Brief shots of nudity and sex are seen during one conversation in a bar lasting about 5 minutes, nothing too graphic is seen. Another scene shows multiple women, completely nude, in bed as one of the main characters gets dressed, though most nudity is seen from the side. Several sexual references are made throughout the film.

During the Chinese theater scene, there are cages hung from the ceiling with a woman in each of them. These girls were drugged and put in cages with very revealing clothes on, while the men bid on them, basically buying these poor girls as property just to use them for sexual assault.

There are two nude scenes in this movie.

Lots of graphic and brutal violence throughout the film, often with bloody images.

This might be Martin Scorsese's single most violent movie ever made, even compared to the likes of Taxi Driver and Casino, as there's plenty of very gory and gruesome violence throughout, and many brutal gang fights with bladed weapons with lots of gory wounds and even intestines seen.

In one scene, a man sees a large scar across a woman's belly, and she says she had a crude abortion where the baby was literally cut out.

R violence type: blood, gore, brutal and graphic.

In the prologue, two large groups have an extensive street battle with various weapons. People are beaten with clubs, and many are stabbed with cleavers, knives, and axes. A woman lunges in air at a man and rips his ear off with her teeth. Blood spurts at various moments. A man rips another man's cheek open. A man stabs another man in both sides with large knives. Blood pours out from his left side. A lot of the snow on the ground is stained with blood and guts.

While leaving an immigrant boat, a woman is hit in the face by a rock thrown by a spiteful man.

Several young boys have a brief fistfight in an underground dwelling.

A corrupt cop hits a young man with a baton.

A man seated at a table ruthlessly stabs another man in hand with a knife.

Men have an Irish-style fistfight. Graphic only in sound effects of punches and anger expressed between men.

In self defense, a woman holds a small knife to a man's throat, drawing a small, thin line of blood.

Quick shots of a violent "boxing-style" fight. Brief mayhem when police break up the fight.

A man is shot in the shoulder (not shown) and survives.

While being wrestled to the ground, Bill shoots a would-be assassin in the gut.

In a daredevil sideshow, a man hurls knives at a female assistant. It's clearly not part of the show, and meant to terrify her. An older man deflects a knife being thrown at him, and hits a younger man in the stomach with a knife.

A very bloody, violent beating involving six headbutts and burning with a scorching knife blade.

A young man hangs from a metal spiked fence, clearly in pain.

A man is shot with a small pistol under his chin. Blood sprays out of the top of his head.

A man is hit in the head with a club. He falls, and a group of young men kicks him.

A priest hits a man in the face with a club.

A man throws a large meat cleaver at another man's back. The man is then killed by a blow to the head with a shillelagh.

In the draft riots, rioters are shot coming through a front door. The crowd hurls rocks at police officers. Black men are accosted and beaten in the streets. Several corpses are dragged, hung on light posts and one is set on fire. Two robbers hit a woman in the stomach and punch her in the face. A woman shoots an older woman in the chest. National Guardsman shoot at mob of people, killing many and soaking the streets in their blood. National Guardsmen shoot a charging man in a very bloody manner. National Guardsmen beat a charging man with butts of rifles and bayonets.

In a street gang showdown, a man hits another man in the face with a club and stabs him in the back. A man's stomach has a shrapnel injury. A young man stabs another man in the chest with a knife; a lot of blood spurts out when he removes the blade.

6 of "fuck", 1 of "shit", 7 of "hell", 13 of "bastard", 3 of "son of a bitch", 1 of "bitch", 5 of "damn", 2 of "goddamn", 9 of "Jesus", 1 of "Chrissakes", 1 of "Christ's name", 1 of "dick".

This is one of Scorsese's movies with the least swearing.

Frequent use of racial language including but not limited to: ch-nk, n-gger, n-gro, potato-eater, coloured etc.

People smoke mid-19th century cigarettes, cigars, and pipes.

People pass around a large pipe of opium or hash in a lounge parlour.

People at a brothel are heavily drunk.

Frequent alcohol consumption, mainly in the background.

This movie is very violent.

Bill the Butcher is a menacing character, involved in numerous intense stabbings, beatings, coercions, and other acts.

The opening gang battle may disturb some viewers, due to its graphic nature.