Amazon.com

Critics largely dismissed this 1978 movie despite the fact that it was directed by a serious filmmaker, Bryan Forbes (The L-Shaped Room, King Rat). A sequel to National Velvet, the film stars Nanette Newman as the grown-up Velvet (played by Elizabeth Taylor in the 1944 film), and Tatum O'Neal as her niece. O'Neal's character decides to become an Olympic-caliber horsewoman herself, and the prestardom Anthony Hopkins plays the no-nonsense trainer who helps her get there. No dull shadow of its famous predecessor, International Velvet is an exciting film in its own right, with a distinct tone and personality (Hopkins has a lot to do with this), and some very nimble work by Forbes behind the camera. This is more than just a movie for the kids. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Still one of my Top Five Favorite movies!
I've never understood why this movie has been so largely ignored by viewers and critics since its release in 1978.

I saw "National Velvet" when I was young, and truthfully, I hated it. I was able to get my mother to take me to see "International Velvet" because of her love of Elizabeth Taylor (her peer) and the original. I loved this movie for many reasons, but it was wonderful to see Tatum O'Neal (a slightly-older peer of mine) in such a wonderful, heart-warming role.

Ms. O'Neal moved so gracefully in this movie from age 8 to 18 without question. She portrays Sarah Velvet Brown, niece of the "original" Velvet Brown - winner of the Grand National. At the beginning of the film, Sarah arrives in England to live with her Aunt Velvet and "Uncle" John after the car-accident deaths of her parents in their home town of Cave Creek, Arizona.

She soon develops a keen interest in horses, and raises Velvet's horse, "Pi"'s son, "Arizona Pi" to adulthood and eventually rides him to to the Olympics.

This is a true "coming-of-age" story with SUPERB cinematography (a stunningly-beautiful sea-side English locale), haunting score and stellar acting by a first-class cast, including two of my all-time favorite actors, Christopher Plummer and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

A year or so ago, I happened to catch the tail-end of a short featurette on this film, on the Independent Film Channel. It featured clips and details about how Tatum O'Neal learned to ride entirely for, and during the production of this movie. The race-footage clearly shows Tatum doing most, if not all, of the actual riding, even in the most difficult steeplechase sequences.

Even if you're not a horse-lover, you'll adore this movie.

NOW, LET'S GET IT RELEASED ON DVD!!!

Where's the DVD & soundtrack??
This is a superb movie that I still love & remember from childhood. It also has one of the most gorgeous & moving soundtracks of any film I can remember. So, where is the DVD edition and the soundtrack CD?? I am still looking and refuse to give up!!

Great Parts, Could Have Been Better
This movie had a lot going for it--Anthony Hopkins, a beautiful score and scenery, wonderful cross-country eventing scenes--but on other terms it falls quite flat. At some points Tatum O'Neal is acting very well; at other times she's not quite up to the material. Christopher Plummer and Nanette Newman are charming as John and Velvet--I particularly like John--but many of the other characters are just two-dimensional, like the student with the crush on Sarah, her riding partners, etc. Plus the romance late in the film just appears; she marries this guy after knowing him two weeks???? The quality of the film is uneven as well; sometimes it looks as if it were videotaped rather than filmed. Plus there's a big anachronism in the film: NATIONAL VELVET takes place in the 1920s! In the 1970s Velvet would have been an elderly woman and the Pi would have been dead!

