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 The Sugarland Express - 1974 Directed by Steven Spielberg I thought this movie would be a good highlight for the month as it seems to be completely overlooked in Spielberg's filmography. While it is his first theatrically released film it also came right before Jaws and in its time it didn't generate much buzz despite being very well liked by critics. The premise is a simple but fun one. A convict only months away from release gets a visit from his wife who informs him that their child is going to end up with another family unless they act now. The wife also just got out of jail for her own petty crime. Determined not to lose their son she convinces her husband to escape from the jail with the world's shittiest security. They barley get away from the place before an unfortunate series of events unfolds very quickly and they decide that the only way forward is to take a police officer hostage and make their way to reclaim their child. It takes very little time for the police to be aware of the situation and suddenly they become the most wanted criminals in Texas. The film was also loosely based on a real incident.  The dimwitted but incredibly charming couple in the film are played by Goldie Hawn and William Atherton. This was a pretty early role for Hawn but in my opinion it's possibly her best performance. The situation they're in is very serious but she finds a way to maintain a certain childlike glee during the whole thing. Even though they're being pursued non-stop by the police and she's terrified of losing her child she seems to be having the time of her life. William Atherton is also great here and it made me realize what a shame it was that he never got his due as a respected character actor. Most people will recognize him as Walter Peck from Ghosbusters or various other films throughout the 80s and 90s where he played some kind of obnoxious authority figure or a general rear end in a top hat. Similarly he's a dopey but charming character. He's passionate about his wife and what they're doing but unlike her he doesn't have her confidence or her optimism. He's kind of lost and confused and despite spending much of the time in the driver's seat he's a passenger. He's just trying to keep up with his wife's impulse decisions and the quick escalation of the situation they find themselves in. You can't help but like these people.  So first things first, this is not a groundbreaking film. You've seen a bunch of these scenarios played out before especially in 70s car chase films. But that doesn't make the movie any less entertaining or worth watching. One thing that sets this apart from 70s car chase movies is that it's a slow speed chase. Nobody's zooming down the highway wrecking things and trying to avoid obstacles. It's just a slow roll as police cautiously follow these people not wanting to call their bluff when the young couple threatens their officer or the police chief who first confronts them one the road. Pretty odd for a decade that was full of dangerous high speed chases but that also serves as a way to slowly build up the tension and severity of the situation. The chief is the typical stern but fair cop you see in movies. He wants to stop all this but he doesn't want anyone to get hurt. You can tell he doesn't entirely believe these are violent people but he's also not taking chances. The main characters feel like a more innocent Bonnie and Clyde. What they're doing is illegal but we're on their side the whole time.  The movie isn't exactly what we think of when someone says "Steven Spielberg" but the DNA of his later films is already present. This film centers around parenthood and family which would become his trademark. His visual style peeks through in a bunch of scenes too. And he gets great performances from all his actors. Despite being much more lowkey than what would came later for the director it's not hard to see why the industry took notice of him. Though Duel is considered his first movie I think The Sugarland Express was his first proper film. Duel was the culmination of his TV career, this was his well deserved jump onto the big screen. It's a humble little movie that would create the snowball effect which turned Steven Spielberg into one of the hottest directors in Hollywood and eventually an icon. The following year he would release Jaws which propelled him to stardom almost overnight. The Sugarland Express is currently available on HBO MAX. Movie of the Month List 
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Jun 2, 2021 07:05
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 06:30 |
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i always forget how old spielberg is jesus
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Jun 2, 2021 07:37
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Alan Smithee posted:i always forget how old spielberg is jesus He's been directing since 1969, at age 23.
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Jun 2, 2021 13:16
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The Sugarland Express is really good, and I have to shout out Vilmos Zsigmond for his incredible cinematography; his pans and zooms add a ton to the movie’s vibe.
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Jun 2, 2021 14:38
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This is a great selection for MotM. Like probably a lot of people I've somehow never gotten around to seeing it and I wasn't even aware that it was on HBO Max. Definitely gonna check it out this month and report back.
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Jun 2, 2021 16:13
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This has been my favorite Goldie Hawn performance for a long time.
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Jun 7, 2021 20:25
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I watched this and while you can see Spielberg's talents on display, I found Goldie Hawn's character to be extremely ignorant and grating and thought that her kid would be better of being raised by the foster parents.
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Jun 9, 2021 17:04
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Sugarland Express is great; great performances by William Atherton and Goldie Hawn, and great cinematography by one of my idols, Vilmos Zsigmond. Both this film and "Day of the Locust" really showcased what William Atherton could've done but being Walter Peck in Ghostbusters really screwed him.
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Jun 12, 2021 00:26
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This was really good. I think it’s A-tier Spielberg, up there with Empire of the Sun and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
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Jun 18, 2021 20:28
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PeterCat posted:I watched this and while you can see Spielberg's talents on display, I found Goldie Hawn's character to be extremely ignorant and grating and thought that her kid would be better of being raised by the foster parents. Maybe this is splitting hairs but I don't know that I'd say she's ignorant as much as she's just naive and entirely too optimistic. Especially when they start to become folk heroes. She just eats it up when people are celebrating them. As for the foster parents, the moral ambiguity of what they're doing and their end goal is kind of the whole point of the movie. So I don't find that to be a negative.
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Jun 28, 2021 08:55
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This was a banger. Loved the three leads and the car lot shoot out was really funny.
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Jun 28, 2021 19:01
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