson	...	Mr. Purdy
William Schallert	...	Mayor Schubert
Beah Richards	...	Mama Caleba
Peter Whitney	...	Courtney
Kermit Murdock	...	Henderson
Larry D. Mann	...	Watkins
Matt Clark	...	Packy
Arthur Malet	...	Ulam
Fred Stewart	...	Dr. Stuart
Quentin Dean	...	Delores
Scott Wilson	...	Harvey Oberst
Timothy Scott	...	Shagbag
William Watson	...	McNeil (as William C. Watson)
Eldon Quick	...	Charles Hawthorne
Stuart Nisbet	...	Shuie
Khalil Bezaleel	...	Jess
Peter Masterson	...	Fryer
Jester Hairston	...	Butler
Phil Adams	...	1st Tough
Nikita Knatz	...	2nd Tough
Sammy Reese	...	Clerk (as Sam Reese)
Anthony James	...	Ralph
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Buzz Barton	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Philip Garris	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Clegg Hoyt	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Warren Kenner	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Michael LeGlaire	...	City Councilman (uncredited)
Alan Oppenheimer	...	Ted Appleton (uncredited)
David Stinehart	...	Baggage Master (uncredited)
Jack Teter	...	Philip Colbert - Murder Victim (uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Jewison

Writing credits
Stirling Silliphant		(screenplay)
John Ball		(novel)

Produced by
Walter Mirisch	....	producer

Original Music by
Quincy Jones		(music by)

Cinematography by
Haskell Wexler

Film Editing by
Hal Ashby

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Art Direction by
Paul Groesse

Set Decoration by
Robert Priestley

Costume Design by
Alan Levine		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Del Armstrong	....	make-up

Production Management
Jim Henderling	....	production manager (as James E. Henderling)
Howard Joslin	....	unit production manager (as J. Howard Joslin)
Allen K. Wood	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Newt Arnold	....	second assistant director (as Newton Arnold)
Terry Morse Jr.	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Stephen R. Ferry	....	property
Joseph Musso	....	production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Walter Goss	....	sound
Clem Portman	....	re-recordist
James Richard	....	sound editor
Kevin F. Cleary	....	sound (uncredited)
Charles Cooper	....	sound (uncredited)

Stunts
John Moio	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Ross A. Maehl	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Morris Rosen	....	key grip (uncredited)
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alan Levine	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Byron 'Buzz' Brandt	....	assistant film editor (as Byron Brandt)

Music Department
Alan Bergman	....	song lyrics (as Alan)
Marilyn Bergman	....	song lyrics
Richard Carruth	....	music editor

Other crew
Hal Ashby	....	assistant to producer
Murray Naidich	....	titles
Meta Rebner	....	script supervisor
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The (presents)

Distributors

• United Artists (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Telecommunications (????) (USA) (TV) (as MGM/UA Communications)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV)
• Opção (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Dans la chaleur de la nuit (Belgium: French title) (Canada: French title) (France) (dubbed version) [fr]
In der Hitze der Nacht (Austria) (East Germany) (West Germany) [de]
Al calor de la noche (Argentina) (Venezuela) [es]
En el calor de la noche (Spain) [es]
En la calor de la nit (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Forró éjszakában (Hungary) [hu]
Gecenin sicaginda (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
I nattens hede (Denmark) [da]
I nattens hetta (Sweden) [sv]
Istoria enos eglimatos (Greece) [el]
La calda notte dell'ispettore Tibbs (Italy) [it]
No Calor da Noite (Brazil) [pt]
W upalna noc (Poland) [pl]
Yön kuumuudessa (Finland) [fi]

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Sound)

Certification:

Australia:M | South Africa:(Banned) | Iceland:16 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Brazil:12 | South Africa:A (re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1968) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:Approved | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Belleville, Illinois, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

The scene that took place at the sheriff's house featured dialog that came out of improvisations between Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the shot where Sam Wood first approaches the train depot, he casts a very long shadow reaching behind him all the way up the building wall as if lighting is directly in front of him. In the next shot when he is passing the door and sees Virgil, the shadow has greatly shrunk down as if the lighting is directly overhead.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Ofcr. Sam Wood: Where you keeping the pie tonight?
Ralph Henshaw, diner counterman: I ate the last piece just before you came in.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies: 10th Anniversary Edition (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Bowlegged Polly

The Perfect American Murder Mystery

Rod Steiger won best actor, deserved it, and was matched eyebrow for eyebrow by Sidney Poitier's Unforgettable Creation of Mr. Virgil Tibbs, police detective. The supporting cast is perfect, with Beah Richards, William Prince, and Scott Wilson as special standouts. The dialogue by Siliphant is crisply written, the direction by Jewison is non-pareil, and the mystery is difficult and resolves things perfectly. As an overall American mystery, I must vote for this even over the Maltese Falcon (which of course is also great). Forget the hit-and-miss TV spin-off and treat yourself to the real thing.