"[16], The film grossed $6.5 million in the United States and Canada and $5.5 million overseas for a worldwide gross of $12 million. In 1839, the revolt of Mende captives aboard a Spanish owned ship causes a major controversy in the United States when the ship is captured off the coast of Long Island. Patrolman Slide is found unharmed. "[11] Tom Milne of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote that it "seems peculiarly contrived ... it may have happened this way in real life, but in the film the fugitives are so unequivocally presented as poor, harmless innocents that the veritable army of police cars absurdly queuing up to be in at the kill looks very much as though both they and the film were taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The film's Lou Jean Poplin and Clovis Michael Poplin are based on the lives of then-21-year-old Ila Fae Holiday/Dent and 22-year-old Robert "Bobby" Dent, respectively. Their Psychiatrist over-comes tribal prejudices to get an Indian Medicine Man to help them. The Sugarland Express is a 1974 American crime drama film directed by Steven Spielberg in his second film and theatrical feature directorial debut. Murder on the Sugarland Express by Angie Fox is the sixth installment in The Southern Ghost Hunter Mysteries. Married small-time crooks Lou-Jean (Goldie Hawn) and Clovis Poplin (William Atherton) lose their baby to the state of Texas and resolve to do whatever it takes to get him back. Lou-Jean, a blonde woman, tells her husband, who is imprisoned, to escape. The Sugarland Express Feisty Goldie Hawn and her fugitive husband lead a madcap chase across Texas in Steven Spielberg's feature-film debut. [2], The film won the award for Best Screenplay at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. In the film, a woman and her husband take a police officer hostage and flee across Texas as they try to get to their child before he is placed in foster care. The healing ceremony proves as harrowing for the ... See full summary ». Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Roy Neary, an electric lineman, watches how his quiet and ordinary daily life turns upside down after a close encounter with a UFO. She died in 1992, in her mid-40s.[5]. They plan to kidnap their own child, who was placed with foster parents. The character of Captain Tanner is based on Texas Highway Patrol Captain Jerry Miller. Miller), the first feature film by 30-year-old Steven Spielberg laid an egg at the box office. "Festival de Cannes: The Sugarland Express", Story from the Tuscaloosa News, May 4 1969, about Robert and Ila Dent, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sugarland_Express&oldid=1021136049, Films with screenplays by Matthew Robbins, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from November 2009, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2009, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 May 2021, at 02:52. The Sugarland Express is based on the true story of Lou Jean Poplin, who kidnapped a Texas State Trooper and led the police on a wild chase across the state in an effort to save her son from adoption. Starring: Goldie Hawn William Atherton Ben Johnson Michael Sacks Gregory Walcott The website's critical consensus reads, "Its plot may ape the countercultural road movies of its era, but Steven Spielberg's feature debut displays many of the crowd-pleasing elements he'd refine in subsequent films. "[12], Other reviews, however, were much more positive. Playing for the Sugar Land High School Gators (Sugar Land, Texas) from 1950 to 1953, Hall established 17 national football records, several of which still stand. Even though he is four months away from release from prison in Texas, she convinces him to escape to assist her in retrieving their child. "'Sugarland Express': Sad but true". Directed by (1) Writing credits (5) Cast (66) Produced by (2) Music by (1) Cinematography by (1) Film Editing by (2) Casting By (2) Art Direction by (1) Makeup Department (2) Production Management (1) Second Unit Director or Assistant Director (2) "[9] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune awarded the same two-and-a-half star grade and wrote that "whereas 'Bonnie and Clyde' prompted our sympathy for its heroes because of their winning style, 'The Sugarland Express' asks us to care for Clovis and Lou Jean because they are thick-skulled and because, presumably, every mother has an inherent right to raise her own baby. Nevertheless it has its moments that make it an entertaining movie for adults to watch. The Sugarland Express (1974) Description: A woman attempts to reunite her family by helping her husband escape prison and together kidnapping their son. The film is now regarded as something of an anomaly for both comic actress Hawn and blockbuster director Spielberg as neither have typically been associated with the crime drama genre. As the herd of cars races and heaves and crashes through the landscape, the state's personality surfaces like a sperm whale. The nickname Sugar Land Express is worth remembering. 