The Sugarland Express Page #6

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


- Clovis, I see you.

- That's my deal.

What kind of a deal are you talkin' about?

We keep right on to Sugarland,

no roadblocks,

and no snipers, and no nothin'.

Once we get my baby,

I'll let your man go.

Are you listenin'?

Cos he's gonna tell you somethin'.

This is Patrolman Maxwell Slide.

I suppose y'all might want

to end it right here and now.

If that's your thinkin', sir, it's fine by me.

Y'all come on in.

Just tell everyone I told you that.

Let's all back off a step or two, men.

No need for hasty talk around here.

All right, Clovis.

You got yourself a deal.

Sounds like a fair proposition to me

and I'm gonna abide by it.

But no more runnin' off,

no more speedin', and no more guns.

- What do you say to that?

- I want your personal word of honor.

Do I got it?

Yeah, you got it.

Did you hear that, honey?

We're gonna get the baby.

Captain Tanner,

I do believe you're a good man.

Captain?

Yeah?

You ain't really gonna let 'em

take that baby, are you?

I don't see how we can.

Do you want me to go somewheres?

Yeah.

Go find those two old boys

that was with you.

What's their names?

Fenno and Waters.

Yeah, Fenno and Waters.

Find them, take the chopper,

and get on over to the foster home.

Yes, sir.

I'm real sorry, Captain.

Yeah.

Don't let me see you around here again.

- But, Captain...

- Shut up!

These boys ain't reserves. They ain't been

on the active list for more than a year.

Is that right?

Take that with you!

- Arrest 'em, Jessup.

- Yes, sir!

(baby talk)

(knocking at door)

- You're not taking him away, are you?

- No. Just gonna make sure he'll be safe.

# When my blue moon turns to gold again

# When the rainbow turns the clouds away

# When my blue moon turns to gold again

# I'll be back within your arms again

- I'm sittin' too far from the wheel.

- No, that's the way it's supposed to be.

Simply place your hands

at 10 and 2 o'clock.

- Like this?

- That's just about OK.

Now, when negotiatin' a turn,

shuffle the wheel through your fingers

rather than to go across hand over hand.

That way you got both hands

on the wheel at all times.

(singing with abandon)

(Clovis) That's pretty neat.

Hey, have you ever seen

a picture of Baby Langston?

- Ain't he sweet?

- Yeah. Fine-lookin' boy.

- I took that picture.

- It's a fine-lookin' picture.

This here's my ma and pa,

Horace and Mavorene Slide.

Hey, you got your pa's eyes.

- Who's that they're standin' next to?

- My bull. I was in the FFA.

- Who's that, your girlfriend?

- No, my old girlfriend. I still got the cycle.

- What's that?

- No, no. Gimme that! That's mine!

What's that? Is that you? Is that you?

- Yeah.

- (Lou Jean squeals)

Looks just like you.

I bet you'll get a big promotion

when this thing's over.

- You're gonna be Lieutenant Slide.

- That'll be the day.

(cars honking)

Hey, looky up there!

(Clovis) Now, what do you think of that?

(honking continues)

(crowd cheering and clapping)

Could I have that?

Could you bring that here to me?

- You got to count to 10.

- One, two, three, four, five, six,

seven, eight, nine, ten.

Eww! God!

- Let me see.

- Nuh-uh.

- Could you do me a favor?

- Anything you want, child.

Could you get me some hair spray

and a set of rollers?

You wait right here.

Just wait right here.

And could you bring some pins

and other junk?

- You just wait.

- And some lipstick, pink, frosted?

You wait now.

Here you go.

- There's my picture.

- That's an old mug shot of me.

- I look like sh*t.

- You look more like a convict than I do.

Patrol Academy. It's worse than jail.

It's your baby. Don't let no one

take him away from you.

I'm not gonna. Thank you for everything

you've done. I appreciate it.

Y'all take care now.

- Bye!

- (crowd) Bye!

(cheering)

(honking)

There's another town

between here and Sugarland.

I don't want any more rubberneckin'.

You go around to Rodrigo and make sure

the local man's got the streets cleared.

If he tells you it's the 4th of July,

you advise him otherwise.

- Do you understand?

- Yes, sir.

(cars honking)

- Wanna set up some sandbags?

- We won't need 'em.

We're gonna need

a little more room in here.

Get that chair out just a little bit.

Can you gimme some braces?

Ma'am, are you expecting a delivery of

diapers, milk, newspapers or anything?

No.

Are there any neighbors or kinfolk who

might get it into their minds to pay a visit?

No.

We better plan to shoot

on this side of that post.

- OK, let me check.

- Take a heart shot right at the top.

- Excuse me, ma'am.

- That looks all right.

- That's gonna work.

- It'll work.

You all right, sir?

Officer, I know you're not gonna

let me shoot the son of a b*tch,

but at least you can use my rifle.

I don't know how this is gonna look.

You should always wash it first.

(hums)

Christ!

(coughing)

- Could I ask y'all some questions?

- Hey, y'all be careful.

- How they treatin' you, Mr. Slide?

- They've been all right.

When you gonna make your escape?

I'm not gonna escape.

I'm too busy talkin' the man out of it.

- He's talkin', but I ain't listenin'.

- I've practically got him rehabilitated.

I wouldn't go that far.

I'm just being reasonable.

(Tanner) You in the rig there.

You've got one second to get out of there.

I wanna say

I appreciate what Captain Tanner's done...

What would you two charge for

an exclusive interview with my station?

- Cash money?

- Don't nobody want to ask me nothin'?

(siren)

OK. Now, we're not gonna talk to any

more reporters till we decide on our deal.

Right. Whatever you think's fair.

(Tanner) I've been advised

we got innocent civilians

all over the streets of Rodrigo.

I can't let you go on in.

I want you to pull over and stop

so's we don't have an accident or worse.

Pull over and sit

while I find a way around that town.

What's he thinkin' of?

So what if there's people?

I wanna see the people!

I like the people.

And I bet ya $10

the people are gonna wanna see us.

Let's take a vote.

Whoever wants to go through say "aye".

Raise your hand. I raise my hand. Aye.

- Y'all go on in if you have a mind to.

- Come on!

If you're in favor,

raise your hand and say "aye".

Aye.

- Captain Tanner, this is 2311.

- Go ahead.

We all decided to go on through.

Thank y'all for makin' it unanimous.

(cheering)

(# band plays

"I've Been Working on the Railroad")

Honey, look at all these people. Hi!

- Hi, Lou Jean.

- Hi. Hi, everybody!

Here's my wallet with money.

God bless you.

- (Lou Jean) Look at all these people.

- Get off!

(honking)

Hi! How are ya?

How are ya?

Look at this old thing! Hey!

- Officer Slide, we're with you.

- I appreciate that. I appreciate it.

What's this for my baby? Diapers?

Oh, my God!

You can have him now for a pet.

Oh, my baby!

(honking)

- Quit that!

- Thank you, honey.

(squeals)

(fairground music)

Do you believe in God, brother?

Yes, ma'am. I sure do.

Courtesy of Schleicher's Hardware.

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…

All Hal Barwood scripts | Hal Barwood Scripts

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "The Sugarland Express" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_sugarland_express_19064>.

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