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, Limited Release

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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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Congo/The Glass Shield/Pocahontas/Fluke (1995)

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Soundtracks

Black Man Sings the Blues
Performed by Lance Eaton and Ernie Lee Banks (as Ernie Banks)
Music and Lyrics by Stephen James Taylor, BMI

User Reviews

A film that tackles blackmail and race relations in the LA sheriffs office

This was a great low budget police film about corruption in the LA sheriffs office. The film revolves around a young black cop, who stumbles onto a corruption case invovling police brutality towards minorities. The film also highlights just how easy it is to get blackmailed by people who are supposed to be on your side. THE GLASS SHIELD while lacking the stigma of bigger films like LETHAL WEAPON, tells a human tale about a cop and his female partner, however, I feel Lori Petty's role could have been bigger. There was another part of this film that touched on something briefly, sexism on the law enforcement circuit. The trailers for thisa movie suggest it was edited heavily and that the character played by Ms. Petty played a significantly larger role in that version. The logical direction for this film would to have been having the black cop and the woman police officer piercing the layer of corruption together in lA. A great film that tells a stroy from a african american point of view. The film also highlights the conflict within the african american/black community towards police and police brutality and how it is hard for even them to sometimes accept black police officers. An interesting film with a interesting and powerful premise. Don't expect a 600 rd. shoot out with "yuck yuck" laughter and Riggs and Murtaugh in this one...expect substance.