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Paper Moon (1973)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
9 May 1973 (USA)
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Tagline:
As P.T. Barnum put it, "There's a sucker born every minute."
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar.
Another 6 wins
&
8 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(34 articles)
'70s behind-the-camera greats: How Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos Zsigmond put the cinema in cinematography
(From EW.com - The Movie Critics. 18 November 2009, 12:48 PM, PST)
Vilmos Zsigmond: From Hungary with Cameras
(From The Guardian - Film News. 12 November 2009, 2:35 PM, PST)
(From EW.com - The Movie Critics. 18 November 2009, 12:48 PM, PST)
Vilmos Zsigmond: From Hungary with Cameras
(From The Guardian - Film News. 12 November 2009, 2:35 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Enchanting Depression-era comedy...
more (88 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Ryan O'Neal | ... | Moses Pray | |
| Tatum O'Neal | ... | Addie Loggins | |
| Madeline Kahn | ... | Trixie Delight | |
| John Hillerman | ... | Deputy Hardin / Jess Hardin | |
| P.J. Johnson | ... | Imogene | |
| Jessie Lee Fulton | ... | Miss Ollie | |
| James N. Harrell | ... | The Minister (as Jim Harrell) | |
| Lila Waters | ... | The Minister's Wife | |
| Noble Willingham | ... | Mr. Robertson | |
| Bob Young | ... | Gas Station Attendant | |
| Jack Saunders | ... | Station Master | |
| Jody Wilbur | ... | Cafe Waitress | |
| Liz Ross | ... | The Widow Morgan (Pearl) | |
| Yvonne Harrison | ... | The Widow Bates (Marie) | |
| Dorothy Price | ... | Ribbon Saleslady |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
102 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
UK:A (original rating) |
UK:PG |
Canada:13+ (Quebec) |
Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) |
Germany:12 |
Portugal:M/12 |
Norway:16 |
West Germany:16 (nf) |
Brazil:14 |
Finland:K-8 |
Sweden:11 |
USA:PG |
Singapore:PG
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The cigarettes used by Tatum O'Neal contained no nicotine. They were made out of lettuce.
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Goofs:
Anachronisms: When Moses is being chased through the streets of St. Joseph, modern electrical transformers can be seen on utility poles in the background.
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Quotes:
[about Trixie Delight]
Addie Loggins: How come she had to leave that job back there?
Imogene: Cause the boss-man tried to make her put out for his friends, and she don't believe in puttin' out for free!
Addie Loggins: She put out much?
Imogene: Just like a gum machine. You drop some in and she'll put some out.
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Addie Loggins: How come she had to leave that job back there?
Imogene: Cause the boss-man tried to make her put out for his friends, and she don't believe in puttin' out for free!
Addie Loggins: She put out much?
Imogene: Just like a gum machine. You drop some in and she'll put some out.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in "I Love the '70s: Volume 2" (2006)
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Soundtrack:
Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee
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FAQ
A Note Regarding SpoilersHow does the money trick work?
Why was the title changed from "Addie Pray" to "Paper Moon"?
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more (88 total)
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True, TATUM O'NEIL won an Oscar for her role as Addie Pray in PAPER MOON and fully deserved it. Her dad, RYAN O'NEIL must have been proud of her but his only reward was a Golden Globe nomination.
The con artist and little girl theme had been used before in Damon Runyon's famous comedy "Little Miss Marker" with Shirley Temple and Adolphe Menjou. But here the twist is that the girl is just as much a con artist as the man--and that's the key that makes the film so much more palatable for 1970s audiences without getting too sentimental about it.
There's a real Depression-era feeling to the whole story, with some richly detailed panoramas of rural America and its citizens at that time in history. Peter Bogdanovich has done a commendable job in making sure that his authentic backgrounds illuminate an enchanting tale about two drifters who share an unusual partnership when it becomes clear to the man that the girl would be a valuable aid in his con work.
There's a bright supporting role by MADELINE KAHN as Trixie Delight, a stripper who tosses off some good one-liners, but it's the chemistry between Tatum and Ryan that turns this into the most satisfying "buddy" movie of the '70s.
Summing up: A treat not to be missed.