Rod Steiger plays a small-town Mississippi sheriff who is forced to collaborate on a murder investigation with Virgil Tibbs, a black homicide detective from Philadelphia (Sidney Poitier). The pair at first find themselves totally at odds with each other, but as the investigation proceeds each learns to respect the other's talents. The film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Steiger.

Rod Steiger plays a small-town Mississippi sheriff who is forced to collaborate on a murder investigation with Virgil Tibbs, a black homicide detective from Philadelphia (Sidney Poitier). The pair at first find themselves totally at odds with each other, but as the investigation proceeds each learns to respect the other's talents. The film won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Steiger.