The Sugarland Express Is Based On The True Story Of Lou Jean Poplin Who Kidnapped A Texas State Trooper And Led The Police On A Wild Chase Across The State In An Effort To Save Her Son From Adoption. This Complex Role Was Enough To Lure Superstar Goldie Hawn Back To The Screen After A One-Year Hiatus Following Her Oscar-Winning Performance In Cactus Flower. It Also Marks The Feature Film Debut Of A Young Now Famous Director Steven Spielberg.