Maps of Movies
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
Where In the Heat of the Night says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
Set in Mississippi, shot mostly in Illinois: the town signs and storefronts of Sparta, Illinois were reused for a Sparta that never matched the real one
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Scenes and places
A body in the street (1966)
Officer Sam Wood finds the body of factory backer Phillip Colbert in the street. The murder sets the whole town on edge and starts the story.
Set in A street in Sparta — Late one night, a police officer finds the corpse of a wealthy industrialist in the street.
The film's Sparta is set in Mississippi but was mostly shot in Sparta, Illinois, where the town signs and storefronts could be reused.
Filmed at Sparta, Illinois — Most of the film was shot in this town; the exact street is not documented. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Arrested at the train station (1966)
Wood finds Virgil Tibbs at the station with a thick wallet and arrests him for the murder. Tibbs is a visitor, only waiting for his train.
Set in Sparta train station — Wood finds a Black man with a fat wallet waiting at the station and arrests him.
A small-town depot is the first place the police check for a stranger.
The chief's office (1966)
Gillespie accuses Tibbs of murder and robbery until he learns Tibbs is a homicide detective from Philadelphia. Tibbs's own chief asks him to stay and help.
Set in Sparta police station — Chief Gillespie questions Tibbs at the police station.
The police station is the base for the investigation that follows.
The chase on the tracks (1966)
Gillespie arrests another suspect, Harvey Oberst, who protests his innocence. Tibbs says the killer is right-handed and Oberst is left-handed.
Set in Fields and railroad near Sparta — Another suspect, Harvey Oberst, is arrested after a chase.
The chase is the film's one big outdoor action scene.
Filmed at Chester, Illinois — The Harvey Oberst chase scene was filmed in Chester. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Orchids and a slap (1966)
Tibbs suspects wealthy plantation owner Eric Endicott. When he starts questioning him, Endicott slaps him, and Tibbs slaps him back.
Set in Endicott's plantation house and greenhouse — Tibbs questions the town's most powerful man at his plantation.
The slap is not in the novel; Poitier says he asked for it as a condition of making the film.
Retracing the patrol (1966)
Tibbs has Wood retrace his route, with Gillespie along. Tibbs asks why Wood detours and learns of a girl whose house he passes.
Set in The patrol route of Officer Wood — Tibbs asks Wood to drive his patrol route from the night of the murder.
The route starts with Wood radioing that he is leaving Compton's.
The planned factory site (1966)
Tibbs says Colbert was killed at the site of the new factory and moved. That clears Wood, who could not have driven two cars back into town.
Set in Site of the planned factory — Tibbs tells Gillespie the murder happened at the planned factory site.
The factory is what Colbert came to Sparta to build.
Mama Caleba's house (1966)
Tibbs pressures Mama Caleba to reveal she is about to provide an abortion for Delores. When Delores arrives and sees Tibbs, she runs away.
Set in Mama Caleba's house — Tibbs presses an illegal abortionist who is about to treat a young woman.
The scene is set in the Black part of town, away from the police station.
The roadside diner (1966)
Tibbs follows Delores and confronts her armed boyfriend, Ralph Henshaw, a cook at a roadside diner. Lloyd's mob arrives and holds Tibbs at gunpoint.
Set in Compton's roadside diner — Tibbs follows Delores to the diner where her boyfriend works as a cook.
The diner in the film is called Compton's.
Filmed at Freeburg, Illinois — Compton's diner was filmed in Freeburg, at the Jeanies cafe on the north edge of town, now demolished. The point marks the town, not the cafe. Google Maps · Apple Maps
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Facing the mob (1966)
Lloyd Purdy, a hostile racist, gathers a mob after Tibbs insists on being present when Delores is questioned. The mob finds Tibbs and holds him at gunpoint.
Set in A road near Sparta — Delores's brother Lloyd gathers a mob to attack Tibbs.
The film makes its point with a lone man against a crowd.
Farewell at the station (1966)
Gillespie carries Tibbs's suitcase to the station and says goodbye. The two smile at each other without animosity.
Set in Sparta train station — Gillespie carries Tibbs's suitcase to the train station.
The same station where the story begins.
Characters
- Virgil Tibbs — A Black homicide detective from Philadelphia who is arrested for a murder in a Mississippi town.
- Bill Gillespie — The town's police chief, who must work with the man he first arrested.
- Sam Wood — The patrol officer who finds the body and arrests Tibbs.