In the Heat of the Night
“They got a murder on their hands. They don’t know what to do with it.”
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.
Part of the Virgil Tibbs Trilogy
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-02-21
Top Cast
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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
Quentin Dean
Delores Purdy
Kermit Murdock
Henderson
Larry D. Mann
Watkins
Matt Clark
Packy
Beah Richards
Mama Caleba
Arthur Malet
Ulam
Fred Stewart
Dr. Stuart
Timothy Scott
Shagbag
Release History & Theatrical Window
London
Festival / Special Debut
August 2, 1967
Wide Cinema Exhibition
January 1, 1985
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$27.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
13.69x
+$25.4M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Norman Jewison
- Screenplay & Story
- Stirling Silliphant
- Original Score
- Quincy Jones
- Original Title
- In the Heat of the Night
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 49m
- Production Budget
- $2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $27.4M
- Production Studios
- United Artists, The Mirisch Company
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Norman Jewison
Stirling Silliphant, John Ball, Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman
Quincy Jones
Haskell Wexler
Hal Ashby
Walter Mirisch
Department Leadership Roster
Walter Mirisch
Producer
Hal Ashby
Editor
Haskell Wexler
Director of Photography
Stirling Silliphant
Screenplay
Norman Jewison
Director
Quincy Jones
Original Music Composer
Alan Levine
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for In the Heat of the Night.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring In the Heat of the Night.
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Frequently Asked Questions About In the Heat of the Night
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is In the Heat of the Night about?
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.
Who directed In the Heat of the Night?
In the Heat of the Night was directed by Norman Jewison.
Who stars in In the Heat of the Night?
The principal cast of In the Heat of the Night includes Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Peter Whitney, Lee Grant.
When was In the Heat of the Night released and how long is it?
In the Heat of the Night was released in 1967 with a total runtime of 1h 49m.
What was the box office and production budget of In the Heat of the Night?
In the Heat of the Night had a reported production budget of $2M and grossed $27.4M at the worldwide box office (13.69 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for In the Heat of the Night?
The original motion picture soundtrack for In the Heat of the Night was composed by Quincy Jones.
Is In the Heat of the Night based on a book or true story?
In the Heat of the Night is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "John Ball".
What is the age rating and content advisory for In the Heat of the Night?
In the Heat of the Night holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 18A; DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).