Time To Celebrate Director Norman Jewison!
He is know for some classic films – and a Best Picture masterpiece as well…all hail the legendary Director Norman Jewison!
The terrific blog “Taking Up Room” is hosting a blogathon celebrating the Director’s vast body of work and I was lucky enough to snag a look at 1967’s Best Picture!
“In The Heat Of The Night!”
It was the year of revolution in cinema, and this film led the way!
Sidney Poitier starred as Virgil Tibbs, a Philadelphia cop who finds racism everywhere in a redneck south that refuses to think modern!
As the poster warned, this was “suitable only for adults”! Poitier is confronted by ingrained racism at every turn, not helped by the racist Police Chief played by Rod Steiger – check out the trailer:
Poitier is stalked by white racists as he tries to solve the murder of a Philadelphia businessman in this sleepy southern town. He uncovers racism and so much more…
The film is brilliantly acted and directed, and both Poitier and Steiger were nominated for Best Actor, with Steiger winning that year – the film also won the Best Picture Oscar as well as Best Director:
A “Slap” Heard Around The World!
The film’s most powerful scene takes place when Poitier and Steiger visit a southern mansion owned by wealthy local Eric Endicott. The conversation begins with a discussion of flowers, but quickly becomes strained as Endicott is questioned about the murder by Detective Tibbs.
The wealthy Southerner is not used to being talked back to by a black man. Tibbs speaks calmly, politely until Endicott lunges forward and slaps him across his face for his insolence.
Tibbs immediately laps him back, harder. Endicott, astonished, nearly falls over, then says this:
“There was a time,’ he tells Tibbs, “when I could have had you shot.”
Tibbs, Gillespie and an astonished black servant bearing glasses of lemonade depart the room, leaving Endicott to weep openly. It is a shockingly powerful scene in a film that is filled with them – one of the greatest Best Picture winners ever, but this year was filled with masterpieces that dealt with taboo subjects.
This is an incredible book- looking at how Hollywood changed forever in 1967…other best picture nominees included “Bonnie & Clyde” and “The Graduate” as well…see more about his book here:
Norman Jewison also directed this gem – which also included a slap – but this was a hilarious one when Cher reacted to Nicolas Cage professing his love for her:
Here is my “dinner and a movie” which includes a look at the film and a recipe from it!
Bravo to “Taking Up Room” for hosting the blogathon – see the website here:
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Categories: Academy Awards, Action Films, Art, Books / Media, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Hollywood, Movies, Pop Culture, Talent/Celebrities
johnrieber 
Yeah, Jewison did film a lot of slaps in his movies. Wow. I’ve always heard about “In the Heat of the Night” but I’ve never seen it. Looks like a powerful film. Thanks again for joining the blogathon, John! 🙂
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Yes, he loved the visual of it and in 1967 that slap was powerful!
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Hi John, an interesting post. The bit about Cher made me giggle.
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Two of the best slaps in movies – really! What a terrific director.
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Ha! I did realize how much Jewison liked a good “slap!”
One minor correction… Poitier didn’t receive a Best Actor nomination (for Heat)… shocking, isn’t it? As a matter of fact, he gave 3 superb performances in 1967: Heat, plus To Sir With Love, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Maybe they split the vote, I don’t know. Anyhow, it was a very competitive year.
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If I said he was nominated I was wrong but yes he was superlative and yet Steiger got the award! Thanks for the comment!
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That film never gets old, and I thought Steiger deserved the Oscar.
Best wishes, Pete.
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That was an incredible film!
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