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.
Where to Watch Paper Moon
- Chris KaleikiJuly 10, 2026Came for the Coney Island, stayed for the Nehi.
- GuyJuly 23, 2026Peter Bogdanovich’s Paper Moon (1973) remains a masterclass in American filmmaking, a crisp, deeply charming road movie that captures the grit and heart of Great Depression-era Kansas. Shot in striking high-contrast black-and-white by László Kovács, the film follows Moses Pray (Ryan O’Neal), a slick Bible-selling con man, and Addie Loggins (Tatum O’Neal), a cigarette-smoking nine-year-old orphan who might just be his daughter. What makes the movie an all-time classic is the electric real-life dynamic between the leads. Tatum O’Neal’s Oscar-winning debut (still the youngest competitive win in Academy history) is legendary: she matches her father beat for beat with sharp comedic timing and deadpan grit. Coupled with a hilarious supporting turn by Madeline Kahn as Trixie Delight, the story strikes a perfect balance between sharp comedy and tender connection. It is easy to see why this made such an indelible mark on my Gen X childhood, I watched this on a worn-out VHS tape back in the day (before DVDs hit shelves in the late '90s!). It possesses a rare, unsentimental warmth that never feels dated. Verdict: 5/5 stars - a funny, moving, and brilliantly executed cinematic treasure.
- alexnoaholdmateDecember 31, 2025Madeline Kahn excellent, as always, but it's difficult to feel for such unlikeable characters, even if their actors' performances were great. This is the flaw at the heart of many "anti-hero" films. The Black & White cinematography - including wide shots of empty desolate plains - is fantastic.
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Paper Moon was released on May 9, 1973.
Paper Moon was directed by Peter Bogdanovich.
Paper Moon has a runtime of 1h 42m.
Paper Moon was produced by Peter Bogdanovich.
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.
The key characters in Paper Moon are Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal), Addie Loggins (Tatum O'Neal), Trixie Delight (Madeline Kahn).
Paper Moon is rated PG.
Paper Moon is a Comedy, Crime, Drama film.
Paper Moon has an audience rating of 9.5 out of 10.
Paper Moon had a budget of $2.5M.
Paper Moon has made $30.9M at the box office.