An epilogue preceding the closing credits explains that Lou Jean subsequently spent fifteen months of a five-year prison term in a women's correctional facility. It also marks the feature film debut of a young, now famous, director, Steven Spielberg. To his great credit, Miller refused to blockade or impede the Dents, and even allowed them to make refuel and bathroom stops without any interference. He previously worked for the Big Spring Herald and Houston Community Newspapers and also covered Houston high school and college sports as a freelance writer. Hawn plays a young mother who becomes a fugitive and a cause celebre when she tries to prevent the adoption of her young son. No matter that theyre being trailed by something like 200 police cars; she cleans a gas station out of trading stamps and then leafs through the catalog to see how many books itll take to get a bed for her boy. In dire need of a four-wheel getaway, Bobby hit upon the ironic idea of calling the cops for a ride. Your address remains confidential, and you'll receive nothing but the blog feed. But when he got on the field, it was easy to see he was special. The film was powerful when it debuted theatrically in late 2019. The Sugarland Express is a 1974 American crime drama film directed by Steven Spielberg in his feature film directorial debut. "I was pleased with that," Hall said. What ensues is a harrowing chase through Texas involving lots and lots of police. The 4,045 rushing yards his senior year remain a national record for a 12-game season. 113 W. Center St. Bobby Dent was not only a third-rate petty criminal, who had done hard time for vandalizing vending machines, he also was incredibly gullible. "The Sugarland Express" hit movie theaters in 1974. The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth: Season 8, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 1, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to 10 Black Women Filmmakers Who Have Shaped the Cinema Landscape of the 21st Century, Link to 10 LGBTQIA+ Women Who Became Trailblazers in Entertainment. Start Shopping 109min 87% 66% English (US) Privacy Policy License Agreement The fugitives and their hostage become less important, finally, than ending the parade and saving face. From. Find out where The Sugarland Express is streaming, if The Sugarland Express is on Netflix, and get news and updates, on Decider. Spielberg's debut theatrical feature is a perfect blend of spectacle and character, a much tougher film than his sentimental rep suggests. He advised Bobby to pull over and stop only to be told Im not going back to the penitentiary.. At 6 AM, a highway patrolman appeared at the cabin to assist the couple, but when he entered the cabin, Fae and Bobby pointed revolvers at him. You're almost there! Marched at gunpoint to his patrol car, Krone did as he was told and slipped behind the wheel. Captain Harlin Tanner, who is leading the pursuit of the Poplins, sees that the Poplins are basically decent but misguided kids who in their current mission have committed some serious crimes, all which he takes into account when deciding on the appropriate course of action to end the pursuit while trying to protect Slide. Pursued by dozens of police cars, the trio contend with their sudden elevation to folk heroes, and vigilantes out to stop them. Contact us at 281-240-4487 or sugarlandtickets@astros.com.. Anyone who played for Paul "Bear" Bryant might see it as a privilege to have had the chance to be around such a revered figure. But years later, Hall got a letter from the legendary coach that he still holds dear. I said, 'This is kind of fun. For Hall's short-lived Texas A&M career, it was both a blessing and a curse. "Somebody said, 'That's pretty good. Spielberg uses the story to comment on the ways Americans have of turning events into happenings. He has a high school stadium named after him, as well as a neighborhood and a trophy. Your email address will not be published. Henry and Smith might have caught up to a few of Hall's records, but he still holds some. It shows people without a family and a house being sad and depressed. Dont worry, it wont take long. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Updates? . He ended up crashing into a tree in the woods outside town. And its always a good distraction from the real problems on the world.This helps keeping order and everybody in his place and social class. Arnold, Gary (April 5, 1974) "It's a Real Movie and The One That Matters". Despite a cast with two Academy Award winners (Goldie Hawn as Ila Fae and Ben Johnson as Capt. Please dont fall for the phony left-right, liberal-conservative mind game. The character of Captain Tanner is based on Texas Highway Patrol Captain Jerry Miller. Skip to main content Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted. The plot centered on the May 1969 kidnapping of a Department of Public Safety trooper named Kenneth Crone. Bobby Dent was driving through Port Arthur with his wife Fae, when a patrol car appeared behind him, red lights twirling at 2 AM in the morning. Steven Spielberg was 30 when he made the film version of this story, although if youve seen the film, youll realize how much the story was twisted for cheap emotional effect. