The Sugarland Express ( Carte Blanche ) ( The Sugar land Express )

The Sugarland Express (DVD) (*)

~~$22.99~~ $19.98

Original Title: Carte Blanche
Alternate Title: The Sugar land Express
Screened, competed or awarded at:
Cannes Film Festival
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )

Product Origin/Format:
Netherlands ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
106 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (2.35:1)

Special Features:
Anamorphic Widescreen
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 1974 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Steven Spielberg

Written By:
Hal Barwood
Matthew Robbins

Actors:
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

Synopsis:

Based on an actual incident, Steven Spielberg's first theatrical feature follows the adventures of a Texas outlaw couple striving to keep their family together by any means necessary. Determined not to lose her child to the authorities, Lou Jean Poplin (Goldie Hawn) gets her obedient convict husband Clovis (William Atherton) to break out of jail and help her kidnap their baby from its foster parents. With hostage Officer Slide (Michael Sacks) in tow, the fugitives head across the plains to Sugarland, Texas, pursued by a flotilla of cop cars. Even though Slide becomes the couple's friend, the Law is bent on capturing its criminal quarry. Even though it was greeted with strong reviews, and Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins, and Spielberg won the screenplay prize at the Cannes Film Festival, The Sugarland Express flopped. The young audience that had embraced the challenging tonal shifts of Bonnie and Clyde and Easy Rider in the late 1960s was no longer so reliably drawn to narrative uncertainties in 1974. The massive success of Spielberg's next picture, the popcorn thriller Jaws (1975), would confirm his suspicion that downbeat films were no longer the way to popular approval.

In Texas, Lou Jean Poplin has just completed an eight month sentence for petty crimes committed. Her husband, Clovis Poplin, is in minimum security pre-release remand, where he is serving the remaining four months of a one year sentence also for petty crimes committed. Albeit by threatening means, Lou Jean convinces Clovis to break out of remand. The reason?: child welfare services have awarded permanent custody of their infant son Langston to his foster parents who live in Sugarland, Texas. Lou Jean vows to get Langston back by whatever means, and she needs Clovis' help. Early on in Clovis' escape, they take highway patrolman Matthew Slide hostage in his patrol car, he who is to drive them to Sugarland. 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. But the case takes on a life of its own when the story hits the airwaves, with every Texan having his or her own very strong opinion on the Poplins, what they are doing and how best to help or hinder their mission.

When faced with the loss of her infant son, Lou-Jean Poplin makes her husband, Clovis, escape from a minimum security prison. Threatened with capture, the couple take rookie Texas State trooper Maxwell Slide hostage, and head across the state in his patrol car. Pursued by dozens of police cars, the trio contend with their sudden elevation to folk heroes, and vigilantes out to stop them. Their only real friend may be trooper Captain Tanner, who struggles to find a peaceful end to the situation.

This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 22 December, 2011.