Girls, I am telling you, when was the last time we stayed in and watched a movie on Channel 13, Saturday night? It had to have been back last Summer, when they ran "The Song Of Bernadette." Recently, they showed "In The Heat Of The Night," and what a surprise it was.
One could say this film was the surprise of 1967. It beat out top contenders, such as "Bonnie And Clyde," "The Graduate," "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner," and even "Doctor Dolittle," for Best Picture. And the Quincy Jones song was a hit.
Many of you have seen clips. Certainly the best one is when Mr. Endicott slaps Sidney Poitier, who slaps him right back. While the nice servant is standing in the background, waiting to serve lemonade. Violence and graciousness go together in the South!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And those scenes in the cotton fields! Like outtakes, from "Gone With The Wind," which was also re-released, that year!
The most famous clip is when Rod Steiger yells, "Now, don't you push me, boy!," and Poitier gives the iconic response, "They call me Mister Tibbs!" But when one sees the film, the surprise is they are not saying this to each other, even though the edit suggests it in the clip. Each says the line, respectively, to other characters.
The two leads are in top form. Poitier should have been nominated, and Steiger is good, though many have said, over the years this was compensation for his not having won for "The Pawnbroker," in 1965. I will have to see that film to make up my mind.
The last surprise is the film turns out to be surprisingly simple. Though racism, and disillusion in the South are touched upon the film has more to do with town tramp, Delores Purdy, played marvelously, by Quentin Dean. She is a 16-year-old nymphet trollop who parades herself as naked as she can get in front of her window in the evenings, and all the men, including policeman Sam Wood (Warren Oates) shows up to watch. Well, Delores gets knocked up by Ralph, the psychotic looking restaurant guy, who kills Lee Grant's hubby, Mr. Colbert, for the abortion money. He leaves the restaurant late at night, and Ralph follows, and kills him. Though when Delores' brother brings in his tramp sister, you'd think he was all worked up because they had been having an incestuous relationship, and he was jealous of Ralph. Which is plausible, but, I am telling you, 1967 was not ready for this, It was just ready enough for "In The Heat Of The Night."
So, the story may not be much, but the performances, including several small ones by Beah Richards, Larry Gates, and William Schallert.
The film teaches one not to mess with small town Southern tramps!
But I just love Quentin Dean as Delores Purdy. She steals the movie!
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