Released:
1967-08-02

Overview:
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.

Director:
Norman Jewison

Runtime:
1h 49min

Genre:
Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

• Cast:
• 
  Sidney Poitier
  as
  Virgil Tibbs
• 
  Rod Steiger
  as
  Police Chief Bill Gillespie
• 
  Warren Oates
  as
  Deputy Sam Wood
• 
  Peter Whitney
  as
  Deputy Courtney
• 
  Lee Grant
  as
  Mrs. Leslie Colbert