Origins of a master

The Sugarland Express (1974)

Directed by Steven Spielberg this film inspired by a true story stars Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, Michael Sacks and Ben Johnson. A young woman breaks her boyfriend out of prison and the kidnap a highway patrol officer while trying to get their baby back from the state.

This film is an early example of Spielberg's ability to handle comedy, drama and tragedy all in the same narrative without any feeling out of place. The plot sits somewhere between Dog Day Afternoon and Raising Arizona, with a very poignant ending. There are decent performances from most of the cast and while Goldie Hawn draws most of the attention I really enjoyed the more subtle performance from Ben Johnson.

4/5