In the Heat of the Night

In The Heat of the Night (1967)
Director: Norman Jewison



Q1. How does this film relate to the chapter in Foner?
A1: The 1960s was a period of time that was filled with a lot of protests. In my point of view, this is the time of “Rebellion” in America. As a foreigner, what I first think about 1960s in America it was the time of Hippies and Rock music. These Hippies used their radical way of lives to present their points of view about the society. Rock music, no doubt, was also one of the main weapons to show the idea of “freedom” to oppose the “conservative “points of view in the 1960s. However, the film “In the Heat of the Night” was focused on the topic of “racial inequality”, and how African Americans were not equally treated and did not enjoy their freedom in the 1960s’ just like others. The prejudices and stereotypes constructed the public’s points of view about these black people. In this film, especially concerning white people, their behaviors and reactions showed how they strongly discriminated against the black people in the1960s. “In the Heat of the Night” was a story based on a white wealthy business man’s mysterious death in a small town of Mississippi. The main character Tibbs is an African American police officer from Philadelphia. He is waiting for a train back to his home. However, this well-dressed African American becomes a suspect only because of his outfit, and another reason was that his wallet had too much money; thus, it seems not to belong to him. A policeman takes him back to the police station and tells another main character Bill Gillespie, the police chief in this town, about his suspicion of Tibbs. Tibbs proves his police officer status by making a phone call to his chief. However, after the proof of his innocent, his higher chief orders him to support the investigation in this homicide case. With the previous bad experience in this small town, Tibbs accept this job reluctantly. At the beginning, Gillespie is doubts about this African American detective’s ability. However, after Tibbs proves himself with his outstanding analysis ability and the desire to find out the murderer, Gillespie little by little accepts this “black” detective. Gillespie fails to catch the wrong man by his arbitrary judgment, but with brilliant Tibbs’ support, finally they find the murderer based on their cooperation. Therefore, in the process of finding out the real murderer, Tibbs earns the respect from Gillespie. Indeed, this “black” and “white” collaboration might be the best illustration to show the director’s or some Americans’ expectation to have a truly “black” and “white” equal and collaborating society. At the same time, this film reflects some real serious points about how general white people still discriminate against the black people. In fact, this film does reveal some points to Foner’s chapter 25 of “The Sixties”. First, obviously, African Americans’ social status was the lowest in American society. Their social identity was contaminated by most of the white people. These white people had a serious discrimination issues against these black people. In this basis, from verbal or real physical assaults all point out how African Americans were not really “free Americans” at that time. Foner uses an African American’s words to illustrate how African Americans’ feel about their freedom in the 1960s “1960s, one black organizer in Memphis remarked, ‘All I wanted to do was to live in a free country.’ Of the movement’s accomplishments, he added, ‘You had to fight for every inch of it. Nobody gave you anything. Nothing’” (Foner 913). Indeed, this points out how African Americans were not totally free in America; they earned their own freedom by a series of civil right movements. They really “fight” to earn their own freedom. No one helped them. Indeed, this film also indirectly connects to the fact that how 1960s was a time for African Americans fight to earn their freedom by practical activities. In the film, when a cotton factory’s owner slaps on Tibbs’ face for his accusation, Tibbs is not afraid of this, and slaps the owner’s face back. Indeed, this might be an implication that black people need to respond for their unequal social status. The civil rights movement in the 1960s became African Americans’ main movement to show their eagerness for true freedom. Foner illustrates that “civil rights movement challenged the United States to rethink ‘what it really means by freedom’—including whether freedom applied to all American or only to part of the population” (Foner 913). In this basis, “part of the population” which refers to the white people might rethink about African Americans’ social status, and their freedom. Moreover, during that time the people who supported the African Americans’ civil rights movements might be considered as conservative white people’s enemies, and the women were not an exception. Foner indicates the realty that in 1960s “As in the days of abolitionism, young women who had embraced an ideology of social equality and personal freedom and learned methods of political organizing encountered inequality and sexual exploitation” (Foner 944). Indeed, 1960s really played a significant role in American freedom’s movement. Especially African Americans started to earn their real freedom that time.

