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8.1
/10
2,314 Ratings

IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT

Directed by Norman Jewison
United States, 1967
Crime, Drama, Mystery
  • 110110 minutes

Synopsis

While on a trip back home in Mississippi, detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested for the murder of a prominent industrialist. His only crimes: being out late at night and being Black. After some prodding by his boss, Tibbs joins forces with the bigoted town sheriff to catch the real killer.

Synopsis

While on a trip back home in Mississippi, detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested for the murder of a prominent industrialist. His only crimes: being out late at night and being Black. After some prodding by his boss, Tibbs joins forces with the bigoted town sheriff to catch the real killer.

Our take

Winner of five (!) Oscars®, Norman Jewison’s scorching race-relations thriller boils over with a sweltering Quincy Jones score and is fueled by explosive turns from Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. Propulsive genre intrigue and insatiable moral fury ignite this pinnacle of civil rights–era Hollywood.