The Sugarland Express

Rating:
Summary: Might be worth a look.
Review: Steven Spielberg;s first movie was done on a moderate budget but it shows his then growing ability as a film maker to cast and work with the best actors for the roles. Produced by Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown, First movie where the music was scored by John Williams, great camera work by Vilmos Zsigmond, and edited by Verna Fields.

Rating:
Summary: A great Spielberg debut, a cracking good movie
Review: Thankfully we have a decent widescreen DVD of Spielberg's dazzling theatrical debut. It was a box office flop in 1974, probably because it didn't appeal to the `Easy Rider' set and because it makes satiric jabs at populist sentiment. Notably, its bittersweet ending poses sticky philosophical questions, distilled in the final, haunting line (I won't give it away here, you have to hear it for yourself). The hair raising finale presents the viewer with an odd Spielberg finish; who were the winners, who were the losers? And anyway, who in 1974 wanted Goldie in a superb but non-comic role? One of Spielberg's trademarks is tight visual and verbal economy. The opening shot alone makes ironic comments and transmits myriad detail, all within seconds. It's followed by one ingeniously inventive scene after another. A little slow to start, the action quickly gains momentum. Tension never stops building, spiked now and then by sudden moments of revelation and discovery. The acting is terrific (Spielberg uses local rubes better than any director around), and Ben Johnson's performance is one of unerring precision. HE steals the whole show. This was a most auspicious directorial debut and was a hit at Cannes (the well-honed script won first place). Spielberg knows how to get viewers involved and keep them there. As one who grew up down South I can testify that Spielberg captured the ambiance of the Texas countryside and people with gratifying authenticity. This is flawless work, among Spielberg's best. Hopefully this DVD will revive a film that has long deserved more attention. The DVD image is a bit soft in spots, and there's only a measly trailer for extras, but it's still a great ride for the money. Essential.

Rating:
Summary: Sluggish Express
Review: This film's distinction is that it was the feature film debut of Steven Spielberg's illustrious career. That's about the only thing distinctive about it. Ostensibly, the movie is about a fugitive couple on the run from the law trying to get their baby back from court-appointed foster parents. The movie really seems more concerned about tracking shots. The film's weak point is the script. The story isn't really fleshed out except for a lot of car-chase scenes. The Texans portrayed in this film seem stereotyped and buffoonish in part. At times I was flashing back to "1941", Spielberg's film most notorious for it's excesses. The actors in this film don't seem to be able to overcome the weak screenplay. Goldie Hawn reverts to her grating ditzy blonde stereotype to compensate for these weaknesses. The most complex character in the film is a captain in the Texas Rangers played ably by veteran Ben Johnson but, alas, the need for closure of the story betrays his character in the end. A better reference point for Spielberg fans is "Duel", the telemovie that he directed superbly on a much smaller scale than this larger budgeted mess.

Rating:
Summary: Spielberg movie with a great story and excellent acting
Review: This movie had a compelling story and excellent acting with the added bonus of Steven Spielberg as the director. The story centers around a young woman named Lou Jean (Goldie Hawn), who has lost custody of her baby son because of her criminal record. She decides the only way to get him back is to convince her husband Clovis (William Atherton) to escape from the Pre-release Center where he is serving the final four months of his prison term. Clovis reluctantly agrees after Lou Jean threatens to divorce him if he doesn't go along with her plan. Unfortunately after Clovis escapes, the two only have bad luck. The older couple they hitch a ride with get stopped by Highway Patrol Officer Slide (Michael Sacks). Lou Jean and Clovis then steal the older couple's car, wreck the car and kidnap Officer Slide and force him to drive them to Sugarland, where their son is living. The remainder of the movie chronicles what happens to the three on their trip. How the media transforms the couple into a cause celebre and how the police have to not only deal with the fugitives but with the media and the public, who have rallied behind the pair. As Lou Jean, Goldie Hawn gives a heartfelt and sympathetic performance to the role of a women who refuses to see the futility of her actions and is blinded by her desire to get her son back at any cost. William Atherton does a good job with a difficult role. He conveys the fact that Clovis did what Lou Jean wanted becasue of his love for her and his fear of losing her. Michael Sacks gave diminsion to a character which in lesser hands might have come across as your basic by-the-book-cop. (It's a mystery to me why he disappeared from acting.) Spielberg's direction gives you a real feel for the expansive Texas countryside which contrasts with the fact that for most of the movie these characters are confined in cars. Spielberg uses evrything at his disposal to highlight and backdrop his story - the sunsets, the open highway and local color are all used to optimum effect. Overall - A MUST SEE