Throughout the film, we see Virgil in a suit and tie, while the other men are dressed more casually--something that makes sense given the summer climate in Mississippi.
Are Virgil's suits supposed to symbolize something, like the city-bred Tibbs was superior to the Southern hicks of Sparta?
Or that he was better educated than they (which he was)?
Someone please tell me.
It's probably not symbolic at all, just reasonable costuming, although it does serve to set him apart and show that he has attained something of a successful station in life.
As a detective in a metropolitan police force, Virgil would wear a suit and tie every day, so he was just wearing his "every day" clothes.
This was also a time when nearly all men who worked in any sort of managerial, administrative, or other capacity that involved some amount of authority, or who worked in any "proper" business environment, would wear a suit and tie, hence the term "white collar worker".
And lastly, back in those days it was still customary for people to wear their nicer clothes when traveling via public modes of transportation such as ships, airplanes, or trains.
regards,
That sounds plausible.
Thank you, stuffedshark.
<<It's probably not symbolic at all, just reasonable costuming, although it does serve to set him apart and show that he has attained something of a successful station in life. >>
Not to rag on you but what you are saying is that it's not symbolic, then you tell us what it symbolizes.
Virgil was more educated, sophisticated, more refined and far more experienced in investigating a murder than any of the local cops and towns people, which instantly sets him apart from them and makes a major statement about his character. The costuming was clearly designed to express that this was not a typical, local black resident. The fact that it is a natural extension of his character in terms of his profession makes it more or less seamless. If you think about it though, he was on vacation visiting his mother, and he was traveling at night, so there was absolutely no real world reason for him to be dressed formally. He was, it is assumed, dressed for work, although he is not on duty. It is an expression of his character. They could, logically, just as well have had him dressed casually, but what would that have said about his character? He is even asked at one point why he is wearing white man's clothes. Not only was it symbolic, but it was a conscious, cinematic, visual-language choice made to anchor the character and make him distinctly unique in the setting of the movie.
I have to disagree with your comment he would have dressed casually to travel. As was commented before it was usual for anyone travelling to dress up. Even those not well off would wear their 'Sunday Best' to travel.
Even into the 70's casual dress was reserved for home or very informal gatherings. The 70's saw the dawn of the Leisure Suite which bridged formal with casual until our world became predominantly casual.
Watch any movie made in the 50's or 60's (or before) and also set at the time it was made and you'll see examples of the dress for travel. If it's a movie made today set in the past, a good costumer will make sure those details are correct.
Virgil was visitng his mother, which would have probably included visits to other relatives, church and outings where he would have still worn a suit. Based on the character they created I would doubt Virgil even brought casual wear.
And I have to disagree with you.
shareThe reason is he looks massively cool in a suit.
Just imagine if he had a .38 Special snubnose in a holster under that suit.
That would really freak out the Sparta police!
You might disagree but Toby is right. My father was a detective and he wore a jacket and tie not only to work but to church and when traveling by plane - people even wore jacket/tie to ball games. It was a different world back then. '66 was a time of major change(s).
shareAbsolutely correct.
People dressed well to travel like to go to church. In this book and movie, the suit is very symbolic, but this does not change the reality that people dressed well to travel.
I agree with Tobey. It was normal for people to dress up in public. My mother said she always wore a dress to school as a child. As an adult, she wouldn't run to the store in jeans or shorts in the 70s. Even now, in her 70s she is stylish. My parents run a greenhouse and even when she is in her "work clothes" she looks good.
I am a math teacher and work for my parents in the summer. I do my best, but in my work clothing, on a 100+ degree day...I look like a refuge from "Gilligan's Island"...I can't come close to looking as good as my mother does without trying. She is a very stylish person.
I wear dress slacks and nice shirts to school, but none of the teachers usually wear nice dresses or even ties...people just don't dress as nicely as they used to do, except for special occasions.
I am glad I don't have to wear expensive dresses, as money is always tight, but the tradition was a nice one, and it's a shame. Now, it's all my students can do to show up in something that covers their bodies and stays pulled up.
Plus remember that Tibbs would have wanted to dress as nicely as possible in hopes of being treated better by southern whites while he is on his trip. He wants to differentiate himself from local "field hand" blacks and to be treated as a professional.
It is true that men and women used to dress more formally in public back in the 1950s and into the 60s. Must have been hard with wool clothes and a lack of air conditioning. Women used to wear gloves when they went downtown to shop back then.