Paper Moon

This heart-warming comedy, set during the Great Depression, unites the talent of real-life father and daughter team Ryan and Tatum O’Neal in the role of hardboiled con man Moses Pray and Addie, the feisty tomboy girl he unwillingly ends up with as his partner-in-crime. Tatum, then 9-years old, was the youngest actress ever to win an ‘Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress’.

Based on the novel ‘Addie Pray’, director Bogdanovich decided to change the film’s title to ‘Paper Moon’ upon hearing the song “It’s Only a Paper Moon” b Yip Harburg and Billy Rose. Set in the American Midwest (although the novel is set in the Deep South), the plot concerns con man Moses Pray who attends the funeral of little Addie Loggins mother – a woman he not only had an affair with but whose daughter Addie might be his daughter, too…
We already get a fair impression of what kind of man he is the minute Moses makes his entrance at the graveyard. Boldly stealing the flowers from another grave, he turns up at Ms. Loggins funeral and chucks the stolen flowers onto her coffin. The one or two assembled friends and relatives beg Moses to give Addie a lift to her aunt as he happens to drive that direction. En route, Moses comes up with his first scheme witnesses by the young passenger: he stops at the house of the man who drove the very car in which Addie’s mother lost her life and, threatening to bring down the family business with a scandal and a manslaughter lawsuit, manages to weasel $200 dollars from the brother of the guilty man to guarantee Moses from ‘spreading the word’. After Moses attempts too drop off Addie at a train station to deliver her to her aunt, the girl protests and during lunch in a diner creates a scene, demanding $200 dollars that Moses owes her as by rights, the conned money is hers! Realising that Addie is a quick learner and that the company of a little girl might profit his business (i.e. flogging expensive and personalized bibles to recently widowed women with the pretence their late husband had ordered them) he reluctantly agrees to keep her as his companion-in-crime.

Addie is a quick learner indeed, and the way in which she interferes in Moses ‘business affairs’ – much to the chagrin of the apparently oh so experienced man, is a delight to watch. Ryan and Tatum O’Neal display great on-screen chemistry, forever bickering and quarrelling but gradually taking a father-daughter liking to each other – conning everyone that might benefit their dirty schemes.
The mood changes during a visit at a fair, for it is at the fair that Addie has a photo taken of her sitting on the cut-out paper moon of the title, and Moses makes the acquaintance of ‘exotic dancer’ Trixie Delight (Madeline Kahn). So smitten is Moses by Trixie that he invites her along to travel in his car. Meanwhile, Addie and Trixie’s black teenage maid Imogen (P. J. Johnson) have to make do with sitting on the backseat, squashed by Trixie’s considerable luggage. Sensing that the current scenario won’t spell a happy ending for either party, Addie and new pal Imogen come up with a daring plan to rid Moses of gold-digger Trixie once and for all – by setting up a scheme that sees Moses catching Miss Delight with another man. The plan works, and a heartbroken Moses is soon back on the road again with a triumphant Addie, while Trixie the Exotic Dancer and Imogen are left behind.
It’s not before long and ‘Moze’ and Addie are up to their old tricks again, but luck runs out when Moses tries to sell stolen moonshine to a guy who happens to be the brother of the local sheriff – oh dear! Once again it’s Addie who saves the situation thanks to her wit and audacity – here then is the worthy sister of the ‘Artful Dodger’. After a bold escape Moses once again ends up in an unfortunate situation during which he takes a severe beating. Fed up with the way things go, he finally drops off Addie at her aunt’s place. Not for long though! Addie has discovered her love for a dishonest life in the road and after having run away from her aunt, she ends up with Moses again who angrily protests but secretly is happy to have her back for new adventures.

The authentic feel of poverty and a time when people tried everything to make ends meet is lovingly re-created not only where costumes and props are concerned but vintage automobiles, too. The atmospheric b/w photography by László Kovács further enhances the old-style charm of this timeless comedy.

This Dual Edition contains the following SPECIAL FEATURES:

* Glorious new 1080p transfer of the film
* Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
* Feature-length commentary by Director Peter Bogdanovich
* Three video pieces on the making of the film, featuring interviews and outtake footage
* 36-PAGE BOOKLET featuring a new essay on the film by Michael Brooke, rare production stills, and more.