The Glass Shield (1994)

Two cops become compelled to act against corruption and discrimination within their police precinct.

Director:

Charles Burnett

Writers:

Charles Burnett, John Eddie Johnson (screenplay "One of Us")

Stars:

Michael Boatman, Lori Petty, Erich Anderson

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Erich Anderson	...	District Attorney Ira Kern
Richard Anderson	...	Watch Commander Clarence Massey
Thomas Babson	...	U.S. Marshall
Monty Bane	...	Coroner
Ernie Lee Banks	...	Mr. Woods
Michael Boatman	...	Deputy J.J. Johnson
Jean Hubbard-Boone	...	Mrs. Woods
James Boyce	...	Paramedic #1
Gaye Shannon-Burnett	...	Woman Driver
Bernie Casey	...	James Locket
Linden Chiles	...	Sergeant Berry Foster
Janet Claire	...	Juror
Victor Contreras	...	Mr. Cruz
Wanda De Jesus	...	Carmen Munoz
Bill Dearth	...	Guard

Storyline

J.J. is a rookie in the Sheriff's Department and the first black officer at that station. Racial tensions run high in the department as some of J.J.'s fellow officers resent his presence. His only real friend is the other new trooper, the first female officer to work there, who also suffers similar discrimination in the otherwise all-white-male work environment. When J.J. becomes increasingly aware of police corruption during the murder trial of Teddy Woods, who he helped to arrest, he faces difficult decisions and puts himself into great personal danger in the service of justice.

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Plot Keywords:

police corruption | rookie | sheriff | murder | police | 

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Taglines:

In a world filled with violence... his only weapon is the truth!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense dramatic material

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 June 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Auf Ehre und Gewissen

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,146,748, 4 June 1995

Gross USA:

$3,313,633

Company Credits

Production Co:

CiBy 2000, Miramax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The comic book sequence at the opening of the film was illustrated by Grant Shaffer.

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Goofs

At the beginning of the film Johnson's training officer, Chuck Gilmore, gets upset with him for not ticketing the woman in the red convertible for speeding and Gilmore decides to take over the wheel himself. Immediately after that we see their car chasing the red convertible again with a brief shot during the chase of Gilmore sitting in the passenger seat.

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Quotes

Detective Gene Baker: Save your judgements for when you make detective. In the meantime, just keep the traffic flowing.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Congo/The Glass Shield/Pocahontas/Fluke (1995)

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Soundtracks

Rockin' Bowl
Performed by Taylor-Raposa
Music by Stephen James Taylor, BMI

User Reviews

Such a surprising film

I was hesitating between giving 8 or 9 and decided for a 9 when I thought "It was so difficult watching this film - it really showed well how frustrating some things can be in Life; I'm exhausted".

And that in itself sums up this film : it does not have the top notch direction of Crash which won the 2006 Oscars, but, just like Crash, I was on the edge of my seat till the very very end of the film. I was punching the wall out of feeling as frustrated as some of the characters, I was tense and worried that someone was going to get shot, I was a total ball of nerves by the end. And for that alone I went for a 9 rather than an 8 : this film is 10 out of 10 in terms of drawing the viewer into the frustrations of police corruption, racism, sexism, cover-ups, minor mistakes which come back to haunt you big time, the effect on communities, fate. It is not a traditional Police film, it is a hundred times more than that.

If you liked Crash 2006 (the one which won the Oscars), then you'll like this film. Guarantee.