3:18 The Sugarland Express: Does That Mean We Can Kiss? Despite a cast with two Academy Award winners (Goldie Hawn as Ila Fae and Ben Johnson as Capt. Upon getting out, she obtained the right to live with her son, convincing authorities that she was able to do so. The added sharpness of HD helps with the many wide shots, and the enhanced contrast range strengthens images with dark figures silhouetted against police lights or sun glare. An epilogue preceding the closing credits explains that Lou Jean subsequently spent fifteen months of a five-year prison term in a women's correctional facility. “The Sugarland Express” hit movie theaters in 1974. [17], For American football player with the nickname "Sugar Land Express", see. It might have helped ticket sales if the script had stayed true to the real story. The 100 Best Shows on TV; Renewed or Canceled? But things don’t go as planned when they are forced to take a police hostage on the road. Williams has scored all but five of Spielberg-directed films since (Twilight Zone: The Movie, The Color Purple, Bridge of Spies, Ready Player One and West Side Story being the only exceptions); this is the only score he has composed for Spielberg that has never been released as an album, although Williams re-recorded the main theme with Toots Thielemans and the Boston Pops Orchestra for 1991's The Spielberg/Williams Collaboration.[4]. An under-appreciated gem in Spielberg's oeuvre. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "The Spielberg/Williams Collaboration: John Williams Conducts His Classic Scores For the Films of Steven Spielberg", "The real story behind 'The Sugarland Express. The courts must decide whether the Mende are slaves or legally free. title details and video sharing options. That’s the story of “The Sugarland Express,” Steven Spielberg ’s first theatrical feature, and, although it’s based on a real incident, like so many things in Texas, it seems like a fantasy anyway. This was the first movie to use the Panavision Panaflex camera. The Sugarland Express is a 1974 American crime drama film directed by Steven Spielberg in his theatrical feature directorial debut. Watch The Sugarland Express (1974) Online Full Movie Free The film comes with an anamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen image and a Dolby Digital 2.0 sound option that compliment it nicely, though it could be said that the studio could have done better with both. The Sugarland Express is based on the true story of Lou Jean Poplin, who kidnapped a Texas State Trooper and led the police on a wild chase across the state in an effort to save her son from adoption. A compilation of episodes from the anthology SF/Fantasy TV series. The event partially took place, the story is partially set, and the film was partially filmed in Sugar Land, Texas. Kael, Pauline (March 18, 1974). A business commuter is pursued and terrorized by the malevolent driver of a massive tractor-trailer. The Sugarland Express isn't all bad and does have a few good points about it; Goldie Hawn once again puts on a good show and is great fun to watch here, the supporting cast are all OK, but Hawn easily outshines everyone. Drama 1h 50m Married small-time crooks Lou-Jean and Clovis Poplin lose their baby to the state of Texas and resolve to do whatever it takes to get him back. We get to know these three people just enough to want to know them better. The Sugarland Express (1974) Full Cast & Crew. • The Sugarland Express marked the beginning of Steven Spielberg’s friendship and working relationship with composer John Williams. The main theme from the 1974 movie "The Sugarland Express".Note: I do NOT own the rights to the movie or the music. Also his first collaboration with John Williams. Everybody else was behind her. Especially good are the colorful supporting characters, many of which have an authenticity about them that gives the film some nice flavor. When the car crashes, the two felons overpower and kidnap Slide, holding him hostage at the head of a slow-moving and growing caravan, initially of police cars but eventually including news vans, private citizens' vehicles, and helicopters. Thomas, Kevin (April 5, 1974). The Sugarland Express, a gripping drama co-written and directed by a 26-year-old Steven Spielberg, makes its mark as the director’s first theatrical film debut. View production, box office, & company info. "[15] Pauline Kael of The New Yorker wrote that "Spielberg uses his gifts in a very free-and-easy, American way—for humor, and for a physical response to action. Here are the movies we're most excited for in 2021. Sugarland Express, The (1974) - I Come With The Bad News Earlier in the credits we watched Lou Jean (Goldie Hawn) arrive on the bus to the Texas prison