ComedyCrimeDrama

Paper Moon

- As P.T. Barnum put it, "There's a sucker born every minute."

A bible salesman finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership as a money-making con team in Depression-era Kansas.

Release Date : 1973-05-09

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : The Directors CompanySaticoy ProductionsParamount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Addie Loggins

Original Name : Tatum O'Neal

Gender : Female

Character Name : Moses Pray

Original Name : Ryan O'Neal

Gender : Male

Character Name : Trixie Delight

Original Name : Madeline Kahn

Gender : Female

Character Name : Deputy Hardin / Jess Hardin

Original Name : John Hillerman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Ollie

Original Name : Jessie Lee Fulton

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Robertson

Original Name : Noble Willingham

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leroy

Original Name : Randy Quaid

Gender : Male

Character Name : Imogene

Original Name : P.J. Johnson

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Minister

Original Name : James N. Harrell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Floyd (Desk Clerk)

Original Name : Burton Gilliam

Gender : Male

Character Name : 2nd Deputy

Original Name : Hugh Gillin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cotton Candy Man

Original Name : Desmond Dhooge

Gender : Male

Character Name : Silver Mine Gentleman

Original Name : Art Ellison

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Minister's Wife

Original Name : Lila Waters

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gas Station Attendant

Original Name : Bob Young

Gender : Male

Character Name : Station Master

Original Name : Jack Saunders

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cafe Waitress

Original Name : Jody Wilbur

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Widow Morgan - Pearl

Original Name : Liz Ross

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Widow Bates - Marie

Original Name : Yvonne Harrison

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Lawman - Bates' Home

Original Name : Ed Reed

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ribbon Saleslady

Original Name : Dorothy Price

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Widow Stanley - Elvira

Original Name : Eleanor Bogart

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Widow Huff - Edna

Original Name : Dorothy Forster

Gender : Female

Character Name : Moze's Girlfriend

Original Name : Lana Daniel

Gender : Female

Character Name : The Barber

Original Name : Herschel Morris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Salesgirl - $20 Bill

Original Name : Dejah Moore

Gender : Female

Character Name : Store Manager

Original Name : Ralph Coder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Store Customer

Original Name : Harriet Ketchum

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harem Tent Barker

Original Name : Kenneth Hughes

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Photographer

Original Name : George Lillie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beau - Hardin's Deputy

Original Name : Floyd Mahaney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leroy's Father

Original Name : Gilbert Milton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leroy's Brother

Original Name : Tandy Arnold

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leroy's Brother

Original Name : Dennis Beden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Leroy's Brother

Original Name : Vernon Schwanke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aunt Billie (as Rosemary Rumbley)

Original Name : Rose-Mary Rumbley

Gender : Female

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Utterly delightful. Father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O'Neal, under Peter Bogdanovich's superlative direction, produce one of the most affectingly warm and cunningly sly movies of the 1970s. Set in depression era America and beautifully photographed in pristine monochrome by Laszlo Kovacs, it's a period piece that refuses to get old, such is the deft imagery and sharpness of the screenplay. Story essentially comes down to conman Moses Pray (R. O'Neal) hooking up with orphan Addie Loggins (T. O'Neal), who may or may not be his actual daughter. Addie proves to be a precocious live wire, not easily fooled and she smokes, cusses and is more than capable of pulling a con herself. After initial indignation, Moses comes to court Addie's strengths and they form a dynamic partnership as they travel through Kansas, pulling cons left right and centre and piling the money up. But can it last forever? The chemistry between father and daughter is obviously set in stone, with young Tatum an absolute revelation. The screenplay gives them both ample opportunities to enchant and amuse the viewer as they get up to all sorts of tricks and scrapes. Yet there's always that feeling hanging in the dusty air that something has to give, that we are treading firmly in bittersweet territory, the crafty couple having earned our complete investment in their well being keeping us concerned even as we laugh out loud. Delightful. 9/10

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***Ryan O’Neal and his kid daughter Tatum in 1930’s Kansas*** In Depression-era Kansas, a conman who sells Bibles (Ryan O’Neal) is coerced into allowing a precocious 9 year-old (Tatum O’Neal) to ride with him as they travel to St. Joseph, Missouri, where her aunt lives. Madeline Kahn plays a carnival “dancer” with P.J. Johnson as her teen aide. John Hillerman appears in a double role as a bootlegger and police officer. "Paper Moon" (1973) is a B&W drama with amusing moments. Imagine “The Highwaymen” (2019) and “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), but with a lighter tone and much less severe criminality, mixed with father/quasi-daughter antics. The movie’s entertaining throughout, but the ending’s too low-key for my tastes (How about some good ol’ fashioned emotion?). But that’s a minor quibble. The film runs 1 hour, 42 minutes and was shot in Kansas, Nebraska & Missouri (with one part done in Pasadena). GRADE: B