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Steven Spielberg's first theatrical feature is a fact-based tale about a Texas couple, both with felonious . In dire need of a four-wheel getaway, Bobby hit upon the ironic idea of calling the cops for a ride. It was nearly noon, when the Dents pulled up to the white frame house in Wheelock. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Theyre both only 25, but theyve served time, and now the state has taken away their two-year-old boy and given him to a foster family. Omissions? Francis J. Harver, Secretary of the Army, presents the tro[phy for the nations most outstanding player to Jimmy Clausen of Westlake Village, California as Kenneth O. Preston, Sgt. Their only real friend may be trooper Captain Tanner, who struggles to find a peaceful end to the situation. The ex-convict, out of the joint just two weeks, did not know what the lawmen wanted, but he was not about to hang around and find out. But things don't go as planned when they are forced to take a police hostage on the road. 1,063 talking about this. " Hall said. !/ The Sugarland Express 1974 1971 ! Major of the Army looks on Friday night during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl awards dinner at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. SAN MARCOS An 11-year-old Goodnight Middle School student died after being hit by a vehicle in the drop-off lane on Friday morning. Hall said he believed Bryant's change toward players and experience with him was noticeable at Alabama, where he led that program to prominence. Watchlist. What ensues is a . As the herd of cars races and heaves and crashes through the landscape, the state's personality surfaces like a sperm whale. February 2023 Reader Quiz: What Did You Learn? But hot on his heels are literally hundreds of others: local, county and state cops, freelance amateurs, even a couple of troopers who came over from Louisiana for the fun. Twist one way to make a conservative, and twist the other to make a liberal. The website's critical consensus reads, "Its plot may ape the countercultural road movies of its era, but Steven Spielberg's feature debut displays many of the crowd-pleasing elements he'd refine in subsequent films. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. To understand Hall's impact in the 1950s is to understand what Sugar Land used to be like. "Festival de Cannes: The Sugarland Express", Story from the Tuscaloosa News, May 4 1969, about Robert and Ila Dent, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Sugarland_Express&oldid=1139316814, Films with screenplays by Matthew Robbins, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 13:59. He played his high school ball at Sugar Land High School, where he was nicknamed the "Sugar Land Express." "Somebody asked me, 'How many times did you carry the ball?' He advised Bobby to pull over and stop only to be told Im not going back to the penitentiary.. But what became of the survivors after the credits rolled? Police chase an escaped convict (William Atherton) and his wife (Goldie Hawn) fleeing to Sugarland, Texas, to reclaim their son from his foster parents. The dispatcher gave directions to Kenneth Krone, 27, and told the DPS trooper two hitchhikers that claimed to have been beaten and robbed would be waiting for him. The Sugarland Express marked the first use of a compact Panaflex camera developed by Panavision Corporation. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs. All rights reserved. The ken Hall Trophy will be awarded to the top high school player in the country at the All-American bowl. The nickname Sugar Land Express is worth remembering. The secret for Hall in the 1950s? "The Sugarland Express" hit movie theaters in 1974. Product Description: Shot in 1974, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS was made by Steven Spielberg just one year before he rose to international fame with JAWS. Roaring out of town on state highway 73, the Dents car broke down near Anahuac. As Miller saw it, his job was to calm Bobby Dent down and keep him from flying off the handle. Too bad. His 4,045 rushing yards his senior year remain a national record for a 12-game season. Hall guessed everyone who worked for the sugar company logged in 20 years each on average. Thomas, Kevin (April 5, 1974). Now second all-time. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest news and updates on future events. Miller), the first feature film by 30-year-old Steven Spielberg laid an egg at the box office. This complex role was enough to lure superstar Goldie Hawn back to the screen after a one-year hiatus following her Oscar-winning performance in Cactus Flower. Pictures provided by: philr, Sunbar, police car fan, andrepa. The event partially took place, the story is partially set, and the film was partially shot in Sugar Land, Texas. Frequently bought together + + Some of these items ship sooner than the others. "The Current Cinema". "I didn't care anything about that running stuff. In retrospect, I believe his rise to one of the greatest wag-the-dog producers of our time was ordained from the beginning. The press took a photo of her staring at Bobbys lifeless body right after the killing. