Friday March 7th 2025, 7:30 PM
Detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested simply because he is a black man with money passing through segregated Sparta, Mississippi the night a northern industrialist is murdered there. To the bigoted police chief Bill Gillespie’s chagrin, Tibbs is Philadelphia PD’s number one homicide expert, and Gillespie reluctantly asks for Tibb’s assistance. The film’s enduring impact results from the fascinating relationship developed between the men. 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.
Tense, funny, and thought-provoking all at once, and lifted by strong performances from Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger, director Norman Jewison’s look at murder and racism in small-town America continues to resonate today. The film won Oscars for Best Picture, Screenplay, Actor, Sound and Editing.
Drama / Mystery / Thriller
Runtime 1 hour 50 minutes
Canada / USA
1967
Rated PG