pre-release center, braced by the (un-credited) desk man, then presenting the problem to her inmate husband Clovis (William Atherton), opening Steven Spielberg's fact-based debut feature, The Sugarland Express, 1974. In terms of the pleasure that technical assurance gives an audience, this is one of the most phenomenal début films in the history of movies. Steven Spielberg's first theatrical film (Duel was made for TV but released in theaters later). “The Sugarland Express” hit movie theaters in 1974. Add the first question. Lou-Jean gets Clovis out of jail, and the two steal their son from his foster home, in addition to taking a highway patrolman hostage. A young couple moves into a farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "a dazzling, funny, exciting and finally poignant film," and called it "astonishing" what Spielberg, Barwood and Robbins "have managed to accomplish within a simple trek plot. Interestingly, the real villain of the story is Lou Jean. [5] The character of Texas Highway Patrolman Slide is based on then-27-year-old Trooper J. Kenneth Crone. It's a fun dramedy with some great performances from Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, and the rest of the cast. It might have helped ticket sales if the script had stayed true to the real story. 8 of 9 people found this review helpful. The film also has some amusing moments - the car being pushed to the petrol station was one such example. Was this review helpful to you? [5], In real life, Ila Fae did not break Bobby out of prison – he had been released from prison in April 1969, two weeks before the slow-motion car chase began. (1974). Despite a cast with two Academy Award winners (Goldie Hawn as Ila Fae and Ben Johnson as Capt. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. The Sugarland Express The Sugarland Express, Movie, 1974 Pictures provided by: philr , Sunbar , police car fan , andrepa Display options: Display as images Display as list Make and model Make and year Year Category Importance/Role Date added (new ones first) Episode Appearance (ep.+time, if avail.) This FAQ is empty. Mr. Spielberg has also made marvelous use of many Texans, some of whom haven't acted before. The spirit of a recently deceased expert pilot mentors a newer pilot while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend that he left behind. Starting out as a comedy that gradually darkens, 'The Sugarland Express,' which is based on an actual incident, becomes an increasingly disenchanted portrait of contemporary America. Our editors have rounded up their most anticipated horror movies of the year. Too bad, for two-thirds of the film is artful, the rest strident. Lou-Jean, a blonde woman, tells her husband, who is imprisoned, to escape. If I knew what this movie was like I would have never rented it. "Mother Love Leads a Curious Caravan". A young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation of China during World War II. The Sugarland Express is a Cazy story, with Cazy writers, a Crazy cast and a slow one to follow. He could be that rarity among directors a born entertainer—perhaps a new generation's Howard Hawks. During the lengthy pursuit, Slide and the pair bond and develop mutual respect for one another. Murphy, Arthur D. (March 20, 1974). A TV reporter investigates compromising photographs of a nominee to the Supreme Court. "Film: Goldie Hawn on 'The Sugarland Express'". "Film Reviews: The Sugarland Express". A year later, Spielberg's next project for Zanuck and Brown was 1975's blockbuster hit Jaws. The Sugarland Express holds an 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with an average score of 7.2 out of 10 from 48 reviews. A black Southern woman struggles to find her identity after suffering abuse from her father and others over four decades. The Poplins and Slide travel through Beaumont, Dayton, Houston, Cleveland, Conroe and finally Wheelock, Texas. It doesn't work. Written by Kornel Osvart Along the way the duo takes a state trooper hostage and are pursued by police while their story gains media attention. is shown in silence during a scene at a drive-in theater. • The hijacked Texas Department of Public Safety patrol car featured in the film is a 1973 Dodge Polara, which Steven Spielberg bought after the filming, bullet holes and all. The Sugarland Express, a gripping drama co-written and directed by a 26-year-old Steven Spielberg, makes its mark as the director’s first theatrical film debut. Hysterical Californians prepare for a Japanese invasion in the days after Pearl Harbor. Based on a true story, a woman (Goldie Hawn) helps her husband (William Atherton) escape from prison so they can kidnap their child from the foster family he's been placed with. Hall had what they call video-game numbers when he was a running back at Sugar Land High School in the early 1950s. 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