Paper Moon (1973)

Director:

Peter Bogdanovich

Writers:

Joe David Brown (novel)
Alvin Sargent (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 May 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

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.

Plot Keywords:

Bible | Great Depression | Carnival | Con | Con Man

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

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
Eleanor Bogart	...	The Widow Stanley (Elvira)
Dorothy Forster	...	The Widow Huff (Edna)
Lana Daniel	...	Moze's Girlfriend
Herschel Morris	...	The Barber
Dejah Moore	...	Salesgirl ($20 bill)
Ralph Coder	...	Store Manager
Harriet Ketchum	...	Store Customer
Desmond Dhooge	...	Cotton Candy Man
Kenneth Hughes	...	Harem Tent Barker
George Lillie	...	The Photographer
Burton Gilliam	...	Floyd (Desk Clerk)
Floyd Mahaney	...	Beau (Hardin's Deputy)
Gilbert Milton	...	Leroy's Father
Randy Quaid	...	Leroy
Tandy Arnold	...	Leroy's Brother
Dennis Beden	...	Leroy's Brother
Vernon Schwanke	...	Leroy's Brother
Hugh Gillin	...	2nd Deputy
Art Ellison	...	Silver Mine Gentleman
Rose-Mary Rumbley	...	Aunt Billie (as Rosemary Rumbley)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Benny	...	Himself (on his radio show) (voice) (uncredited) (archive footage)
Jim Jordan	...	Fibber McGee (on his radio show) (voice) (uncredited) (archive footage)
Marian Jordan	...	Molly McGee (on her radio show) (voice) (uncredited) (archive sound)
Ed Reed	...	The Lawman (Bates Home) (uncredited)
Don Wilson	...	Himself (on Jack Benny radio show) (voice) (uncredited) (archive footage)

Directed by
Peter Bogdanovich

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Joe David Brown		novel "Addie Pray"
Alvin Sargent		screenplay

Produced by
Peter Bogdanovich	....	producer
Frank Marshall	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
László Kovács		(director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)

Film Editing by
Verna Fields

Casting by
Gary Chason

Production Design by
Polly Platt

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(as John Austin)

Costume Design by
Polly Platt		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Dorothy Byrne	....	hair stylist
Rolf Miller	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jerry Ballew	....	second assistant director
Gary Daigler	....	trainee assistant director
Ray Gosnell Jr.	....	assistant director (as Ray Gosnell)

Art Department
George Lillie	....	painter
Ed Shanley	....	construction coordinator
James H. Spencer	....	set designer (as James Spencer)
Mark Wade	....	assistant prop man
Tony Wade	....	prop master

Sound Department
William C. Carruth	....	assistant sound editor (as Bill Carruth)
Les Fresholtz	....	sound mixer
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recordist
Kay Rose	....	sound editor
Frank E. Warner	....	sound editor (as Frank Warner)
Norman Webster	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Jack Harmon	....	optical effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Richmond L. Aguilar	....	gaffer (as Richmond Aguilar)
Bobby Byrne	....	camera operator (as Robert Byrne)
Dick Colean	....	assistant camera
George Hill	....	key grip
Leonard Lookabaugh	....	dolly grip
Lou Noto	....	assistant camera (as Louis Noto)
Lawrence E. Peets	....	best boy (as Larry Peets)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Pat Kelly	....	costumer
Sandra Stewart	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Rick Fields	....	post-production assistant (as Richard Fields)
William Neel	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Gil Casper	....	driver: camera car
Clyde Harper	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Selma Brown	....	production secretary
Neil Canton	....	production assistant
Rudi Fehr	....	records from the collection of
Karen Hale Wookey	....	script supervisor (as Karen Wookey)
Richard Waltzer	....	production assistant
Mae Woods	....	assistant to producer
Ralph M. Leo	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jack Benny	....	special thanks
Hoagy Carmichael & His Orchestra	....	special thanks
Bing Crosby	....	special thanks
Ramona Darby	....	special thanks
Jimmie Davis	....	special thanks
Jimmie Grier and His Orchestra	....	special thanks
Peggy Healy	....	special thanks
Jack Hylton and His Orchestra	....	special thanks
Johnny Hamp's Kentucky Serenaders	....	special thanks
Jim Jordan	....	special thanks
Marian Jordan	....	special thanks
Frank Luther	....	special thanks
Enric Madriguera and Orchestra	....	special thanks
Nat Gonella and His Georgians	....	special thanks
Ozzie Nelson and Orchestra	....	special thanks (as Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra)
Dick Powell	....	special thanks
Leo Reisman and His Orchestra	....	special thanks
Larry Stewart	....	special thanks
Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra	....	special thanks
Victor Young and His Orchestra	....	special thanks
Paul Whiteman	....	special thanks (as Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra)
Don Wilson	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Directors Company, The
• Paramount Pictures
• Saticoy Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• CIC (1973) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cine Plus Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

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:

Boca Raton, Florida, USA

Company:

Directors Company, The

Trivia:

The scene where Addie says, "I want my $200!" shows the Dream Theatre's marquee displaying Steamboat Round the Bend (1935) placing the film in 1935.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Mose and Addy are agreeing to meet after they arrive in St. Joseph, he tells her to meet him on the 'Corner of East Wearing and Burlington.' There is no Wearing, (east or west) or Burlington in St. Joseph, MO. The streets in downtown St. Joseph, MO are numbered and/or named after the children of St. Joseph's founder, Joseph Robidoux.

Quotes:

Moses Pray: [calling up to Addie on the hill] Let's go!
Trixie Delight: Hurry up, Doctor. This baby gots to go winky tinky!
Moses Pray: [patting Trixie's shoulder] Don't worry.
[calling up to Addie again]
Moses Pray: Hey!
[Moses starts walking up the hill]
Moses Pray: Come on, we're ready! Come on, now!
Addie Loggins: I ain't comin'!
Moses Pray: You listen here, child...
Addie Loggins: No, I won't listen here.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Wanderlust (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

About a Quarter to Nine

Wonderfully Old Fashioned Damon Runyonesque Comedy

Ryan O'Neal plays a con-artist who meets his match when he bumps into Addie Pray (Tatum O'Neal), a little girl who is not as innocent as she seems to be (and who may or may not be his daughter). This enchanting film is a throwback to the kind of comedies that flourished during the depression era. Director Bogdanovich applies to this movie the same careful attention to detail that characterized his most famous film, the unforgettable "The Last Picture Show." But I will argue that this film is even better when it comes to recreating a specific time in American history. It is a movie rich in period flavor, with a handful of genuinely colorful characterizations. Tatum received the Oscar (and most of the attention), but her real-life father Ryan is almost as good. The great Madeline Kahn is brilliant in her few scenes. Unfortunately for Kahn and O'Neal Sr., Tatum does get the best lines (and best close-ups), so she steals the movie. I'm not just talking about the quality of her acting, but I'm also referring to how much the camera is in love with her (courtesy of László Kovács' superb b/w photography). It is a funny, immensely entertaining movie in the best Damon Runyonesque way. A great delight from beginning to end.