
The Glass Shield
1994 · Movie · PG-13 · 108 min · ★ 5.1
The first black recruit in his squad, rookie cop JJ Johnson (Michael Boatman, The Good Wife) struggles to adapt to life on the force when confronted by the inherent prejudices and corruption of his precinct. Immediately positioned as an outsider, along with fellow novice cop Deborah (Lori Petty, Tank Girl, Orange is the New Black), JJ witnesses at first hand the brutality and implicit racism of his white colleagues. When an unlawful search results in the arrest of Teddy Woods (Ice Cube, Boyz N the Hood) on dubious murder charges, JJ risks his job and his life to reveal the truth. Directed by Charles Burnett (Killer of Sheep), this thrilling drama shines a light on the deep-rooted racial tensions of the American justice system and the toll of opposing institutionalised bigotry.
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Details
- Years
- 1994
- Release date
- 1994-09-16
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 108 min
- TMDB rating
- 5.1/10 (50 votes)
- Budget
- $5,000,000
Cast & crew

Michael Boatman
as Dep. J.J. Johnson

Lori Petty
as Dep. Deborah Fields

Ice Cube
as Theodore 'Teddy' Woods

Erich Anderson
as D.A. Ira Kern

Bernie Casey
as James Locket

Richard Anderson
as Watch Cmmdr. Clarence Massey

Elliott Gould
as Greenspan

Victoria Dillard
as Barbara Simms

Michael Ironside
as Det. Gene Baker

Natalija Nogulich
as Judge Helen Lewis
Directed by Charles Burnett