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MY HIT LIST # 51 (part 2) Sidney Poitier as Virgil Tibbs

 As much as Richard Roundtree as Shaft was a defining character and movie, Sidney Poitier's performance as Virgil Tibbs was a groundbreaking moment in cinema. Great movie with  a great performance from Poitier's co star Rod Stieger, superb soundtrack from Quincy Jones, featuring Ray Charles. Poitier stole the show as Tibbs; dignified, cool,authoritative and not taking any bullshit.

"There was a time when I could have had you shot"
A Scene that somehow encapsulated the changes in civil rights

theme from Ray Charles


The follow up They Call Me Mr Tibbs, was more blaxploitation than indictment of racism, it had it's moments and also led to a so so TV series (without Poitier). The last Hurrah for Virgil Tibbs was the Organization which had a similar plot to the Dirty Harry movie The Enforcer. Throughout these inferior follow ups Poitier's Tibbs retained his cool.
They call me Mr Tibbs