The Sugarland Express

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. 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. As a massive dragnet starts to pursue them across Texas, the couple become unlikely folk heroes and even start to bond with the captive policeman.

Cast

Goldie Hawn

as Lou Jean Poplin

William Atherton

as Clovis Poplin

Ben Johnson

as Captain Tanner

Michael Sacks

as Slide

Gregory Walcott

as Mashburn

Steve Kanaly

as Jessup

Louise Latham

as Mrs. Looby

Harrison Zanuck

as Baby Langston

A.L. Camp

as Mr. Nocker

Jessie Lee Fulton

as Mrs. Nocker

Reviews

DanDare

Steven Spielberg's first proper cinema movie has some great photography from Vilmos Zsigmond. The tone is uncertain. A road movie, a tragic comedy with car pile ups that is based on true facts. Lou Jean Sparrow Poplin (Goldie Hawn) takes her husband Clovis (William Atherton) out of a minimum s...

CinemaSerf

When "Clovis" (William Atherton) is incarcerated, his wife "Lou Jean" (Goldie Hawn) is facing losing their son to adoption. She's having none of this so decides to spring her husband from jail so they can go collect their bairn and head for Mexico. Things do not go to plan, though, and pretty quickl...

r96sk

Quality! <em>'The Sugarland Express'</em> is Steven Spielberg's first theatrical release as director, which is quite something given the movie seems like it was made by a seasoned vet. On a similar note, the look and feel of the film is absolutely outstanding; it has aged remarkably well visually...

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