The Sugarland Express Page #5

Synopsis: Lou-Jean, a blonde woman, tells her husband, who is imprisoned, to escape. They plan to kidnap their own child, who was placed with foster parents. The escape is partly successful, they take a hostage, who is a policeman and are pursued through to Texas...
Genre: Crime, Drama
Director(s): Steven Spielberg
Production: Universal Pictures
  1 win & 3 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.8
Metacritic:
65
Rotten Tomatoes:
91%
PG
Year:
1974
110 min
2,588 Views


We got lawmen from Dallas,

up from Austin.

If they was all dentists,

we could call this a damn convention.

Has the chopper got anything yet?

Nothin'. Just kids hole-punchin'

back of the schoolyard.

- Have you located this old boy's folks?

- Both mother and father dead.

- Do we know the girl's maiden name?

- Sparrow.

(helicopter approaches)

(Slide) Help!

Clovis Poplin!

Somebody help me!

Help!

I don't believe it.

Man, these cuffs hurt!

Are you Mr. Sparrow?

OK. This way.

That's some ride, huh?

Mr. Sparrow, your influence

might persuade your daughter

and her husband to give themselves up.

Otherwise, I fear

not only for the safety of our man

but, frankly, for their lives as well.

- You understand why I have to say that?

- Yes, sir.

All right, sir.

Whenever you're ready, you just press

this black button down here.

And talk in a normal tone of voice.

When you're ready, just...

- talk in a normal tone of voice.

- Yes, and press...

Press this button

and talk in a normal tone of voice.

- That's right.

- You want me to go ahead?

Yes, sir.

Just say whatever you think's right.

Lou Jean? Lou Jean?

Lou Jean!

This is your daddy. They brought me

down here in a helicopter

that I might say a word,

and I'm gonna.

It's a good thing your poor mother is

not alive to see what has become of you.

Lou Jean, you're no good!

And I always knew... (static)

If this man gave me a gun,

I'd go down there and shoot you

and shoot that trash you married.

God'll get you. (static)

Hi, there.

Here, take this.

Put this around ya.

It'll make you feel better.

You tired? I sure am.

It's not every day I hitch a ride like this.

(static on radio)

You're not altogether bad-lookin'.

- You married?

- No.

- Got a girl?

- Of course I do.

I bet she's nice.

- Well, good night.

- Lou Jean...

Yeah?

Could you turn off the police radio?

- Why, sure.

- Great.

- Lou Jean...

- Yeah?

I know you're all right

and a good woman at heart,

even though you might have

took a wrong turn in life.

Well, thank you, I'm sure.

Prison made a woman out of me.

Night.

Jean?

Got a gas stove.

Goddamn!

(Clovis chuckles)

(Lou Jean chuckles)

Hey, we got a free movie next door.

Oh, Lou, honey.

If Baby Langston was here,

we'd be a real family.

What if we don't get the baby?

Of course we're gonna get him!

That's why you stole

that old police car, ain't it?

- I guess it is.

- You guess it is?

- I guess you're right.

- Come here.

- Did you miss me?

- Every day.

I like to hear you tell me that.

I missed all that sweet talk.

I wish we could get drunk.

We always used to get drunk together.

You're fun drunk.

Except when you're throwin' up

in the back of Bill Fails' Chevelle.

Jean, I mean every word of this.

You're my wife and I love you,

even if we don't get the baby.

Wish we had sound.

I'll be your sound. Come on.

- Meep meep! Pshhhhw!

- (Lou Jean giggles)

(does cartoon sound effects)

- Meep meep!

- (Lou Jean laughs)

Meep meep!

Oh, boy, that kid!

How many times have I told him!

(clattering)

What are you doin' in that outfit?

We're not goin' to the mountains.

Just a precaution. See and be seen.

There'll be a lot of clowns out there

with firearms and itchy fingers.

I don't want to get shot.

Patty, gonna be a reserve officer

like your old man?

