Review of Paper Moon (1973) by Stuart B — 16 Sep 2011

Paper Moon is a gloriously shot road movie set in the 1930s, bristling with the dusty emptiness of the Depression as a con man pairs up with a recently orphaned young girl (who may or may not be his daughter) and head out on the road together.

Bogdanovich recently impressed me with Targets, and once again here he proved his uncanny ability to bring the best out of his actors, with the father/daughter team of Ryan and Tatum O'Neal providing a real warmth and charm to their relationship as each of their characters look to fill the hole left in their lives.

And while Ryan O'Neal is perfect as the con man, always looking for the next opportunity to make it rich and enjoy a taste of the ladies, it is Tatum who steals the movie with a flawlessly delightful performance as a young girl, not averse to being manipulative herself, who seeks a role model and somebody to care for her.

It's a stunning performance and well worth her Academy Award, and teamed together with her father Paper Moon becomes a highly enjoyable and fun caper, an edge of the seat road movie and a truly entertaining film shot in some of the most stark imagery.