In the Heat of the Night | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

Audience Reviews

Ava S The racial tension affecting small-town America could've been explored more deeply, but upon its release, it struck the right balance, blending mystery with an unlikely team-up. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/22/24 Full Review philip w If you want to watch a first class film well you have found the one go for it Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/08/24 Full Review Roger T I first saw this movie in the late sixties and was mightily impressed by it then - I watched it again last night and was amazed at how well it held up more than half a century later. Sidney Poitier and Rid Steiger play their parts extremely well. It's a movie that already and justifiably has a high place in movie history. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/24/24 Full Review Jeff M This was a tough watch for me because of the hatred and vitriol spewed toward Poitier before he even uttered a word to the citizens of Sparta. I've seen countless movies featuring racial bigotry and prejudice, but for some reason this one hit me harder than most. Perhaps it's because of my personal regard for Poitier the actor and human. As for the movie itself, I was not expecting the mystery and thriller aspects which caught me off guard and left me pleasantly surprised. Steiger won an Oscar for his role here, but I found the performance a bit histrionic, although he does have a couple nice quiet moments toward the end. For some reason, I was reminded of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD often during the movie, especially with the introduction of a character named Delores, who reminded me of MOCKINGBIRD's Mayella. The rapport between the two leads is strong if a bit predictable, and I enjoyed seeing Poitier and Beah Richards share the screen together for the second time in 1967 - they also appeared together in GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review Blob 9 A gripping detective story grounded by excellent performances from the two leads creates this nuanced dynamic of prejudice, challenging their morals all the way to a cliff edge, and ultimately define their true character. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/24 Full Review Audience Member Groundbreaking and wonderful. I only reduce it one star because I really don’t like Steiger’s performance (despite his Oscar). He goes out of his way to make the character grotesque and unappealing. The gum chewing bit just screams as a gimmick of method acting. At only one point does he calm down and show a full human being who we might connect with. I would have loved to see a less show off actor like Robert Mitchum in the part. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews

In the Heat of the Night

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