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Those moments turned into a high school football career that still towers over the game to this day. Too bad, for two-thirds of the film is artful, the rest strident. It was nearly noon, when the Dents pulled up to the white frame house in Wheelock. Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". Even the nickname Sugar Land Express. Starting out as a comedy that gradually darkens, 'The Sugarland Express,' which is based on an actual incident, becomes an increasingly disenchanted portrait of contemporary America. The Sugarland Express train has been renovated and it's maiden voyage seems to be a repeat of the past. "I just ran faster than they did, and I scored a touchdown, 70-something yards. Hall's old home still stands, too, although getting there today seems different with each visit. The whole kidnapping turns into some kind of public relations event. High school players today already have the measurables and build of some collegiate stars. So she helps him break out of jail, and then they hijack a highway patrol car (complete with highway patrolman) and lead a parade across Texas in an attempt to get the kid back. Next Post Steam-powered train rides to Moore Haven April 9th and 10th Box 152, Friendswood, TX 77549 or [emailprotected], haysfreepress.com director of photography Film Editing by Casting By Art Direction by Joe Alves . And in a consumer world, pre-digested emotions can have a profit value too. Film: Goldie Hawn on "The Sugarland Express". The film follows a woman (Goldie Hawn) and her husband (William Atherton) as they take a police officer (Michael Sacks) hostage and flee across Texas while they try to get to their child before he is placed in foster care. It might have helped ticket sales if the script had stayed true to the real story. For American football player with the nickname "Sugar Land Express", see. Don't think of Hall like today's athletes are considered. 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. The film follows a woman and her husband as they take a police officer hostage and flee across Texas while they try to get to their child before he is placed in foster care. Read critic reviews. Even though he is four months away from being released from prison, she convinces him to escape to assist her in retrieving their child. Bobby sat next him in the front seat with the cocked Magnum in his ribs, while Ila Fae stuck the troopers shotgun in his ear from the back seat. Its plot may ape the countercultural road movies of its era, but Steven Spielberg's feature debut displays many of the crowd-pleasing elements he'd refine in subsequent films. Miller), the first feature film by 30-year-old Steven Spielberg laid an egg at the box office. But to his credit Spielberg did show a lot of recognizable Texas countryside during the marathon chase scenes. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. For her part, Ila Fae Dent was given five years but served only five months. Based on a true story, a desperate mother (Goldie Hawn) attempts to reunite her family by any means necessary including helping her husband escape prison, kidnapping a Texas state trooper and leading the police on a wild chase across the state in an effort to save her son from adoption. to score his first feature, The Sugarland Express (1974). By holding Slide hostage, the pair are able to continually gas up their car, as well as get food via the drive-through. "[11] Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune awarded the same two-and-a-half star grade and wrote that "whereas 'Bonnie and Clyde' prompted our sympathy for its heroes because of their winning style, 'The Sugarland Express' asks us to care for Clovis and Lou Jean because they are thick-skulled and because, presumably, every mother has an inherent right to raise her own baby. Despite a cast with two Academy Award winners (Goldie Hawn as Ila Fae and Ben Johnson as Capt. In John Williams to score his first feature, The Sugarland Express (1974). As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Krone could make out his rescuers. Kael, Pauline (March 18, 1974). Photo by Tom Reel, Running Back Toney Baker, a member of the East team in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, right, with former running back Ken Hall at an event at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in San Antonio on Monday, January 10, 2005. It doesn't work. Coming Soon. "[13] Tom Milne of The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote that it "seems peculiarly contrived it may have happened this way in real life, but in the film the fugitives are so unequivocally presented as poor, harmless innocents that the veritable army of police cars absurdly queuing up to be in at the kill looks very much as though both they and the film were taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut. 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