Review of The Sugarland Express (1974) by Stuart K — 30 Dec 2009

Before Steven Spielberg went off to do big blockbusters like Jaws (1975) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), he created this little seen and highly underrated crime caper film. It's closer in tone to something like Badlands (1973), but it's got engaging performances and for a Spielberg film, it's quite offbeat.

Set in Texas, it's about Lou Jean Poplin (Goldie Hawn), who goes to visit her husband Clovis Michael Poplin (William Atherton) who is in a a minimum security prison, she helps him escape as their son Langston has been taken into care.

Once out they end up fleeing the police, and then they take hostage Texas State trooper Maxwell Slide (Michael Sacks), and then they're followed by dozens and later hundreds of police cars, led by trooper Captain Tanner (Ben Johnson), who is trying to find a peaceful solution to end this.

Then they become national celebrities, as they get supported by people along the way. It's an engaging drama, with the odd hint of offbeat comedy thoughout. Hawn and Atherton are wonderful as the trailer trash parents who only want their son back, but won't acknowledge how serious the situation is.

It's a pity Spielberg hasn't tried something like this since, as he shows a knack for a small scale, down to earth film like this that makes a big impact. After his next film, cinema was never the same since.