Songs play a crucial role in setting the mood of In the Heat of the Night, a film directed by Norman Jewison, starring Rod Steiger as Sheriff Gillespe and Sidney Potter as Virgil Tibbs. Through out the movie, common themes such as racism and power surface continually and are the focus of the film. It becomes an issue of who should have the power and knowledge versus who does have the power and knowledge. The …showed first 75 words of 578 total…

…showed last 75 words of 578 total…s going back to his home, where he most likely has respect for the work he does. Although most of the town still does not respect Virgil because they are still caught up in their racist ideas, Virgil has managed to open Gillespes eyes and make him realize that just because a person has a different color skin does not mean they can not be one of the most knowledgeable and powerful people they know.