The Melbourne Cinémathèque & ACMI present
The Sugarland Express
When
Wed 11 Feb 2026
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Based on real lovers-on-the-lam Ila Fae Holiday and Bobby Dent, Spielberg’s assured and riotous theatrical debut stars Goldie Hawn as a woman breaking her husband (William Atherton) out of prison in order for the pair to retrieve their son from child welfare services. Spurred by the extraordinary success of his 1971 TV movie Duel, the film initiated Spielberg’s collaborations with cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, who delicately captures the sun-dazzled Texan landscape during numerous chaotic car chases, and composer John Williams, whose soundtrack features famed harmonica player Toots Thielemans. With Ben Johnson.
Explore more events in the "You can never go fast enough": The Early 1970s Road Movie as the Quintessential New Hollywood Genre program
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ACMI – the home of festivals
Australia's longest-running film society, Melbourne Cinémathèque screens significant works of international cinema in the medium they were created, the way they would have originally screened.
Melbourne Cinémathèque is self-administered, volunteer-run, not-for-profit and membership-driven.
