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IMDbPro

The Sugarland Express

  • 19741974
  • PGPG
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
18K
YOUR RATING
The Sugarland Express (1974)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer3:19
1 Video
46 Photos
CrimeDrama
A woman attempts to reunite her family by helping her husband escape prison and together kidnapping their son. But things don't go as planned when they are forced to take a police hostage on... Read allA woman attempts to reunite her family by helping her husband escape prison and together kidnapping their son. But things don't go as planned when they are forced to take a police hostage on the road.A woman attempts to reunite her family by helping her husband escape prison and together kidnapping their son. But things don't go as planned when they are forced to take a police hostage on the road.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
18K
YOUR RATING
    • Steven Spielberg
    • Hal Barwood(screenplay)
    • Matthew Robbins(screenplay)
    • Steven Spielberg(story)
  • Stars
    • Goldie Hawn
    • Ben Johnson
    • Michael Sacks
    • Steven Spielberg
    • Hal Barwood(screenplay)
    • Matthew Robbins(screenplay)
    • Steven Spielberg(story)
  • Stars
    • Goldie Hawn
    • Ben Johnson
    • Michael Sacks
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 86User reviews
    • 72Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 3:19
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos46

    Goldie Hawn and William Atherton in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    William Atherton and Michael Sacks in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, and Michael Sacks in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    Michael Sacks in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, and Michael Sacks in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, and Michael Sacks in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    Steven Spielberg in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, and Michael Sacks in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    William Atherton and Michael Sacks in The Sugarland Express (1974)
    As Fred Mingers, Sugarland Express
    The Sugarland Express (1974)
    The Sugarland Express (1974)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Goldie Hawn
    Goldie Hawn
    • Lou Jean
    Ben Johnson
    Ben Johnson
    • Captain Tanner
    Michael Sacks
    Michael Sacks
    • Slide
    William Atherton
    William Atherton
    • Clovis
    Gregory Walcott
    Gregory Walcott
    • Mashburn
    Steve Kanaly
    Steve Kanaly
    • Officer Ernie Jessup
    Louise Latham
    Louise Latham
    • Mrs. Looby
    Harrison Zanuck
    • Baby Langston
    A.L. Camp
    A.L. Camp
    • Mr. Alvin T. Nocker
    Jessie Lee Fulton
    Jessie Lee Fulton
    • Mrs. Nocker
    Dean Smith
    Dean Smith
    • Russ Berry
    Ted Grossman
    • Dietz
    Bill Thurman
    Bill Thurman
    • Hunter
    Ken Hudgins
    • Standby #1
    • (as Kenneth Hudgins)
    Buster Daniels
    • Buster Daniels - Drunk
    • (as Buster Danials)
    James N. Harrell
    • Mark Fenno
    • (as Jim Harrell)
    Frank Steggall
    • Logan Waters
    Roger Ernest
    • Hot Jock #1
      • Steven Spielberg
      • Hal Barwood(screenplay) (story)
      • Matthew Robbins(screenplay) (story)
      • Steven Spielberg(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first movie to feature a tracking shot (front seat to back) and a 360-degree pan with dialogue from within a car.
    • Goofs
      While the Border Patrol's purpose is indeed to protect the United States against illegal entry and not vice-versa, they are still a law enforcement agency that can be called upon to assist other state or federal agencies (as depicted in the film) to prevent wanted felons fleeing the United States jurisdiction during a pursuit. This has happened numerous times in reality and as such they are completely justified in firing at Clovis's car during their attempted escape.
    • Quotes

      Clovis Poplin: We're in real trouble.

      Clovis Poplin: Say, I didn't mean what I said.

      Maxwell Slide: What was that?

      Clovis Poplin: When I called you a son of a bitch, I didn't mean it

      Maxwell Slide: And you ain't no mental subject neither.

    • Crazy credits
      Epilogue: "Lou Jean served 15 months of a five-year prison term following her parole. She convinced the authorities that she was fit and able to take care of baby Langston. They are now living quietly in a small West Texas town. Captain Tanner and Officer Slide are still serving with the Texas Department of Public Safety."
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Special Show: The Magic of Spielberg (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      The Eyes of Texas
      (uncredited)

      Written by John Lang Sinclair

      [Played by marching band when the car enters Rodrigues, Texas]

    User reviews86

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Spielberg's Forgotten First Film
    After the success of Duel (which was really a TV movie) Sugarland Express (Spielberg's first feature film) flopped at the box office, though it received a reasonably warm critical response. In fact this is a great little movie for all kinds of reasons.

    If you're interested in Spielberg as a director this is fascinating as it begins to lay out most of the themes that have driven his work ever since - family (especially divided and dysfunctional families), childhood, parenthood, outsiders, America and Americana etc. It's also a really interesting piece in terms of his developing style. This is the first Hollywood film in which panaflex cameras were used allowing Spielberg to produce fantastically elaborate and fluid shots even in the confines of a car (see the superb 360 pan fixed on Ben Johnson's car when he first talks to the Poplins)- a kind of cinematography that has become a hall mark of Spielberg's, as have the rising crane shots and extended tracking shots that pepper the film. Spielberg skies and "God Light" (his term for shafts of light in mist/at night) also feature heavily.

    It's also a really interesting if somewhat unrecognised influence on films like Thelma and Louise which seems to lift its basic structure and characters right out of this film. The way Ben Johnson's Captain Tanner equates to Harvey Keitel's police officer in Ridley Scott's film seems particularly close.

    Fantastic performances all round too. Johnson, Horne and Atherton (a much under-used actor who has been largely wasted since, playing roles like the self serving journalist in the Die Hard films)particularly shine.

    It's also very funny, sad and engaging from beginning to end. Can't recommend this one enough - especially if you're a Spielberg fan.
    helpful•60
    6
    • joshbaileynch
    • Jun 6, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 29, 1974 (Sweden)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • San Antonio, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Zanuck/Brown Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 50 minutes
      • Color

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