Paper Moon
1973 Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Synopsis
As P.T. Barnum put it, "There's a sucker born every minute."
During the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership.
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Peter Bogdanovich not only evokes the look of the 1930s with the costumes, sets, and props of Paper Moon, but the feel as well; sweeping, graceful pans, stark close-ups, and plenty of low-angle shots all feel as if little Addie Pray went right on to star in a Little Rascals short once filming wrapped here. It is amazing that the decision to film in black and white is one of the least noticeable aspects of its imitation of a bygone era of film-making.
Besides being a technical marvel, what else does Paper Moon have going for it? It turns out, plenty:
One of the defining characteristics of good acting is appearing as if you're not acting at all. Tatum O'Neal…
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Peter Bogdanovich made a great little movie here. It seems like he's mostly an actor now, do they not let him direct anymore? Either way, Paper Moon is a very good comedy with one of the greatest child performances ever, Addie Loggins played by Tatum O'neal.
I've had this in my Netflix queue for a long time and I've had little interest to watch it even though Netflix suggested star rating was something like 4.5. A couple days ago I saw a short clip on Youtube and I was happy to see the movie was nothing like I expected it to be. It's a black and white film set during the great depression, and it certainly isn't a movie for kids.
The script is smart and the performances are great. You can't ask for much more from a film like this.
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"Guess we'll just have to keep on veerin', that's all."
This is another recent rewatch, like Bullitt, that I haven't seen since I was a kid (and the first movie of my Childhood Memories March challenge). And like Bullitt, it absolutely floors me how great this flick is. I wasn't old enough to appreciate it the first time around but… MAN, is this a gorgeous movie! It's in black and white but I wouldn't describe it as Noir. There's a nice gradation of grey tones and, even without the color, the skies and plains of Kansas look fantastic.
The relationship between real-world father and daughter, Ryan and Tatum O'Neal is extremely funny and sharp. There's also something incredibly sweet about…
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Father-daughter team Ryan and Tatum O'Neal are wonderful to watch in this slick con-man comedy about two grifters drifting around the Depression-era midwest. Shot in glorious black and white with a stellar eye for detail, it's funny, sweet, and the chemistry between the two is, naturally, dynamite.
Bonus points for Madeline Kahn as the gold-digging stripper Trixie Delight, and you have a first-rate period piece that ranks among Bogdanavich's best.
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The relationship between Moses ("Moz") and Addie is what anchors this film and makes it truly special. It is at once co-dependent and constantly strained, yet deep down, there is a burgeoning love for one another. Played brilliantly by Ryan O'Neill and daughter Tatum, the duo is mesmerizing anytime they share the screen together. Their verbal sparring is among the greatest I've seen on film; hilarious, inventive, and downright clever. Moz, with all his strength, is powerless against Addie, and yet Addie, with all her feist and single-mindedness, is reliant on Moses. It's a superb dynamic.
Outside of the relationship shared by the dual protagonists/antagonists, the film also manages to tell a wonderfully engaging story of two conniving con artists…
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I watched Paper Moon not knowing what to expect, and ended up falling in love with it. Ryan O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal (the youngest person to ever win an Oscar for her role here) both give beautiful performances, their characters are so well-written and their interactions are a joy to watch. The movie itself is realistic, funny, and sweet, with warm black-and-white visuals and excellent direction from Peter Bogdanovich. Fantastic film that adds to my growing love of 1970's movies.
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WOW! This film is a collector's item for sure, with unbelievable camerawork by Kovacs. A superb story about an unusual relationship between a con-man and an orphaned girl. Stylized like a 30's movie with a score that'll remind you of Tom and Jerry, Paper Moon symbolizes all the splendor and elegance black and white can offer. Tatum O'Neil, considering she was 10 years old at the time, puts in one hell of a performance!
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Paper Moon, in one word, is a delight. The two lead performances carry this film so much that it's difficult to imagine it with anyone else. Leads who are a real life father and daughter pairing, no less.
Ryan O'Neal as Moses Pray is perfectly conniving and dishonest, yet humble when those brief instances allow him to be. And who could help but be humbled by Tatum O'Neal as 9-year-old Addie Loggins? Sweet on the outside, but just as devilish and quick-witted as any adult on the inside. As it turns out, Tatum has some of the film's most memorable lines and most poignant scenes. It's a joy to watch her delivery, whether it be angrily demanding her $200 or…
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Experienced the thrill of watching a film I love with someone (Lin) watching the film for the first time. She loved it, too.
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Que filmaço. Parece uma homenagem de Bogdanovich a Chaplin pelo filme "O Garoto". Porém, em Paper Moon, não há o drama nem a profundidade do filme de Chaplin, mas ainda mantém o humor e a leveza. Tatum O'Neal conquista facilmente com o olhar e sua língua presa, tornando impossível não se deixar levar pelo carisma e o talento da menina. Um filme ótimo que não perdeu o charme com o passar dos anos.
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A touching tale of two con-artists in the Great Depression, one a grown man and the other a little girl who may or may not be his daughter. Tatum O'Neal is absolutely superb.
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The greatest road movie I have ever seen. Tatum O'Neal is a revelation here...makes me want a daughter even more than I already do. Beautiful.
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I think it was abso-really good.
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"Guess we'll just have to keep on veerin', that's all."
This is another recent rewatch, like Bullitt, that I haven't seen since I was a kid (and the first movie of my Childhood Memories March challenge). And like Bullitt, it absolutely floors me how great this flick is. I wasn't old enough to appreciate it the first time around but… MAN, is this a gorgeous movie! It's in black and white but I wouldn't describe it as Noir. There's a nice gradation of grey tones and, even without the color, the skies and plains of Kansas look fantastic.
The relationship between real-world father and daughter, Ryan and Tatum O'Neal is extremely funny and sharp. There's also something incredibly sweet about…
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You still owe me 200 dollars.