Part of 1973

Peter Bogdanovich revisits the lyrical strain of bittersweet nostalgia he tapped into in THE LAST PICTURE SHOW in this 1930s-set comedy about the unlikely partnership that develops between a smooth-talking Kansas con man (Ryan O’Neal) and a young girl (Tatum O’Neal) who may or may not be his daughter. The evocative monochrome cinematography by László Kovács and a scene-stealing performance by Tatum O’Neal—who became the youngest person ever to win an Academy Award for her memorable turn opposite her real-life father—are among the pleasures of this sweetly unsentimental slice of dust-bowl Americana.

“Tatum O’Neal creates a character out of thin air, makes us watch her every moment and literally makes the movie work…” —Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times (Jun 15, 1973)

“Of all the nice things that can be said about PAPER MOON, perhaps the nicest is this: it's the first new film in a long while that's as enjoyable as it is good, and absolutely first-rate in both departments.” —Janet Maslin, Boston Phoenix (Jun 12, 1973)

“It is distinguished by its moral tone, and it is the tone that lifts it above the average flim-flam comedy.” —Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune (Jun 15, 1973)

“Exactly what we have in mind when we talk nostalgically of what movies ‘used to be’ — meaningful rather than metaphorical, engrossing rather than exploitative, humanistic in their comedy and their sentiment.” —Judith Crist, New York Magazine