Part of Revolution in Hollywood: The Films of 1967, In the Heat of the Night will play on two dates before the Sunday, April 26 benefit event. 

Sat, Apr 18 at 2:30pm
Thu, Apr 23 at 8:00pm

A tense thriller that incorporated the civil rights struggle as its backdrop, In The Heat of the Night was an instant classic as well as a showcase for star Sidney Poitier, who starred in three of 1967’s top-grossing films (though it was co-star Rod Steiger who took home the film’s only acting Oscar from that year’s Academy Award ceremony). In the Heat of the Night also won Oscars for best picture, screenplay, editing and sound. The film’s scenes where the African-American Poitier’s character stands up to white prejudice – which include the iconic quote “They call me MISTER Tibbs!” – were some of the first to ever be shown in a major motion picture.

African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), 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.