“They call me Mister Tibbs!”
Revisiting In the Heat of the Night for its recent Criterion Blu-ray release, it’s easy to see why this story of a Philadelphia detective (Sidney Poitier) who finds himself tasked with solving a murder in the deep south at the insistence of a small town chief (Rod Steiger) was awarded the top prize (as well as a couple of others) at the 1968 Oscars. So many of its incredible moments remain indelible. The train station scene where Steiger’s Gillespie is reading Poitier’s Virgil Tibbs, not to mention the jawdroppping slap, remains as iconic as ever. One can only imagine how such a moment, as well as many others, played out during the movie’s initial run.
But the quieter scenes stand out as well, including the way Virgil handles the reaction Mrs. Colbert (Lee Grant) has to her husband’s death, the way Virgil takes an incredibly racist suspect and gets him on his side, and, of course, the final touching exchange between the two main characters. All of it adds up to one of the greatest films of the decade, one that never shies away from the striking harshness of racism and plays every note with an unflinching authenticity that remains bold to this day.
It no doubt helped that In the Heat of the Night had a fantastic collection of artists working both in front of and behind the camera. The gang scene where is Virgil is confronted by a bunch of hoodlums is a testament to Hal Ashby’s editing, while Sterling Siliphant’s script is truly a work of art. The same amount of praise (if not more) can be paid to Haskel Wexler’s cinematography and Quincy Jones’ score, both of which are indisputable high points in a pair of careers filled with nothing but high points.
Yet it was director Norman Jewison who proved to be the film’s biggest asset. More than just a director, Jewison was an artist of great versatility, curiosity, and most importantly, empathy. The director didn’t shy away from any kind of story. From Jesus Christ Superstar to Moonstruck to The Hurricane, Jewison threw himself into every kind of world he had the opportunity to explore, which he did in the most honest of ways.
In honor of this release of In the Heat of the Night, not to mention the recent celebration of what would have been Jewison’s 99th birthday, here are five of my favorite titles from one of cinema’s most underrated filmmakers.
The Thrill of it All
Every time I think about Jewison, I tend to forget that he helmed not one, but two Doris Day movies early in his career. It’s the first one, The Thrill of It All, which I feel is the more superior. Day stars as Beverly Boyer, an average housewife who finds fame when she becomes the spokesperson for a popular soap brand. This, of course, leads to many slapstick-filled moments such as a car in a swimming pool, a woman going into labor at a formal event, and a few soap-related sequences. It all may sound like another hokey Doris romp, but Jewison balances the mix of the movie’s comedy, the romantic chemistry between Day and co-star James Garner, and some slight commentary on consumerism perfectly. Carl Reiner’s script earned a WGA nomination, and The Thrill of It All proved a bona fide hit, showing Jewison to be a director who, even at such an early stage of his career, was capable of delivering a perfectly escapable time at the movies.
Best Friends
Jewison took a somewhat lengthy break from comedies before returning to the genre with this story of Richard (Burt Reynolds) and Paula (Goldie Hawn), two people who are screenwriting partners as well as romantic ones. The movie follows the changes in their personal and professional dynamics once the two decide to tie the knot. Jewison directs this script from real-life screenwriting couple Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin and manages a few questions along the way, the biggest of course being: Can a shared friendship and career endure once marriage enters the picture? Best Friends answers this with a collection of scenes that sees Jewison again mixing the thoughtful with the comedic. The moment Hawn plants her face down into a plate of chicken salad is a great example of the latter and alone justifies the actress’s Golden Globe nomination. A great illustration of the creative process as well as the changing romantic partner dynamics of the early 1980s.
Agnes of God
Most have been too quick to write off this dark three character drama adapted from the stage due in large part to its controversial nature. In Agnes of God, Jane Fonda plays a psychiatrist who spars with a formidable Mother Superior (Anne Bancroft) when she attempts to interview a novice nun (Meg Tilly) who gives birth to a dead baby yet insists she’s still a virgin. Writer John Pielmeier adapted his own stage play for the screen, and while the transition isn’t the smoothest, Jewison makes the proceedings work, excelling in territory that was somewhat new for him. The director gets so much out of his trio of talented actresses (two of whom received Oscar nominations for their work) and his exploration into the story’s world never feels anything other than observational. What makes the film so compelling, ultimately, is the way Jewison approaches it; less as a thriller and more of a psychological mystery about the collision of faith and pragmatism.
The Thomas Crown Affair
It’s hard to think of a follow-up project that would equal the explosiveness of In the Heat of the Night. Yet Jewison found the perfect project by doing a complete 180 in terms of theme, character, and world. The Thomas Crown Affair told the story of a wealthy executive (Steve McQueen) who pulls off an elaborate bank heist for the sheer thrill of it, causing the insurance company to send in a top investigator (Faye Dunaway) to capture him. For many, The Thomas Crown Affair stands out as a real unicorn in the director’s filmography. It’s a sexy, stylish caper in which Jewison offers up flair and panache for days. But it’s the way he surprises with the touches of tender romance and sparkling characterization that help make the film more than just an entertaining romp. Reportedly, one of President Jimmy Carter’s favorite movies that has also inspired more than one remake, the movie’s cat-and-mouse dynamics and intoxicating nature make this one an undisputed classic.
In the Heat of the Night
There’s no question that this film remains Jewison’s masterpiece, with everything needed for a comment on racial politics that also doubles as a murder mystery. In the Heat of the Night instantly takes its audience aback with the world it presents, which immediately feels like an uneasy landscape. This is, of course, heightened with a fantastic use of sound, especially in the scenes when the movie is totally devoid of score. There’s such a palatable chemistry between Poitier and Steiger despite such a hostile introduction for their characters, and the stellar shorthand the two enjoy helps to make the movie as compelling as it is. The shifting power struggles are fascinating to watch, and both leads play their characters as very calm and controlled for the most part. It’s easy to see why the movie took home the Best Picture Oscar that year as few filmmakers have been able to weave such a fascinating story of race, class, and culture the way Jewison did.
Jewison himself never won an Oscar, despite being up for the brass ring several times in both Director and Picture categories. It probably never mattered in the end. No statue can ever come close to the glory and variety of a body of work such as his. From directing actors as far apart on the film spectrum as Day and McQueen to finding the cinematic quality of stories dealing in everything from pratfalls to romance to controversy, Jewison’s legacy as one of the most masterful filmmakers of his generation will never be diminished.
In the Heat of the Night is now available on Blu-ray and DVD from The Criterion Collection.
