History Film / PaperMoon

[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PaperMoon.jpg]]

* BoyishShortHair: Addie sport short hair which makes her look boyish.

''Paper Moon'' is a 1973 comedy-drama film, based on the novel ''Addie Pray'' by Joe David Brown, directed by Peter Bogdonovich, and starring the father and daughter team of Ryan and Tatum O'Neal.

* CaliforniaDoubling: almost entirely averted: filmed on location (including interiors) in central Kansas and western Missouri.

** The classic song of the same name is also briefly heard during the same scene, as well as over the opening credits.

** The classic song of the same name is also briefly heard during the same scene.

The film was nominated for UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s in four categories: Best Screenplay Adaptation, Best Sound, and two nominations for Best Supporting Actress -- Madeline Kahn and Tatum O'Neal herself. Tatum won, making her the youngest actor to win a competitive Oscar (she was 10).

* RandomSmokingScene: The ten year old actress is seen smoking in several scenes.

* LoveableRogue: Moze and Addie.

* LeeroyJenkins: How Moses and Addie escape from the sheriff.

* RoadTripPlot: Moses and Addie Travel from Gorham, Kansas to Joplin, Missouri.

* ChildrenAreInnocent: Ha ha. Basically explains why Moses and Addie do business that well.

Set during TheGreatDepression, the movie follows Moses "Moze" Pray, a ConMan specializing in selling BiblesFromTheDead, who is reluctantly tasked with delivering the recently-orphaned nine-year-old girl Addie Loggins to her aunt in Missouri. Despite vehemently denying that Addie is his daughter (which she likely is, considering Moses knew her "wild" mother well), he takes a liking to a her -- even more so when he realizes his grifting looks more legitimate with a child by his side.

* TheAllegedCar: The truck Moses trades his 1936 Ford Convertible for.

* BrickJoke: At one point Addie makes reference to "Frank D. Roosevelt". Much later, after she and Mose get an in argument and she walks away, he yells after her: "And his name ain't Frank, it's Franklin!"

* CosmeticCatastrophe: A non-visual example -- Addie puts on some of her mother's perfume in an attempt to seem more grown up, but having never used perfume before she practically bathes in it. She's pleased when Moses obviously notices the smell, but becomes less pleased when he cracks open the windscreen in the car to ''get rid of'' it.
* CurbStompBattle: Sheriff Hardin and his men catch up with Mose, corner him in an alley, and beat the hell out of him.
-->'''Mose:''' You can't arrest me now. We're in Missouri. And your damn brother's a bootlegger!

* DeliberatelyCuteChild: Addie's MO.

* DuelsDecideEverything: Moses tries to swap his convertible for a pickup truck to ditch the sheriff chasing them; when the truck's owner refuses to swap, he proposes a "wrassling" match to resolve the matter.

* {{Hustler}}[=/=]ShortCon: Moses and Addie.
* IntergenerationalFriendship: Moses and Addie, although there's father-child undertones as well (duh).

* QuickChange: Done several times by both Moses and Addie, such as when Moses purchases ribbons for Addie and rapid-talks the befuddled clerk out of several dollars.

* TooMuchInformation: Addie tells Moses that Trixie is sick to keep him away from her for a while, but he wants to see her. Imogene then mentions that it's due to her period, which causes Moses to immediately back off.

* VillainProtagonist: Moses and Addie.
* WorkOffTheDebt: This is the reason why Addie stays with Moses in the beginning -- he uses the threat of a lawsuit to collect $200 from the family of the man who accidentally killed her mother, then spends most of it to repair his car and tries to send Addie off on a train to her aunt's with just $20. Addie, knowing that the money rightfully belongs to her, threatens to report him to the police unless he raises the money to pay her back.

* YourCheatingHeart: Addie and Imogene conspire to break up Moses and Trixie by getting him to catch her with the hotel manager.

Set during TheGreatDepression, the movie follows Moses "Moze" Pray, a ConMan specializing in selling BiblesFromTheDead, who is reluctantly tasked with delivering the recently-orphaned nine-year-old girl Addie Loggins to her aunt in Missouri. Despite vehemently denying that Addie is his daughter (which she likely is, considering Moses knew her "wild" mother well), he takes a liking to a her - even more so when he realizes his grifting looks more legitimate with a child by his side.

'''''Paper Moon''''' is a 1973 comedy-drama film, based on the novel ''Addie Pray'' by Joe David Brown, directed by Peter Bogdonovich, and starring the father and daughter team of Ryan and Tatum O'Neal.

'''''Paper Moon''''' is a 1973 Creator/{{Paramount}} comedy-drama, based on the novel ''Addie Pray'' by Joe David Brown, directed by Peter Bogdonovich, and starring the father and daughter team of Ryan and Tatum O'Neal.

* PetTheDog: Addie stops Moze from swindling a widow whose house is packed with small children.

* CurbStompBattle: Sheriff Hardin and his men find Mose, corner him in an alley, and beat the hell out of him.

-->'''Hardin:''' You got an awful big mouth, mister. Maybe I can't arrest you in Missouri and maybe I don't ''want'' to. But I sure can make sure that you ain't gonna feel too good while you're here.

* CurbStompBattle: Sheriff Hardin and his men find Mose and beat the hell out of him.

* CorruptHick: TheSheriff and his bootlegger twin brother.

* CorruptHick: TheSheriff and his bootlegger brother.

-->'''Imogene:''' Ooo-wee! You crazy? For that much money, that woman'd drop her panties in the middle of the road!

* TitleDrop: At a carnival there's a guy who snaps photographs of couples sitting on a literal paper moon (pictured above), and the song of the same name is briefly heard.

* BrickJoke: At one point Addie makes reference to "Frank D. Roosevelt". Much later, after she and Mose get an in argument and she walks away, he yells after her: "And his name ain't Frank, it's FRANKLIN!"

* BrickJoke: At one point Addie makes reference to "Frank D. Roosevelt". Much later, after she and Mose get an in argument and she walks away, he calls after her: "And his name ain't Frank, it's FRANKLIN!"