Glass Shield, The

When J.J. arrives as the first black police officer to Edgemar police station in central Los Angeles, he does not exactly receive a warm welcome. On the contrary, he cannot help but noticing how the spirit of the force is dominated by four police officers who are openly racist. However, J.J. is green and ambitious and anxious to fit in. Deborah, the only woman in the department and also Jewish, becomes his only friend and confidante.

The racism and corruption which flourish among the police is hard to ignore when a woman is murdered and a young black man, Teddy, is arrested on weak charges. J.J. faces a moral dilemma. Should he remain loyal to his colleagues and ignore his suspicions? Or should he pursue the false accusations against Teddy, and face his fear of failure and of losing his career?

Burnett has established himself as a low-budget filmmaker with a taste for controversial subjects and innovative cinematic language. The Glass shield is his third film and takes a furious look at the racial hierarchy which exists within the police force and the civic injustice which is the result.

A strong contemporary drama, a Chinatown for the nineties.

Medverkande
Michael Boatman, Lori Petty, Ice Cube, Michael Ironside, M. Emmet Walsh, Richard Anderson, Bernie Casey, Elliott Gould, Don Harvey, Sy Richardson, Natalija Nogulich: Producent
Tom Byrnes, Carolyn Schroeder: Manus
Charles Burnett: Foto
Elliot Davies: Musik
Stephen Taylor: Talat språk
English