In the Heat of the Night
“They got a murder on their hands. They don’t know what to do with it.”
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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.
Cast
Sidney Poitier·Virgil Tibbs
Rod Steiger·Police Chief Bill Gillespie
Warren Oates·Deputy Sam Wood
Peter Whitney·Deputy Courtney
Lee Grant·Mrs. Leslie Colbert
Anthony James·Ralph
William Schallert·Mayor Schubert
Scott Wilson·Harvey Oberst
Larry Gates·Eric Endicott
James Patterson·Mr. Purdy
Average shot length
8.1s per shot
Norman Jewison's career average is 7.8s across 16 measured films —see the full picture.