Paper Moon (1973)

This movie is difficult to be described in words, at least the right choice of words. There is some eccentricity in the storyline, its very catchy and entertaining but at the same time absolutely unassuming and unpredictable. Normally you would always be amazed to see how many times you wanted certain things to happen during the movie but it is so practical that you realise that you are assuming too much of romanticism in the world which seldom exists and thats why the plot is near perfect! Still the movie continues to entertain you, its neither a happy romanticised dream nor a tragedy but its the slug fit between these two ends of the drama. The acting and on screen chemistry of real life father daughter duo is phenomenal and certainly Tatum O'neal amazes as a child actor. The movie explores certain dimensions of those delicate and subtle human emotions of love which you long to express but cannot due to situations. Its definitely impressive movie with a perfect acting, plot, settings and direction which made me revise its rating to a perfect 10 from 9 as I couldn't stop thinking about it for long time!

Peter Bogdanovich's 'Paper Moon' is everything a road movie is supposed to be - a life-changing personal journey, a quest, a bit old-fashioned and above all, a hoot. The story is simple. Young Addie (Tatum O'Neal) finds herself orphaned with the death of her single - and apparently rather free-spirited - mother. The arrival of a man named Moze (her real-life father, Ryan O'Neal) at the funeral, provides the other mourners a chance to pack Addie off to her aunt in Missouri. Moze is reluctant to take her along, but sees a chance to blackmail some money out of the whole situation. However, his dreams of pocketing a windfall of $200 and sending Addie off on a train come to nothing - the wily young girl demands the greatly diminished sum that was meant for her care. As a result, he finds himself saddled with this grimly adult child (who is fairly certain that Moze is her father) as his assistant in a crime spree through the Midwest – a scam involving sale of overpriced Bibles to recent widows. In essence, Moze scans obituaries for gullible widows he can convince to pay the balance on Bibles their husbands "ordered" for them - deluxe editions with the names embossed in gold - before "passing on". Unsurprisingly, Addie is an adroit, if unruly, student, who upstages both his skill and daring.Yes, 'Paper Moon' is about two con artists, but not really about their con, and that's a relief. The scam is only part of the story, which takes a number of turns before reaching its end - including Moze picking up a tart from a sideshow - a carnival dancer named Trixie Delight (a cheerfully trampy Madeline Kahn), who is accompanied by a long suffering black maid, Imogene (wonderfully played by P. J. Johnson) who later turns out to be Addie's partner-in-crime. Bogdanovich takes the con games only as the experience which his two lead characters share and which draws them together in a way that's funny sometimes, but also very poignant and finally deeply touching.The film is shot in gorgeous black-and-white, giving it a documentary feel that meshes perfectly with the sweet cynicism of the characters. But what really underscores the film is amazing chemistry between the O'Neals. The fact they are father and daughter in real life helps flavor their working dynamic in an intriguing way. Tatum O'Neal is an absolute revelation - she spends much of the film with a sourpuss expression pasted to her adorable little pixie face, but breezes through the film with astonishing confidence. Ryan O'Neal's roguish charm is perfect for the character and the result, paired with his daughter, is a strong co-lead dynamic, in a tale about their delicate relationship that teeters on father-and-daughter quality without adopting the name.A true treasure, Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon belongs to a magical world that has elements of whimsy and noir!

I've been sitting thinking of how to write a review on this movie.Which angle can I come from? Should I mention the black and white filming..the chemistry between Ryan and his daughter Tatum..the use of depression hit America...the story behind the characters...direction...genre...sub-plots..blah blah blah...I've come to the conclusion that the best review I can give you is to get this on any which media you can and just sit and watch. Glorious and delightful from credit to credit. Amazing to think this movie is 40 years old.I recently reviewed " Birdman" and gave it a 9 because I wasn't sure whether it would translate to the small screen but this little gem just passes the finishing line because you could watch this on loop as I did. 3 times in one day and each time I smiled with a warm glow. Tatum O'Neal shows that you don't need any methods of acting as long as you got what it takes. All the extras in this movie must think its Christmas and their birthdays come rolled into one having a part in this.Won't drone on any more as I have just recently joined IMDb and trying to catch up with all my faves and as a regular movie goer for 40 years (alone ..yeah..I go alone..)I got a lot of typing to do.

Peter Bogdanovich's labor of love comes after his slavish (yet still enjoyable) homage to screwball comedies, "What's Up, Doc?". "Paper Moon", though, has a more honest feel. The collaborative contributions from everyone involved with Bogdanovich, from the sublime performances by Tatum O'Neal (very, very brave), Ryan O'Neal (his gift for comedy is genuine), Madeline Kahn (vulnerable and funny) and P.J. Johnson (stealing virtually every scene she's in), to the sharp cinematography by Laszlo Kovacs (everything is in deep focus), as well as Polly Platt's outstanding production design and the entertaining script by Alvin Sargent (based on Joe David Brown's novel "Addie Pray", unread) are a continual delight to movie lovers and film students alike. Bogdanovich brings a scholar's passion and precision to his Depression-era story about a con man who's consistently conned by his would-be eight year old (yet world-weary) daughter as they travel the Midwest and you can see the dedication in every shot, some takes of which are quite extended. The O'Neal father and daughter pairing is especially inspired: they bring out the best in each other and their hilarious, spontaneous rapport takes the film to another level; Bogdanovich uses their natural freshness as the film's centerpiece, and it's this freshness that allows him to veer off into sudden moments of seriousness that grounds the picture to the pathos of the era it portrays--it becomes real, accurate and graven even as it strives to entertain. A vital, focused masterpiece--on so many levels, it's what watching a movie is all about.