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Title: A brief comment
Review: For Poitier this is almost a signature flick in what was a very long and distinquished career. He is simply terrific as the very professional and indefatigable Virgil Tibbs, fighting racist attitudes, personal attacks, and even obstructionism from the local police as he tries to assist the local police in solving a murder. Rod Steiger is also great as the southern police chief who ultimately, however grudgingly, comes to respect Poitier's character despite his being a black man. Scott Wilson is notable here in an early role (more well known now for playing Scott Crossfield in The Right Stuff many years later). I recently saw the movie after seeing it probably 30 years ago and it held up very well. It's a true classic from a by-gone age.
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