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Trailer

The Sugarland Express

1974Movie1 h 50 minPG

CrimeDrama
72
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb6.8Letterboxd3.5/5Metacritic657.3Rotten Tomatoes87%66%

A thrilling, tense crime movie about history and crime.

Good for date night · friends night · teens

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for scares, warmth or laughs.

Movies with

Story

A girl with a great following. Every cop in the state was after her. Everybody else was behind her.

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.

Feels like

  • 1970s America
  • Crime Thriller
  • Highway Chase
  • Unlikely Folk Heroes
  • Character-Driven
  • Melodrama
  • Social Commentary
  • Emotional

Cast

17 of 17

Crew

Directed by
Steven Spielberg
Written by
Steven Spielberg, Matthew Robbins, Hal Barwood
Produced by
David Brown, Richard D. Zanuck
Music by
John Williams

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

March 31, 1974 · 1 h 50 min · PG

Released
March 31, 1974
Runtime
1 h 50 min
Age rating
PG
Content
Violence
Genres
Crime, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$3 million
Box office
$13 million
Available in
54 countries
Keywords
based on true story

Tropes

Department of Child Disservices, Bumper Sticker, A Simple Plan +9

  • Department of Child Disservices
  • Bumper Sticker
  • A Simple Plan
  • Non-Indicative Name
  • Deconstruction
  • Manic Pixie Dream Girl
  • Potty Dance
  • Drive-In Theater
  • Wounded Gazelle Gambit
  • Reasonable Authority Figure
  • Very Loosely Based on a True Story
  • Cool Car

12 of 29 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream The Sugarland Express?"

Questions about The Sugarland Express

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Sugarland Express?

In the United States, you can rent or buy The Sugarland Express from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It streams in 9 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is The Sugarland Express worth watching?

72
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 72 (IMDb 6.8, Letterboxd 3.5 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 87%, and Metacritic 65).

Is The Sugarland Express okay for kids?

PGViolence

Not for young kids: it's rated PG in the United States for violence, and the viewing guide lists it for teens and adults.

Was The Sugarland Express a box office hit?

Budget$3 million
Box office$13 million

Yes: it cost about $3 million to make and earned $13 million worldwide, 4.3 times its budget.

What tropes does The Sugarland Express use?

Department of Child DisservicesBumper StickerA Simple PlanNon-Indicative NameDeconstructionManic Pixie Dream GirlPotty DanceDrive-In TheaterWounded Gazelle GambitReasonable Authority FigureVery Loosely Based on a True StoryCool Carand 17 more

TV Tropes lists 29 tropes for it, including Department of Child Disservices, Bumper Sticker, and A Simple Plan.