Oppressed by Depression era desperation, expert con artist Moses Pray joins forces with recently orphaned Addie Pray in a sometimes comic, sometimes tragic adventure across the dusty plains of Kansas. Combining small time cons with big time stakes, Paper Moon builds a sturdy plot upon the underpinnings of the Depression showcasing the devastation of beleaguered Americans, the ingenuity of a few, and the long lasting nature of a father/daughter partnership.

The story begins as Moses Pray is hustled into an errand of mercy – to deliver an orphaned girl to her only remaining relatives in Missouri.  Seeing this as a money making opportunity, Moses’s plans are suddenly thwarted by Addie’s superior conniving skills and he soon finds himself outmaneuvered in his own game, held ransom by a little girl for $200.00. Worming her mischievous way into his heart, the two soon become an unstoppable duo, fleecing unsuspecting America on the long, dusty Mid-West road to success. But, the rags-to-riches soon becomes riches-to-rags as an exotic dancer named Trixie Delight, a crooked sheriff, a moonshine deal gone bad, and a true lemon of a car thwart the protagonists’ schemes.  

Paper Moon captures the essence of the 1930s by mirroring the filming style of the time, showcasing Moses’s and Addie’s manipulative adventures in vintage black-and-white. From the wide, flat freedom of the west to the oppression of a small time sheriff gone crooked, to a farm yard brawl, the director Peter Bogdanovich wisely chose to adapt authentic period filming techniques to make the situations echo the times. Not only the monochrome style, but the costumes, mannerisms, and speech patterns of the time are expertly echoed and viewers will feel the vortex of time spiral them backwards to a high stakes era where fortune and oblivion coexisted within the span of one underhanded deal. Because of this, the film has a charismatic edge of nostalgia that shades everything in a strangely cozy aura that will appeal to audiences of every age.

Following the haphazard schemes of two fortune hunters in a delightfully dilapidated old car, the entire film smacks of sincerity bringing the characters’ gritty adventure to life, making the viewer have an equal stake in the fallible fortune hunting schemes. Considering that Moses (Ryan O’Neal) and Addie (Tatum O’Neal) are actual father and daughter, it is little surprise that the two have a realistic and effecting chemistry that gives the movie a pricelessly realistic and distinctly heartwarming quality. Tugging at the heart strings and tickling the funny bone, the two have an easy, familiar banter ranging from hilarious parent/child arguments to heartwarming episodes of team work. No one could have imbued the film with a more down to earth, realistic aura than Ryan and Tatum O’Neal. Indeed, both of their stellar performances more than made the movie and viewers will find themselves rooting for both characters. Interestingly, Tatum O’Neal won the well deserved title Best Supporting Actress for this film, making her the youngest winner in history. Obviously, the acting in this film is beyond ordinary taking a good story and imbuing it with a distinctly human aura.

But, not to forget the comic relief of Miss Trixie Delight (Madeline Kahn – likewise nominated for Best Supporting Actress) and her put upon maid Imma Jean. A formerly exotic dancer and a woman of questionable repute, Miss Trixie brings a light side to the film as she attempts to act like a lady. Some of the wittiest lines are delivered by the forever scheming Trixie whose concern for “bone structure” and frequent need for bathroom breaks will have male audiences twitching in discomfort and female audiences howling at the outrageousness of Trixie’s effusively disingenuous personality. When Imma Jean and Addie team up to oust the money hungry dancer from the team laughs will doubtlessly ensue.

Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, always amusing and heartwarming, the drama mirrors real life following the apex of the duo’s success right into the abyss of their setbacks. Paper Moon brazenly shows the good and bad, eventually leading to redemption and a feel good ending after giving the characters a rollercoaster ride. Complete with the hilarious mishap that was Miss Trixie, right up to a botched booze deal, a sudden escape from jail, and a bad cop with an axe to grind, the plot is a mesh of seriousness, sensationalism, and comedy giving viewers a little slice of life on a cinemagraphically perfect plate.

Having seen thousands of films ranging from serious to slapstick, horror to happiness, and beyond, Paper Moon stands out as my all time favorite film, heads above all the others. Perhaps it’s the beauty of the actors’ relationships with one another – that certain something that truly carries over into the rigors and hardships of real life. Perhaps it’s the laugh out load moments with Miss Trixie. Perhaps it’s the jail break and underhanded con deals. Perhaps it’s just that Paper Moon captures the essence of real life in a nostalgic, beautiful way. Instead of watching just a movie, Paper Moon is a little slice of real life imbued with real people that audiences can connect with. An unforgettable film that just has that certain feel to it – an aura that captures the heart and excites the imagination.  Highly recommended.

Countess_Eva