
African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie, the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.

as Virgil Tibbs

as Police Chief Bill Gillespie

as Deputy Sam Wood

as Deputy Courtney

as Mrs. Leslie Colbert

as Ralph

as Mayor Schubert

as Harvey Oberst

as Eric Endicott

as Mr. Purdy

as Delores Purdy

as Henderson

as Watkins

as Packy

as Mama Caleba

as Ulam

as Dr. Stuart

as Shagbag

as McNeil

as Charles Hawthorne

as Endicott's Butler

as Shuie

as Jess

as Fryer

as 1st Tough

as 2nd Tough

as Clerk

as Philip Colbert (uncredited)

as Ted Appleton (uncredited)

as Deputy (uncredited)

as Conductor (uncredited)