Murder Mystery

In The Heat of the Night

In class, we watched the Heat of the Night. It gave me a better sense of how disproportionate the system truly was at that period. It is something the movie does remarkably well. One of the first examples of the mistreatment of Tibbs, the main character, is when he tells the officers that he is a cop, and none of them believe him until the chief calls his department in Philadelphia to verify the fact.

Virgil Tibbs with the Main Suspect

Tibbs knows that the only way to confront the social system is by proving not only that he is smarter than the people who doubt him, but also in a manner that leaves nothing to question.

He does this by pointing out when the doctor makes an incorrect estimate for a time-of-death.  While the racist officers try to pin the murder on the wrong suspects. He breaks the social order by the relationship he establishes with Chief Gillespie. 

At the end of the movie, their relationship isn’t perfect by any means but is at least respectful and understanding. Gillespie still has his pride and ego but acknowledges that without Tibbs then the case never would have been solved. Even the mayor points out that the previous chief probably would have shot Tibbs for disobeying an order, but Gillespie even while angry knew to listen.

Chief Gillespie returning to ask Tibbs for His Help

For the women in this movie, I think it isn't so much separate but equal as much as it is that those who have the power don't want to give it up and those who don't have the power do whatever it takes to get
it.  For instance, Mama Caleba, as a Black woman was able to open a somewhat successful shop, which was rare for females in general at the time, so she did not wish to jeopardize losing it when Tibbs pressed her for information. However, Delores Purdy did whatever it took in order to obtain power, even if it meant getting pregnant at sixteen.

In conclusion, rather than feeling negative, I mostly felt bad that Tibbs was racially profiled and his expertise were for the most part ignored during the movie.  But, I felt hopeful when Gillespie began to respect Tibbs, showing that even though things were bad in the 1960s, progress was still slowly happening. Overall, I found the movie to give a realistic picture of what it was like to live as a Black man during that era.