“They call me Mister Tibbs!”
Sidney Poitier ain’t taking no crap from nobody in this still-searing murder mystery set in a small Southern town drenched in hate and racism.
Rod Steiger took home the Best Actor Oscar, while the film won five awards including Best Picture in a tough year in which all-timers Bonnie and Clyde, Cool Hand Luke, and The Graduate were in the mix.
But it’s Poitier, unleashing righteous fury, who really rules this film.
When he slapped the town’s rich, racist plantation owner, it sent shockwaves across the nation, forever cementing his status as a cinematic badass.
