The Sugarland Express (1974)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Steven Spielberg (story) and
Hal Barwood (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

5 April 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A girl with a great following.

Plot:

Lou-Jean, a blonde woman, tells her husband, who is imprisoned, to escape. They plan to kidnap their own child...

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Texas | Prison | Police | Convicted Felon

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Goldie Hawn	...	Lou Jean Poplin
Ben Johnson	...	Captain Harlin Tanner
Michael Sacks	...	Patrolman Maxwell Slide
William Atherton	...	Clovis Michael Poplin
Gregory Walcott	...	Patrolman Ernie Mashburn
Steve Kanaly	...	Patrolman Jessup
Louise Latham	...	Mrs. Looby
Harrison Zanuck	...	Baby Langston Poplin
A.L. Camp	...	Mr. Alvin T. Nocker
Jessie Lee Fulton	...	Mrs. Nocker
Dean Smith	...	Russ Berry
Ted Grossman	...	Dietz
Bill Thurman	...	Hunter
Kenneth Hudgins	...	Standby
Buster Daniels	...	Drunk (as Buster Danials)
James N. Harrell	...	Mark Fenno (as Jim Harrell)
Frank Steggall	...	Logan Waters
Roger Ernest	...	Hot Jock #1
Guich Koock	...	Hot Jock #2
Merrill Connally	...	Mr. Vern Looby (as Merrill L. Connally)
Gene Rader	...	Fred Mingers
Gordon Hurst	...	Hubie Nocker
George Hagy	...	Mr. Sparrow
Big John Hamilton	...	Big John
Kenneth Crone	...	Deputy
Peter Curry	...	Judge (as Judge Peter Michael Curry)
Charles Conaway	...	Attorney
Robert Golden	...	Mechanic
Rudy Robbins	...	Mechanic
Charlie Dobbs	...	Local Cop
Gene Lively	...	Reporter
John L. Quinlan III	...	Bailiff
William Scott	...	Station Man (as Bill Scott)
Ralph E. Horwedel	...	Highway Patrol Houston Dispatcher
Edwin 'Frog' Isbell	...	Jelly Bowl

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
Steven Spielberg		(story) and
Hal Barwood		(story) &
Matthew Robbins		(story)
Hal Barwood		(screenplay) &
Matthew Robbins		(screenplay)

Produced by
David Brown	....	producer
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond

Film Editing by
Edward M. Abroms
Verna Fields

Casting by
Mike Fenton		(uncredited)
Shari Rhodes		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Joe Alves		(as Joseph Alves Jr.)

Production Management
William S. Gilmore	....	unit production manager (as William S. Gilmore Jr.)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Fargo	....	first assistant director
Tom Joyner	....	second assistant director (as Thomas Joyner)

Sound Department
John R. Carter	....	sound (as John Carter)
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound (as Robert Hoyt)

Special Effects by
Frank Brendel	....	special effects

Stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunt coordinator
Max Balchowsky	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Duncan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Patty Elder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert Golden	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Grossman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Harris	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carey Loftin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rudy Robbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Nick McLean	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Sven Walnum	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jeff Gourson	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Toots Thielemans	....	musician: harmonica solo
John Williams	....	conductor: "The Eyes of Texas" (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Alby Thomas	....	transportation manager

Other crew
William S. Gilmore	....	production executive (as William S. Gilmore Jr.)

Production Companies

• Zanuck/Brown Productions
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1974) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Atlas Film (1974) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1977) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Tocantins (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Video (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cinematique  cosmetics
• Panavision  camera equipment provided by
• Universal Title  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Carte Blanche (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:M (video rating) | Iceland:12 | Brazil:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:18 (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Del Rio, Texas, USA

Company:

Zanuck/Brown Productions

Trivia:

Director Trademark: {Steven Spielberg} [images seen in a side mirror] The patrol cars following Lou Jean and Clovis.

Goofs:

Continuity: Throughout the film, Captain Tanner's unmarked blue Dodge Polara is shown to have full-size factory hubcaps. When he is crashed into by the local sheriff trying to "76" the hi-jacked patrol car, Tanner jumps out and the car now has typical police dog dish hubcaps.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Swordfish: The Effects in Focus - The Flying Bus (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

I've Been Working on the Railroad

OK chase movie

She didn't use it that much in this film, but Goldie Hawn has about the sweetest smile in the world. I found the early-70's Texas scenery interesting. Took me back. Gas prices at 29 cents! A pretty good film overall, if a little unrealistic. Hawn and Atherton's characters were really naive. And Texas cops are not known for having that sort of patience. Trust me. Grade B-