This film conflicts with me a bit. It’s basically about an out of town black cop, versus a white town’s police, at least in the first instance.
After initially being taken in for questioning about a murder (purely for being black). The police chief in the town that Sidney Poitier was visiting is told that he is a cop from Philadelphia – and with experience that could help them with the murder that’s currently occurred in the town. Unfortunately, by this point, Sidney’s character is obviously pissed off with the way he has been treated, and is reluctant to help. He manages to be convinced, even though there is opposition from others to him helping the case. Including from the local police chief.
The story is kept interesting, because it’s not as simple a murder as originally thought. With a few suspects, and not all necessarily involved!
The film does show the racism of a ‘deep south’ town very openly, and it is quite shocking the way that people thought then – and probably still do. I really don’t understand racism.
I give it 10/10.