QUESTION: Who was the first black/white cop duo in a feature film?

Movie that inspired question: 48 Hrs.

48 Hrs is one of the most successful buddy cop movies in film history. I think it’s safe to say almost everybody loves a black/white cop combination. This combo has given us some of the best action, comedy and dramatic moments in film. Lethal Weapon, Beverly Hills Cop, Rush Hour, and one of my personal favorites Running Scared with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines are just to name a few.

But after watching 48 Hrs the first question that popped in my head was what was the first? What movie broke the mold and changed the industry in terms of how we perceive interracial partnerships?

Well of course it’s the beloved 1967 classic In the Heat of the Night.

Norman Jewison’s classic film based on the novel of the same name by John Ball broke racial barriers and made its stamp in film history for more reasons than it being the first interracial cop teams.

The story explores the relationship between a highly educated African American detective( Sidney Poitier) and a small town sheriff ( Rod Steiger) who are forced to work together to solve a murder in a southern town.

It’s important to state right off the bat that director Norman Jewison, Sidney Poitier and a large number of the cast and crew were activists. They marched in Selma and protested during the Civil Rights Movement. Jewison and Sidney Poitier were good friends before the movie was even made.

Jewison felt very strongly about the race relations in the United States and has said that he felt a responsibility to make In the Heat of the Night because of the racial tensions taking place in the country at the time.

He was always aware of his responsibility to make a film that felt as real and human as possible. He wanted to make sure the film didn’t feel over the top or too heavy out of fear of not finding an audience.

Not only did this film find an audience it broke the mold. It was the first time a black man was seen slapping a white man in self-defense. It was also the first Hollywood film that had proper lighting for someone with dark skin. On the commentary Cinematographer Haskell Wexler goes through his process on how he toned down the lighting and got it just right for Poitier.

If you notice in the entire film Poitier is the smartest and best dressed man in the room at almost all times. It’s not just a film about the prejudices southern folks have against blacks. Poitier’s character has to deal with his own issues of prejudice between whites and blacks throughout the film. One of the most powerful moments in the film is when Steiger and Poitier are driving through a cotton field and Poitier is seeing the southern lifestyle of the black man at that time.

The film was mostly filmed in Southern Illinois with a few days spent in Tennessee for the cotton field and plantation shots. Because of the dangers at the time Poitier was not comfortable filming below the Mason Dixon and had to be convinced to go down there. Harry Belafonte and he were almost killed by Klansmen in Mississippi so you can understand his hesitation. Poitier received threats while in Tennessee and production was cut short and moved back up to Illinois. On the film’s commentary Steiger tells a story of the prejudices Poitier faced while working down there such as waiters slamming plates on the table in front of him. Steiger and Poitier even had a joint room at the motel they stayed in.

Seriously if you enjoy listening to film commentary, this is a good one.

Just one more mention of the commentary I promise.

In the commentary Norman Jewison tells a story about meeting Robert Kennedy. As they were discussing their professions, Jewison told him about In The Heat of the Night. Kennedy’s response was this “This could be a very important film Norman. Timeliness is everything. In politics and in the arts and in life itself. This could be a very important film.”

How true that statement became.

Here's a link to purchase the film.