The main female protagonist in the movie is Mrs. Colbert, who is now a widow after her husband was murdered in cold blood. She is an independent and dignified woman who stands strong, even after losing her wealthy and powerful husband. She is a dutiful woman who steps into the shoes of her dead husband and forcefully demands that the mayor not allow Tibbs to walk out of the case (47:52). Lee Grant who play Mrs Colbert, adopts an authoritative voice while presenting herself in this specific scene. Her performance catches audience’s attentions, since males are the ones in power, in the society portrayed in the movie. This lets her character occupy an authoritative niche. Grant also maintains a composed look, which complements her character’s…show more content… It is also interesting to notice that, in the scene where Tibbs sadly informs Mrs. Colbert about the news of her husband’s demise, Grant portrays her outwardly elegant character as being fragile, yet she still reacts in an awkward and uncomfortable way when Tibbs tries to comfort her (32:40). Nevertheless, when Grant utilizes her forceful voice to permit Tibbs to handle the investigation, she shows that she possesses the qualities of a dutiful woman who is able to identify and read various aspects of a person’s character. In this regard, gender does not seem to pose any issues in the movie, since the men in the movie have no sense of gender discrimination. This is evident when Lee Grant issues directions to the mayor and he follows her instructions.
Throughout the whole movie, what makes audience thrilling is the complex relationship between Gillespie and Tibbs. At the onset of the movie, Gillespie stumbles upon Tibbs at the train station and, without any questions, treats him as a suspect in the murder (13:40). Steiger adopts Gillespie’s arrogant demeanor by constantly