The Sugarland Express (1974)

A young woman (Goldie Hawn) helps her husband (William Atherton) break out of jail with the intention of forcibly retrieving their baby (Harrison Zanuck) from the foster home he has been placed in. They kidnap a Texas patrolman (Michael Sacks) and force him at gunpoint to take them to their baby. Based on an actual incident that happened in 1969 and directed by Steven Spielberg in his feature film debut. Although a "true" story, Spielberg fictionalized much of the movie for more dramatic effect. The film is a kissin' cousin to RAISING ARIZONA but whereas ARIZONA was a black comedy, SUGARLAND's schizophrenic nature can't seem to decide whether it wants to be a good ol' boy SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT chase movie (which came three years after) or a BONNIE AND CLYDE lovers on the run from the law crime drama. The strongest parts of the movie are the latter. Not surprisingly, the film is condescending to the rural Texans (the yokels shooting up the car lot never happened, it's an invention for the film). On the plus side, the film contains what is perhaps Hawn's best performance and she might have nabbed an Oscar nomination if the film weren't a box office disappointment. This was the first collaboration between Spielberg and composer John Williams. JAWS would come out the following year. With Ben Johnson, Louise Latham and Gregory Walcott.