In The Heat Of The Night (1967)

In The Heat Of The Night (1967)

1. How does the film relate to Chapter 25 in Foner?

In The Heat Of The Night, covered two themes from Foner's Chapter 25. "In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, which prohibited racial discrimination in employment, institutions like hospitals and schools, and privately owned public accommodations such as restaurants, hotels, and theaters (Foner 966)." This quote actually talks of two places where Virgil Tibbs isn't accepted. The first is when he's waiting at the train, and Sam, a cop takes him in because he's black and there was a murder in town. It's then doubted that Virgil could really be a top Homocide detective from Pa where he comes from. The next example when the KKK tries to run him out of town, leading into the Diner where everyone goes to talk to the creepy guy that works there. He then says that he refuses to serve Virgil because of his color. Gillespie also doesn't take Virgil to a hotel to sleep while he's there, he takes him to another African American household to stay and live with them for the time being. These are all examples of how the townsfolk of Mississippi treated Virgil even after The Civil Rights Act was passed.

Foner also talked about a city, Birmingham. "Even for the Deep South, Birmingham was a violent city- there had been over fifty bombings of black homes and institutions since World War II. Local Blacks had been demonstrating, with no result, for greater economic opportunities and an end to segregation by local businesses (959)." I find this quote to be relevant because again it shows how hard people were working, yet the South wouldn't listen. It also shows how unfair the blacks were being treated, just like in the movie with Virgil, and the other small black family we meet. Which is another thing, we only meet that one family and Virgil who are African American, and no one else. So it begs the question of did others get chased out of town because of the KKK, or what was the thought process on that?

2. What was the symbolism behind when Police Chief Bill Gillespie told Detective Virgil Tibbs "You're just like the rest of us ain't you?"

The biggest thing to note, before going into explanation about this quote is that, the film reflects a dangerous and hate-filled time which Southerners have finally overcome. This quote is used to describe how Detective Virgil Tibbs, who is just passing through the town, waiting for another train to go see his mother, is exactly like the white folks. It's a hard realization for Gillespie to come to terms with too, because everyone in the South is so relaxed in their lifestyle that doesn't look at African American's as equals. Gillespie realizes as the movie goes on what a normal, intelligent, respectful man Virgil is. He has to hold off on his point of view, and put Virgil first too, especially when it comes to the KKK. He learns that he needs Virgil, and because of that dependancy on him, he's forced to look at him as an equal. This quote is smart in the fact that it says a lot for the South at the time, and how they learned to grow by finally seeing that it's not always someone of a different race that's at fault. In the film the person that ends up being responsible for the murder is the creepy Diner guy, who had stolen the money and everything. It gave way for people to see that it was a new era and they needed to accept it. Because of Gillespie learning to grow, he now has the capacity to teach the rest of the KKK, and the South Mississippi that they are equals.

3. In The Heat Of The Night was released in 1967. Do you think it offers a pessimistic or hopeful vision for the future of race relations in the United States? Do you feel the film's vision is realistic given what was happening during the time period?

I think In The Heat Of The Night offers a pessimistic, yet hopeful vision for the future of race relations in the United States. It's something the clearly would take a lot of time. It would win over some, and it wouldn't win over others Not everyone would be as welcoming to Virgil, not to  say at the start of the movie they were welcoming. Since Gillespie put out to look out for Hitchhikers and Virgil was taken in because of being in the wrong place, he was also treated coldly. He is questioned if his money is really his since a white man was killed, he's questioned in the murder, and until his own PA office calls to verify he's fighting to prove that he's a respectable man to them. Then they realize how much they need him to help solve the case, and they try hard to get him to stay. When he gets the results from the autopsy, he withholds the evidence from them which causes  a fight, and it gives him time to prove that the man they put in jail is not guilty. He eventually stays because Gillespie blackmails into it, and he's not happy about it. He's led on multiple car chases because of the KKK, which they make multiple appearances, all trying to kill or cause bodily harm to Virgil. By the end of the movie we finally see some acceptance, which is why i say it's hopeful for race relations. Given some time in close proximity with someone different from you, the two of you could find a way to live together and make it work. By the end it's a bittersweet goodbye because they both were so use to each other. Not everyone was welcoming of Virgil though, and that's the pessimistic attitude of race relations, represented in the KKK and others would didn't try to fight for race relations. 

4. Pick one character from the film and explain what you think he or she "stands for"-- what do you think the filmmakers want the audience to learn from thinking about the character and what does this depiction reveal about the American culture in the 1960s?

The character that I feel had the biggest impact on me from this movie was Police Cheif Bill Gillespie. I understand he also won an Academy award for Best Actor, and I find this to be completely deserving for his role in the film. When we first get use to this character he's just like every other white southern man in the movie. He doesn't approve of Detective Virgil Tibbs, yet he doesn't join the members of the KKK when we see them depicted in the film. He is very wary of Virgil's identity in the beginning too, because he doesn't think that an African American man would 1) hold a better paying job than he does 2) work as a detective in PA and 3) Actually be of real importance in the current homicide case he had, the first in a long time. Gillespie plays his role of the Chief very well, he takes in all angles on the case, he looks into any lead, and he utilizes Virgil's talent eventually. He makes the effort to become his friend, he stands up for him multiple times through out the movie, twice with the KKK. While he tells Virgil he can leave at any time to go, he doesn't really mean it and ends up blackmailing him into staying to help him solve the case. He sets him up in a place to live, and he lets him look over the body. He clearly respects Virgil by the end of the movie and is all for putting aside differences between the two and anyone else that has a problem with him. I think the Chief stands for the fact that some people didn't mind welcoming and trusting African American's into the society. Virgil was hopefully just the start for the Cheif and they even share a heartfelt goodbye at the end of the movie when he leaves on his train. I think the audience could see how over the course of the movie, the time period that goes on there is time to show the growth and start of the friendship between the two men. The biggest thing this stands for is though is that the theme of acceptance is coming into play. Acceptance of African American's to be equal at the time was something not many White folk, lets alone men really wanted at the time.