Starring Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs, a northern homicide expert intimidated into solving a murder in 1966's Sparta, Mississippi.
Academy award for best actor was won by Rod Steiger for his portrayal of Sheriff Gillespie, a stranger in his own town, who comes to bear a grudging respect for Tibbs.
First appearance of Scott Wilson, who did a stunning acting job years later in Capote's "In Cold Blood," and most recently had a major role in HBO's " The Walking Dead. "
Canadian director Norman Jewison, (nominated for Best Director, ) hired talented people who had been unfairly blacklisted in the fifties as communist sympathizers: notably, Lee Grant as the widowed wife, her first motion picture since being ostracized.
"In the Heat of the Night" won five Academy Awards: best picture, best actor, (Mr. Steiger,) best film editing, best sound and best screenplay. Stirling Silliphant received his award for writing the best screenplay based on material from another medium, a 1965 novel by John Ball.
Title song was composed by Quincy Jones, lyrics by Allan & Marilyn Bergman and sung by Ray Charles.
Nice, tidy little murder mystery with great performances, writing and music.