Norman Jewison's film is a glimpse into post-Civil Rights Act of 1964 Southern America. Jewison didn't hold punches in how he interpreted the South at the time. Many films of the same era portrayed the South as a confused group of people who didn't know which way they were going whereas this film states clearly that the Southerners of Sparta, Mississippi in no unclear terms still hold deeply racial ideas. Most interesting to note is that Virgil Tibbs, played by Sidney Poitier, is simply on his way home and must stay on to help the clearly racist police department. He does so because his Police Chief in Philadelphia asks Tibbs if he has something against them in Sparta, which he responds that he does not. This is clearly an issue of race that Virgil does not want to play into as the Sparta people have. Secondly once Tibbs is on the case he is out to solve the murder at any cost, even his life, as he is a man that will get his job done despite the hatred, racism and violence used to stop him from exercising his right to live free simply because he is black.
Jewison's film contrasts Virgil against the backdrop of a Mississippi town that still has black men and women working in the fields picking cotton for Endicott's Cotton Company. This is clearly seen in the film in a way that removes the sentiment but holds the reality. Simply seeing the face of one black worker look up as Virgil is being driven in to the plantation with Gillespie speaks volumes about the reality of life for a black peson in the South in 1967.
Most importantly, Jewison keeps a key moment in the film that will stand as important in the history of the film. When Endicott slaps Virgil he slaps him right back. And poignantly Virgil doesn't respond to Endicott's threat of killing him, he walks out. Mr. Poitier carries the weight of generations of men and women who were trampled by men like this with dignity and force. And ultimately this film is about the resolve of a man to do his job with excellence while everyone else is getting by on the comfort of their position in life, their skin color, wealth and comfort. Jewison shows the overcoming nature a black man must exude in order to live in a world still very much colored in white.
