The Sugarland Express (1974)

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Following Duel, movies heavily featuring cars were what Spielberg seemed to be offered, as he was set to direct Burt Reynolds in the action film White Lightning. He worked on it for a few months before quitting to take on this movie. "The one thing that I almost made was White Lightning the Burt Reynolds picture," Spielberg said "I spent two-and-a-half months on the film, met Burt once, found most of the locations and began to cast the movie, until I realized it wasn't something that I wanted to do for a first film. I didn't want to start my career as a hard-hat, journeyman director. I wanted to do something that was a little more personal." Reynolds was hurt by him quitting saying " He wanted out and it really hurt me, I felt like he just didn't want to work with me, and that was the reason. And he didn't."Shot in perfect continuity (for financial reasons) The majority of this movie is filmed in a car. But there was no rear view projection or shoot it and then have the actors lip-sync later. Spielberg's timing was just right Panavision inc had recently developed and the Paraflex, the first totally noiseless camera, compact enough to be handheld or shoulder rested. Virtually the entire movie was shot in sync dialogue with only 10 lines a looped later. The Sugerland Expressis one of the first fiims to be shot in this then revolutionary style, though shortly, all filmmaking would follow suit.This movie shows that Goldie Hawn could have been a fine dramatic actress had her career gone in that direction. Hawn's plan, slightly mad as it is, in fact does have an inner logic. I expected her infedelity (She prostitutes herself to a male neighbour for $65) to become a bigger issue. But it's surprisingly dropped pretty quickly. There is no villain in this movie. Captain Tanner certainly isn't one. I also like a tender scene involving a Wile E. Coyote cartoon which was probably my favourite scene in the movie. This film marked the beginning of Spielberg's friendship with John Williams and we get a Spielberg trademark (images seen in a side mirror) This is one of the few Steven Spielberg films that ends on a downbeat note. And boy what a downbeat note it is!! Sugerland Express grossed $7.5 million (against a 3 million dollar budget) at the domestic box office.

Steven Spielberg's theatrical feature film debut made at the age of 28, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS is based on the true event happened in southern-west Texas 1969. A young woman Lou Jean Poplin (Hawn), abets her husband Clovis Michael Poplin (Atherton) to escape from his pre-release facility in Beauford H. Jester Prison Farm, and en route to Sugar Land to get their infant boy from his foster family. It is plain happenstance that they hold a patrolman Maxwell Slide (Sacks) hostage and driving the latter's patrol automobile, the three head to Sugar Land, while tailing by a parade of police vehicles led by Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Captain Harlin Tanner (Johnson).At first glance, the Poplins's plan is, from any aspects, shockingly fatuous, how on earth they can naively think the authorities will leave their son in situ under such circumstances? Without much thinking, one would realise there must be a deathtrap awaits in their final destination, yet, during their entire journey, that never occurs to them until it's too late. One might argue, that is what happened in real life, maybe the Poplins are sheer simpletons, pure white trashes, yet, we are not watching a documentary about the sensationalised story, if the protagonists are treated with such a simple-minded frame of mind, which effectively creates a sizeable challenge for viewers to relate to, ultimately the viewing experience will be all but satisfactory.Maybe, if Spielberg could lean his angle more from the perspective of Slide, who is a decent young man caught by surprise when performing his duties. The outcome would be more edifying, since the growing mutual respect is the key revelation out of this jejune act, as an outsider, Slide has the privileged intimacy to observe the couple and get a glimpse of their mindset, if there is any vestiges to keep viewers invested in their fate. However they are reckless and dull-witted, the Poplins are not the worst, Spielberg shows no relent to dress down those self-professed vigilante riflemen, a bunch of trigger-happy hillbillies who are instinctively aroused by the thrill of killing, have no wits to even make a basic evaluation about their targets before plunging into a manic fusillade, they exemplifies the bane of America's ever-controversial "gun culture", to possess a weapon of mass destruction is not for everyone, if a country cannot establish a fail-safe edict to secure the safety of the innocent, logically, this is the liberty we should uniformly forego.Mr. Spielberg manifests an acute eye for the visual splendour, there are incredibly breathtaking shots taken along the Texas highway landscape, for its sepia vastness and gorgeous sunset, although one might find it puzzling about the functionality of the cavalcade of police cars tailing along, that's not the right way to splurge tax payers' money. In a more important note, the film has officially embarked the time-honoured collaboration between Spielberg and John Williams, spans over four decades hitherto.Goldie Hawn, ups her ante to play a more straight-faced and neurotic character which is not her strong suit, irritable as ever thanks to the vacuous nature of Lou Jean, Atherton and Sacks, two fresh faces given abundant screen-time to act, are fine but no surprises, last but not the least. Ben Johnson, the Oscar-winning veteran for THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971), instils something decent and sympathetic in the story, being the only rational mind in that ephemeral fanfare.

Lou Jean Sparrow Poplin (Goldie Hawn) tells her imprisoned husband Clovis (William Atherton) that their child has been taken by Child Welfare to Sugarland. She plans to breaks him out of minimum security with four months to go. They get into a chase and kidnaps Officer Maxwell Slide (Michael Sacks). Captain Tanner (Ben Johnson) takes charge of the chase.Right from the start with the old couple, the movie is a fun ride. It needs some more jokes but it's quirky car chase movie. They certainly use a lot of cars. Goldie Hawn is a bag full of fun crazy. I prefer somebody funnier to be Clovis or Maxwell. It does have a gritty real-life edge to it which Spielberg doesn't do anymore. The ending is a downer but that's kind of interesting too.

Steven Spielberg's theatrical feature film debut is a smartly crafted, expertly composed & skilfully executed adventure drama that clearly exhibits the legendary director's penchant for turning an on-screen moment into a larger-than-life event without ever going over the top and is also significant for marking the commencement of one of cinema's greatest collaborations.Based on a true story, The Sugarland Express tells the story of a young woman who successfully breaks her husband out of prison to help her assist retrieving her child, about to be placed in the care of foster parents. Things soon take a turn for the unexpected when they're left with no choice but to take a patrolman hostage & are pursued by the police throughout their journey.Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film wonderfully introduces many of his trademarks & themes that would continue to recur in his later works and is a solid work that has enough style & substance to keep the viewers engaged for the most part. Camera-work is dynamic, makes excellent angle choices & remains consistent throughout while editing steadily paces its narrative.Coming to the acting department, the cast comprises of Goldie Hawn, Ben Johnson, William Atherton & Michael Sacks amongst which it's Hawn who chips in with the most impressive performance. Marking his first collaboration with Spielberg, John William provides a score that beautifully reflects the film's tone with tracks that are adventurous, light-hearted & at the same moment, slightly poignant.On an overall scale, The Sugarland Express is one of Spielberg's highly underrated flicks & although far from a masterpiece, it's still a quality work of passionate filmmaking that's admirable for a number of things. Full of crowd-pleasing elements, presenting the then-young filmmaker refining his craft & an indication of greater things to come, The Sugarland Express is a must for Spielberg's fans as well as critics.