SimilarScreen
The Sugarland Express

The Sugarland Express

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

19746.61h 50m

Overview

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.

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins, Steven Spielberg
Produced by David Brown, Richard D. Zanuck
Box OfficeBudget: $3.0MRevenue: $12.8M

Top Cast

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn

Lou Jean Poplin

William Atherton

William Atherton

Clovis Poplin

Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson

Captain Tanner

Michael Sacks

Michael Sacks

Slide

Gregory Walcott

Gregory Walcott

Mashburn

Steve Kanaly

Steve Kanaly

Jessup

Louise Latham

Louise Latham

Mrs. Looby

H

Harrison Zanuck

Baby Langston

A

A.L. Camp

Mr. Nocker

Jessie Lee Fulton

Jessie Lee Fulton

Mrs. Nocker

Themes & Keywords

prisonpolicestadiumkidnappinghostagetexasadoptiontexas rangerbaby-snatchingbased on true storyroad tripon the runvulgarityrunaway couplefugitive lovers

About The Sugarland Express

The Sugarland Express is a crime, drama, comedy film released in 1974 exploring themes of prison, police, stadium, kidnapping, hostage, texas. Directed by Steven Spielberg, it stars Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, Ben Johnson. 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.

Movies Similar to The Sugarland Express

Discover titles like The Sugarland Express — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Sugarland Express

If you enjoyed The Sugarland Express, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Sugarland Express.

Bonnie and Clyde
31% Match

In the 1930s, bored European-American waitress Bonnie Parker falls in love with a European-American ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they start a violent crime spree through the country, stealing cars and robbing banks.

Badlands
26% Match

Badlands(1974)

Movie7.5/10

An impressionable teenage girl from a dead-end town and her older greaser boyfriend embark on a killing spree in the South Dakota badlands.

Three Fugitives
25% Match

On his first day after being released from jail for 14 armed bank robberies, Lucas finds himself caught up in someone else's robbery. Perry has decided to hold up the local bank to raise money so that he can keep his daughter, Meg, and get her the treatment she needs. Dugan, a detective, assumes Lucas helped plan the robbery, and hence Lucas, Perry and Meg become three fugitives.

The Old Man & the Gun
24% Match

The true story of Forrest Tucker, from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are a detective, who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman, who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.

The Longest Yard
23% Match

Disgraced pro football quarterback Paul Crewe lands in a Texas federal penitentiary, where manipulative Warden Hazen recruits him to advise the institution's football team of prison guards. Crewe suggests a tune-up game which lands him quarterbacking a crew of inmates in a game against the guards. Aided by incarcerated ex-NFL coach and player Nate Scarborough, Crewe and his team must overcome not only the bloodthirstiness of the opposition, but also the corrupt warden trying to fix the game against them.

Dead Man's Wire
22% Match

In 1977, former real estate developer Tony Kiritsis puts a dead man's switch on himself and the mortgage banker who did him wrong, demanding $5 million and a personal apology.

Empire of the Sun
21% Match

Jamie Graham, a privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai when the Japanese invade and force all foreigners into prison camps. Jamie is captured with an American sailor, who looks out for him while they are in the camp together. Even though he is separated from his parents and in a hostile environment, Jamie maintains his dignity and youthful spirit, providing a beacon of hope for the others held captive with him.

Roofman
21% Match

Roofman(2025)

Movie7.1/10

A former Army Ranger and struggling father turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname "Roofman." After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.

Broker
20% Match

Broker(2022)

Movie7.2/10

Sang-hyun is always struggling from debt, and Dong-soo works at a baby box facility. On a rainy night, they steal the baby Woo-sung, who was left in the baby box, to sell him at a good price. Meanwhile, detectives were watching, and they quietly track them down to capture the crucial evidence.

GoodFellas
19% Match

GoodFellas(1990)

Movie8.5/10

The true story of Henry Hill, a half-Irish, half-Sicilian Brooklyn kid who is adopted by neighbourhood gangsters at an early age and climbs the ranks of a Mafia family under the guidance of Jimmy Conway.

Ain't Them Bodies Saints
19% Match

Bob Muldoon and Ruth Guthrie, an impassioned young outlaw couple on an extended crime spree, are finally apprehended by lawmen after a shootout in the Texas hills. Although Ruth wounds a local officer, Bob takes the blame. But four years later, Bob escapes from prison and sets out to find Ruth and their daughter, born during his incarceration.

Trial by Fire
19% Match

The tragic and controversial story of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed in Texas for killing his three children after scientific evidence and expert testimony that bolstered his claims of innocence were suppressed.