Loved it
I saw this movie before National Velvet, and I feel it was just as good as National Velvet! I think the ambition Sarah had was great :)

good story bad quality tape
sweet story for pre-teen and teenage girls, but the sound quality was awful. popping, hissing and static throughout the video. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This likable 1976 comedy gently skewers the whole post- Rocky mania for movies about losers who find their mettle or salvation or purpose in life in competitive sport. Walter Matthau stars as a drunk who becomes manager of a pathetic little-league baseball team. When he brings in a talented girl pitcher (Tatum O'Neal), the crew have an actual chance at winning some games and maybe a championship. But director Michael Ritchie(Downhill Racer) undercuts the romance of it all with the team's foul-mouthed tendencies and Matthau's own decadent spin on mentor-coachdom. Similarly to Ritchie's wicked comedySmile --which lampooned the fervor surrounding beauty pageants--The Bad News Bears pokes fun at another American institution.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A Matthau Gem... Shall We Say "Diamond?"
The great Walter Matthau (all saggy jowls) plays Buttermaker, an ex-pitcher turned pool cleaner who tools around all day on his jobs in a chop-top station wagon with a cooler of beer in the backseat. A local businessman talks (with money) Buttermaker into coaching a youth-league team of castaways. Seems this is one community that takes its youth league baseball seriously. A little too seriously.

What follows is the familiar plot of a bunch of underdog kids coming together as the "Team Nobody Believed In" and contending for the championship against a team that represents everything that's wrong when parents spoil simple pleasures for their children (the Yankees, coached by Vic Morrow, in a neatly-observed performance). Look, I don't know if "Bears" even did it first, but this movie certainly does it best, and without the labored sentimentality of its progeny.

"Bears" never turns cartoonish. It captures just the right atmosphere- slanting, late afternoon sunlight during the games, the bikes parked behind the dugouts, the post-game chants. The kids, led by Tatum O'Neal and Jackie Earle Haley all perform well, and each has a sharply defined personality. Even Morrow, as Buttermaker's antagonist, isn't portrayed as bad or evil- just a guy with misplaced priorities that make him act like a jerk.

But Matthau makes this movie, conning kids into making martinis for him and cleaning pools while he regales them with increasingly drunken stories of his baseball glory days... until he passes out on the mound in a litter of beer cans. Matthau plays Buttermaker as a modern day loser who discovers (eventually) he still has a better nature.

Bright, smart and funny, "The Bad News Bears" is a joy to watch, full of quick-witted exchanges and even heartbreak. If you've seen one too many "Mighty Ducks" flicks, do yourself a favor and watch this one. It goes down as smooth as one of Buttermaker's ice cold ones on a hot afternoon.

And look for that kid who played Eddie in "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" as Morrow's son and the Yankees' star pitcher. He has a ballpark epiphany that's true and heartbreaking. Just another aspect of this marvelous little movie.

Good News for the Bad News Bears
A great movie that hits it mark..unfortunately sprung two terrible sequels. THE BAD NEWS BEARS is a social commentary about when kids are taken out of the sandlot (which is more fun when kids are left to play among themselves) and organized by adults to play little league baseball and the result is chaos. Walter Matthau in one of his signature roles as coach Buttermaker (he even reprised the role in a parody of the film on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, in the now classic and hilarious BAD NEWS BEES sketch). Matthau is hilarious as the drunken, ex-big league ballplayer/pool cleaner hired by one of the parents to coach a bunch of losers in a competetive and elite Los Angeles little league organization. The kids are innocent, but honestly brutal in their depiction. Standout performances from Jackie Earl Haley (BREAKING AWAY)as Kelly Leak, the motorcycle riding punk who is also a great athlete, Chris Barnes as tough little Tanner Boyle (who supposedly takes on the whole seventh grade when he is humilated in the embarrassing first game loss), and of course Tatum O'Neal as the tough girl pitcher whose curve ball breaks 2 feet. All this works on a level of a family movie, but some situations are adult oriented. Watch the film on network television and it is butchered beyond recognition. On DVD and cable, it it way better because you see why some of the situations occur. One example is the scene when pitcher Joey Turner (Brandon Cruz -tv's COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER) throws at the head of batter Engelberg (Gary Lee Cavagnaro) and you'll know why. Actor Vic Morrow continues his string of bad guy roles even in this film as Coach Roy Turner and even the Yankees (a metaphor for elitistism) is used as a name of one of the teams as the arch rival of the Bears. Overall, entertaining and authentic with great casting.

