Watch Paper Moon For Free

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The first frame of the picture starts with a song entitled "It's Only A Paper Moon" and when the opening titles came on screen, the film felt reminiscent of a Woody Allen film, but in respect Bogdanovich had gone to extreme lengths of trying to pay homage to the great film maestro Orson Welles. I would have to concur that the cinematography and the credit for the use of deep focus should be credited to James Wong Howe who started an experimental process as far back as 1925, since he was experimenting with camera lenses and lighting to make sequences stand out in the pictures. The film then went on to tell the story of a bible salesman, and just as he was making his sales with a satisfactory customer, he notices an adolescent girl that wants to learn the trick of the trade in selling bibles as part of a con job. One thing that I will note that makes this film a grand masterpiece is the use of black and white cinematography, popular songs in the background as the film's score, the performances by Ryan O'Neal and his daughter Tatum are superb, as well as Madeline Kahn in an Oscar-nominated performance. Another positive aspect about this film is the direction that Bogdanovich outlays from story, character development, and conveying the feel and look of the era of the Great Depression. I saw this film nearly 4 to 5 years ago on DVD, there are some cons to this film, that can make it a bit problematic, first is the length, I understand that the film is long and that when there is not much action, your mind cannot take the stress of too much dialogue sequences, which is what I felt whilst watching this movie. I also felt that some of the sequences like when Ryan O'Neal is out with the Tatum O'Neal in the middle of the town in Texas is a bit antiquated when she ends up getting lost and Ryan had to search all over the area to find her. But, I do have some positive things to say about the camera angles and shots used in the film, for the sequence when Ryan O'Neal is talking to the mechanic at a train station if you look carefully at the far left of the screen, of the open window right behind the man in the train station, you can see two girls playing out back in clear view. It is distracting and takes the focus away from the story, but it is pretty awesome to see something like that in a film such as this. I like the film, and it's a story that has been used in modern films and TV shows to provide inspiration like "Suite Life of Zack and Cody" when they re-used the same story but to con the people in the hotel. That's what I feel about this movie, a grand masterpiece from Peter Bogdanovich.

Peter Bogdanovich's 'Paper Moon' is everything a road movie is supposed to be - a life-changing personal journey, a quest, a bit old-fashioned and above all, a hoot. The story is simple. Young Addie (Tatum O'Neal) finds herself orphaned with the death of her single - and apparently rather free-spirited - mother. The arrival of a man named Moze (her real-life father, Ryan O'Neal) at the funeral, provides the other mourners a chance to pack Addie off to her aunt in Missouri. Moze is reluctant to take her along, but sees a chance to blackmail some money out of the whole situation. However, his dreams of pocketing a windfall of $200 and sending Addie off on a train come to nothing - the wily young girl demands the greatly diminished sum that was meant for her care. As a result, he finds himself saddled with this grimly adult child (who is fairly certain that Moze is her father) as his assistant in a crime spree through the Midwest – a scam involving sale of overpriced Bibles to recent widows. In essence, Moze scans obituaries for gullible widows he can convince to pay the balance on Bibles their husbands "ordered" for them - deluxe editions with the names embossed in gold - before "passing on". Unsurprisingly, Addie is an adroit, if unruly, student, who upstages both his skill and daring.Yes, 'Paper Moon' is about two con artists, but not really about their con, and that's a relief. The scam is only part of the story, which takes a number of turns before reaching its end - including Moze picking up a tart from a sideshow - a carnival dancer named Trixie Delight (a cheerfully trampy Madeline Kahn), who is accompanied by a long suffering black maid, Imogene (wonderfully played by P. J. Johnson) who later turns out to be Addie's partner-in-crime. Bogdanovich takes the con games only as the experience which his two lead characters share and which draws them together in a way that's funny sometimes, but also very poignant and finally deeply touching.The film is shot in gorgeous black-and-white, giving it a documentary feel that meshes perfectly with the sweet cynicism of the characters. But what really underscores the film is amazing chemistry between the O'Neals. The fact they are father and daughter in real life helps flavor their working dynamic in an intriguing way. Tatum O'Neal is an absolute revelation - she spends much of the film with a sourpuss expression pasted to her adorable little pixie face, but breezes through the film with astonishing confidence. Ryan O'Neal's roguish charm is perfect for the character and the result, paired with his daughter, is a strong co-lead dynamic, in a tale about their delicate relationship that teeters on father-and-daughter quality without adopting the name.A true treasure, Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon belongs to a magical world that has elements of whimsy and noir!

Two years after The Last Picture Show (1971), a sophisticated drama, Peter Bogdanovich gives us another black and white period piece. But Paper Moon is something else, a hybrid of crime comedy and maybe a family drama. It starts with 9-year-old Addie at her mother's funeral, where she meets a friend of her mother, the con man Moses Pray. Moze gets $200 for Addie in compensation for her mom's death, then blows half of it on a new car for himself. The film begins to pick up and become very funny when the little girl demands her money back, showing herself worldly and forceful for her age- likely a product of being raised by a "loose" woman. Addie also suspects Moze may be her dad, which he denies- after a long pause, indicating he either knows he is or believes it's possible.What we have from here is an unusual (maybe) father-daughter story, in which the two bond, but never in a sweet and sugary way. They don't get sentimental- instead, she picks up Moze's tricks and joins in the fun, making his con jobs more equitable by sparing the impoverished and getting more out of the rich. They're on the wrong side of the law, but in their own way, each does have scruples. In the end, Addie is offered a sweet and sugary life in a comfortable home- and doesn't want it, because she prefers life with Moze, because she isn't perfect and doesn't want perfect, and the audience can feel that's who she is and can understand.Paper Moon slows down a little in the middle, when Madeline Kahn comes into the picture and Moze and Addie mess with a bootlegger. But in my view, the big payoff comes when they're arrested and pull off an extremely clumsy escape. It's a good laugh, and adds to Paper Moon's many charms.

I've been sitting thinking of how to write a review on this movie.Which angle can I come from? Should I mention the black and white filming..the chemistry between Ryan and his daughter Tatum..the use of depression hit America...the story behind the characters...direction...genre...sub-plots..blah blah blah...I've come to the conclusion that the best review I can give you is to get this on any which media you can and just sit and watch. Glorious and delightful from credit to credit. Amazing to think this movie is 40 years old.I recently reviewed " Birdman" and gave it a 9 because I wasn't sure whether it would translate to the small screen but this little gem just passes the finishing line because you could watch this on loop as I did. 3 times in one day and each time I smiled with a warm glow. Tatum O'Neal shows that you don't need any methods of acting as long as you got what it takes. All the extras in this movie must think its Christmas and their birthdays come rolled into one having a part in this.Won't drone on any more as I have just recently joined IMDb and trying to catch up with all my faves and as a regular movie goer for 40 years (alone ..yeah..I go alone..)I got a lot of typing to do.