Academia-stemmed stresses left y’all with no content last week. I was also robbed of an opportunity to speak on any media pertaining to Black History Month. We watched this film in my film appreciation class last semester, and its message speaks volumes, far prolonging a month-long established acknowledgment of equality.
In the Heat of the Night gives a character study between two men amidst the evil tendrils of man. After Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is pulled into a homicide investigation of Sparta, Mississippi after being falsely accused of being the perpetrator himself, he progresses a mutual respect, or more of a bond of solace, with the town’s chief Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger).
The late Sidney Poitier emanates a charming stoicism that takes its time to envelop over the fellow cast. Despite his superficial difference of being a black man in a progressively futile Mississippi suburb, the power he holds within himself is clearly nuanced to his real life struggles similar to his character. It’s heartbreaking to know that someone could pull such raw intensity with scenes that could have easily been experienced by Poitier growing up, but there is also nothing but respect for his integrity towards this phenomenal performance.
Conversely, Rod Steiger is a heavily animated presence on screen, smacking 263 packs of gum or grumbling to his associates to fix a fence in his office. The importance of his subtle transformation of prejudices with Tibbs's fellowship is what this film capitalizes on, and beautifully so. Gillespie isn’t seen as an authority that rescues Tibbs in distress, but rather a confidant as Tibbs encounters the ignorant residents of the town Gillespie isn’t loved by likewise.
Through acute racism, abuse, and corruption, this big three is no match for the likes of Mr. Virgil Tibbs. What may turn audiences away is exactly what is meant to, but a slap of reality (no pun intended) is exactly what self-indulgent Hollywood consumers needed in the height of civil rights activism in 1967, clearly affecting the making of the film itself. Death threats and racist clans plagued Poitier while filming in Tennessee, enough for him to feel the need to sleep with a gun beneath his pillow. Eventually, they had to move production to Illinois on account of the danger they were potentially putting him into.
This film puts vital elements of society in perspective. There was progress yet to be made, and making projects like these are important to establish history through film. Not being part of the civil rights movement, I can only live vicariously through what I hope is accurate documentation of its events. Though our world is far from unity that is desired, there is hope through small beginnings, this film being a start.
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