Paper Moon

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 str...

Ryan ONeal and his kid daughter Tatum in 1930s Kansas

In Depression-era Kansas, a conman who sells Bibles (Ryan ONeal) is coerced into allowing a precocious 9 year-old (Tatum ONeal) 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 movies entertaining throughout, but the endings too low-key for my tastes (How about some good ol fashioned ...