Watch Now
Download
In the Heat of the Night

In the Heat of the Night

They got a murder on their hands. They don’t know what to do with it.
Aug 02, 1967 1h 49m
7.636
1099 votes

Synopsis

African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.

Title In the Heat of the Night
Companies United Artists, The Mirisch Company
Countries United States of America
Keywords small town, southern usa, black people, police chief, stolen money, racial segregation, racist, murder, youth gang, racism, whodunit, poverty, false accusations, police station, racial tension, bigotry, autopsy room, red herring, railroad station, white supremacists, nymphette, bigot, deep south, cotton plantation, southern small town, rumble, illegal abortionist, petty thief, jumping to conclusions, preserved film
Sidney Poitier

Sidney Poitier

Virgil Tibbs
Rod Steiger

Rod Steiger

Police Chief Bill Gillespie
Warren Oates

Warren Oates

Deputy Sam Wood
Peter Whitney

Peter Whitney

Deputy Courtney
Lee Grant

Lee Grant

Mrs. Leslie Colbert
William Schallert

William Schallert

Mayor Schubert
Scott Wilson

Scott Wilson

Harvey Oberst
Larry Gates

Larry Gates

Eric Endicott
Quentin Dean

Quentin Dean

Delores Purdy
Beah Richards

Beah Richards

Mama Caleba
Fred Stewart

Fred Stewart

Dr. Stuart
Eldon Quick

Eldon Quick

Charles Hawthorne
Jester Hairston

Jester Hairston

Endicott's Butler
Phil Adams

Phil Adams

1st Tough
Jack Teter

Jack Teter

Philip Colbert (uncredited)
Alan Oppenheimer

Alan Oppenheimer

Ted Appleton (uncredited)
Clegg Hoyt

Clegg Hoyt

Deputy (uncredited)
Buzz Barton

Buzz Barton

Conductor (uncredited)