Paper Moon

Paper Moon
by Peter Bogdanovich

Paper Moon
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DVD Cover Information

Actor: John Hillerman, Madeline Kahn, P.J. Johnson, Ryan O'Neal, Tatum O'Neal
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Brand: Paramount
Cinematographer: L?szl? Kov?cs
Producer: Peter Bogdanovich
Editor: Verna Fields
Producer: Frank Marshall
Writer: Alvin Sargent
Writer: Joe David Brown
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled)
Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 102 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-12
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Paramount

Movie Reviews of Paper Moon

Movie Review: It's Only a Canvas Sky...
Summary: 4 Stars

When Addie Loggins (Tatum O'Neal) is orphaned, she is sent away with a traveling swindler named Moses who could possibly be her father (Ryan O'Neal) to find her aunt and uncle in St. Jo. At the start of their journey, Moses cons $200 out of a local resident, but Addie is convinced the money is rightfully hers. In order to earn back the money he already spent, Moses takes Addie with him on a quest to get money, a quest that lasts many months. Along the way, they meet some very interesting people, including a showgirl named Trixie Delight (Madeline Kahn).

As a fan of black and white movies, I was surprised to find how stifling the use of black and white is in this movie, perhaps an allusion to the desperation of the Great Depression era. We see evidence of how poor people are, like the travelling migrants looking for new homes out west. The use of music is in direct contrast to this sentiment; it is peppy and fun. Entertainment is escapism, like Jack Benny's radio program or the games at the carnival.

The possible paternal relationship between Moses and Addie is supported by their similar jawline; this is because Ryan and Tatum are father and daughter in life. This casting choice turned out to be a stroke of genius and Tatum won the best supporting actress Oscar at the age of ten.

Summary of Paper Moon

Adapted from the novel "Addie Pray" by Joe David Brown, PAPER MOON is set in the Midwest during the Great Depression, and follows the story of Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal), a happy-go-lucky con artist who travels through the Midwest on a mission to swindle money out of innocent widows. While attending a friend's funeral, Pray is called upon by two elderly ladies to deliver the daughter of the deceased, Addie (Tatum O'Neal), to her aunt in Missouri. Soon learning that the 9-year-old is almost as mischievous and manipulative as he is, Pray and Addie develop a father and daughter routine that increases their credibility as well as their income. Now, the devious duo set out on a series of misadventures involving crooked cops, bootleggers, grieving widows and a Carney dancer named Miss Trixie Delight (Kahn) who adds a little spice to their routine.
A sweet and subtle gem of a movie. Newly orphaned Addie (Tatum O'Neal) falls into the care of small-time con artist Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal, Tatum's real-life father) and turns out to be better at grifting than he is. Set in Depression-era Kansas, Paper Moon is a miracle of unity. The set design and cinematography combine to give both the flavor of documentary photos and the visual quality of movies from the period, and every performance meshes with the overall tone of sincerity, earnest optimism, and creeping desperation. The rapport between Addie and Moses is phenomenal--and being father and daughter doesn't make that a sure thing. Ryan O'Neal gives a truly great performance (perhaps the only one of his career) and Tatum won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (she's the youngest winner in history). Madeline Kahn was also nominated for her wonderfully funny and sad turn as an exotic dancer named Trixie Delight. Paper Moon has a miraculous combination of outrageous sentimentality and pragmatic cynicism; the result is genuinely touching. One of director Peter Bogdanovich's best films, and kind of a comic companion piece to The Last Picture Show. --Bret Fetzer

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