Q2: What can we learn about American culture during the time period by interpreting the film as a primary historical source?
A2: In this film, the most powerful emphasis is on the racial issues. For instance, the main character Tibbs is caught by the police only because he is wearing a nice suit, and has a lot of money in his wallet. There is another example, when he goes to a restaurant; the waiter strongly refuses to provide this “African American” any service by saying “I am not going to service him”. However, these are all verbal assaults with discrimination against the black people. Moreover, there are some vivid physical assaults represent how serious the white men were loathed the black people. For example, in a scene, Tibbs are surrounded by five white men with weapons. They use their weapons to attack Tibbs. However, Tibbs does fight back, and is saved by the police chief Gillespie. Indeed, the relationship between Tibbs and Gillespie might be the best illustration about the typical white people and black people’s relationship. At the beginning, Gillespie has doubts about Tibbs’ ability in investigating the homicide case. We can observe Gillespie’s arrogant and insolent point of views about Tibbs through the movie. However, finally Gillespie starts to show his respect and admiration to Tibbs by the fact that he is an outstanding detective. Indeed, this shows most of the white people judge the black people based on their own prejudice first. In the Tibbs and Gillespie’s case Gillespie finally finds Tibbs’ advantages and gets rid of the previous prejudice. However, there were few white people like Gillespie who could erase the prejudice about the black people, and admire their ability. Indeed, although the civil rights movement was changing the black people’s social status, the fact was that these black people were still under serious discrimination. This film really directly shows majority of white men’s perspectives about the black people.

Q3: What does the film reveal about attitudes toward gender, class, and race?
A3: “In the Heat of the Night” really does not mention issues or perspectives about class. However, regarding gender’s points of view there are mainly two things that I found in the film. First, there is a scene that an almost naked woman in the house, and it really seems she is not aware of others’ feelings. Indeed, this points out women had their sexual determination that time; they even could decide they wanted to wear clothes or not. Second, the abortion issue is revealed in the film. To have enough abortion surgery fees, the real murderer, the waiter in a small restaurant kills the rich businessman for the money. Indeed, the movie puts a sensitive issue like “abortion” in the film which really reflects how women took this issue as a normal behavior. This also indirectly points out women’s liberal perspectives about sexual issues that time. The racial issues are the most important perspective in this film. How the main character Tibbs is treated by the white people is so vivid in this film. From the policemen to restaurant waiter they all show a strong discrimination against Tibbs. Tibbs is the representativeness of the African Americans that time. Indeed, most of these African Americans were not equally treated by others, especially the white people. Moreover, the contrast of a white cotton factory’s owner who has his own greenhouse and the conscientious black cotton workers shows that most African Americans’ standard of living were very poor. In Tibbs’case, a black man who had a nice standard of living might be rare that time. However, in Tibbs’s case we can see that some African Americans’ social status was moving upward, but majority of them were still in a poor standard.

Q4: What was the most important scene in the film?
A4: The most important scene in this film is when Tibbs finds out who is the murderer and is ready to takes the train back to Philadelphia, the police chief Gillespie asks Tibbs to take care of himself, and thanks for his helping in this homicide case. Indeed, in this scene, the Gillespie indirectly shows his admiration to Tibbs, and the respect to the black people. Moreover, by saying “take care of yourself” might be interpreted to the point that, in Tibbs’ life, in the future he will still face other white people’s prejudice and discrimination against him only because he is a black person. Although Gillespie respects him for his professionalism and courage, other white people might still discriminate against him. Indeed, this points out that although some black people benefited from the civil right movements, there is still a long way to go to find their true “freedom”, and “social equality” in America. Moreover, as a democratic country where the emphasis is on personal freedom, and equally treatment, America was not totally free yet. American society might need more time to accept these minorities to be their country’s members. The civil rights movements in the1960s did change African Americans’ social status by lawful support. However, their freedom was still limited by the public’s perspective. In this basis, America still needs to improve their way to treat these minorities in the 1960s and even now.