- No, I want it full time.

- You'll make it.

- Did you bring the coffee?

- Black and hot.

Great.

Did you do that?

I had to.

You're in real trouble.

- Thank you.

- Jean, you decent?

Propane. Nice.

Y'all decent?

I'm gonna go pick one out.

Don't you guys get to dawdlin'.

(water running)

Does that old razor belong to you?

Sure do. Wanna use it?

Yeah, when you're done.

How much money you make

on the highway patrol?

Not a whole lot, let me tell ya.

- How much is that?

- $620 a month.

- But I take home a lot less.

- (electric razor)

I didn't mean what I said.

What was that?

About callin' you a son of a b*tch.

I didn't mean that.

And you ain't no mental subject, neither.

I've been thinkin' about

gettin' on the highway patrol.

They won't take a man with a record.

I think it's a state law.

(Lou Jean) Honey, I found one!

Blue-colored. I love it!

Honey?

Just supposin' that I were to tell you

that this is the end of the line.

Just supposin' I told you

I wasn't gonna go no further.

- What?

- Just supposin'!

Now, you may kill me,

but if you don't come to your senses

and throw it down,

they're gonna kill you.

Well, supposin' I was worried about that.

Which I'm not!

And supposin' I was to give myself up.

How many years'd I get for breakin' out?

I couldn't tell you but it might go real easy

bein' as how you're a regular fella.

Well, I am a regular fella!

I never shot a man.

There you go!

That's a major point with the law.

Make you mighty happy, I bet ya.

Hell, yes.

It'd make everybody happy!

Well, where are you two?

It's already sunup.

Not Lou Jean.

It wouldn't make her happy.

Man, they'd lock me up

from now to Moses.

Take away my boy for good.

They'll change his name.

All right, stand up.

Stand up!

Nobody move. I made up my mind.

We're gonna take this one.

It's the best one on the lot.

Don't let that squelch fool you.

We're not the only ones out here.

- Maybe they already caught 'em.

- No way.

I had my home set on all night.

Wasn't anything on the APB about it.

You all know what I think

about the airborne.

Dad, they're in Big John's!

After you scrape off the insulation, bring it

from your hot line to your coil over here.

Make sure you don't get

your fingers on the metal.

I need somethin' to short over the starter.

- What about your badge?

- Yeah, that'll work.

You got water in the gas line.

You run lights and appliances all night?

- (Lou Jean) No.

- (Clovis) Yeah.

Battery's outside.

- Which one do you want?

- I'll take that redhead.

(Lou Jean screams)

Come back!

There! There!

Come back!

Come back here!

Come back here!

That must be them, all right.

(gunshots)

(screams)

(screams)

(screams)

(gunshots)

Hold it!

Maxwell, come back!

Wait! Come back!

Wait a minute!

You son of a b*tch!

Make 'em stop!

Stop!

Hold your fire! This is Patrolman Slide,

Texas Department of Public Safety.

How do you work this goddamn thing?

(squeals)

(Slide) No, Lou Jean, turn it around!

(shrieks)

Captain Tanner! Captain Tanner!

They're shootin' at us!

This is Captain Tanner.

Where are you located?

We got 'em! Big John's used car lot,

Military Drive!

Hey, we got 'em! They're at Big John's,

Military and San Pedro!

(helicopter engine)

(sirens)

(gunshots)

Hit anything yet?

(yelling)

- Boy, wait till they see what we found.

- Drop those weapons!

- Move a finger and I'll blow it off.

- But we've captured the fugitives.

- Keep 'em here, Jessup.

- Yes, sir.

(Clovis) Captain Tanner!

Captain Tanner!

You're gonna kill your man!

I'll pull my trigger and shoot his head.

It's him or my baby. That's my deal.

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes

Hal Barwood

Hal Barwood is an American screenwriter, film producer, film director, game designer, game producer, freelancer and novelist best known for his work on LucasArts games based on the Indiana Jones license. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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