Dear Luper
Dear Luper Ronsogni makes me sick, he cant even pitch nobody thinks we can win, ps I saw a good movie the other night, youd like it. Your friend, tanner boyle

I Loved This Movie!
I remember my mother taking me to see The Bad News Bears when it was playing in movie theaters, I was about 10 1/2 years old and I loved the movie and thought it was a lot of fun to watch and I thought that the cast was great, Tatum O'Neal, Walter Matthau, Vic Morrow, Jackie Earle Haley, etc and when HBO started showing The Bad News Bears I watched it to many times to count. I see some reviewers have complained about bad language but honestly I have heard much worse langague in movies that are being made these days and I still have to highly recommend The Bad News Bears.

Classic, realistic, non-syrupy story of Little League
Don't listen to other reviewers who impose today's political correctness on a movie that came out in 1976. My parents took me to see this film when it came out (I was nine) and it was a good film. It has lessons about winning, losing and sportsmanship. It touches upon characters we all know: the winning coach (played wonderfully by the late Vic Morrow) who values winning above all else - even his own son. A realistic film from the 1970s, reflecting divorced parents, precocious kids, bullies, all of it is in here. Above all, it is a positive statement about self-respect and accomplishment. While Matthau's ways of coaching would probably be protested today (i.e., giving the kids beer after the final game of the season) it was seen as true to his character and one of the funny touches. Some of the material is mature but it may spark some positive conversations in a family. It isn't watered down, squeaky-clean family fare that people expect today, but it does have a good message and is fun. Excellent performances by a great cast, realistic baseball playing (sometimes painful) and great moments. A classic 1970s film that is often overlooked. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In his writing and directorial debut, Julian Schnabel's film Basquiat depicts the life of graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, a.k.a. SAMO, and the turbulent period from the late 1970s to 1988, as his life was catapulted into fame and notoriety. As Jean-Michel's work gained favorable attention from New York's elite art community, he went from a street punk living in a cardboard box to the first black artist to succeed in the all-white dominated art world. Tony Award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright does a brilliant job portraying a man tortured by self-doubt and thoughts of suicide, struggling to survive and be acknowledged as an artist. The film's use of dreamlike imagery and rhythmic pace tells the story from the perspective of Jean-Michel's eyes as he manages to "float" through relationships and gallery showings, until his impending death in 1988 from a heroin overdose. Brimming with talent, the film also stars David Bowie as pop-artist Andy Warhol, Michael Wincott as poet Rene Ricard, and many others, including Gary Oldman, Benicio del Toro, Dennis Hopper, and Courtney Love. --Michele Goodson ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Surfing through Warhol's '80s
Painter Julian Schnabel made his film directing debut with his impressionistic biography of his late friend and fellow '80s Warhol hanger-on, Jean-Michel Basquiat. A charismatic, young heroin addict, Basquiat started out as a graffiti artist who called himself SAMO (as in samo bulls--t) and, depending on where your aesthetic tastes fall, his success represented either a great rebirth of artistic orgininality OR yet another sign that the American art scene was becoming a victim of trendiness. The same, of course, was said of Schnabel at the same time. Luckily for myself as a viewer of this film, I'm in the former camp. For the latter group or the growing number of people who see, "I don't know nothing about art but I like what I see," as the height of critical thinking, this film probably isn't for them.

Told in a freeform fashion, Schnabel's vision of Basquiat's life is rather uneven. The story is occasionally rather muddled (Basquiat's rise from homeless drug addict to prodigal Warhol son seems to come out of nowhere) and plotwise, Schnabel is rather conventional in his structure -- Basquiat reaches the heights of fame and forgets all of his former friends before being redeemed at the end. (His own eventual death of a heroin overdose isn't shown beyond a title card at the end credits -- though the film strongly hints it was related to his own depression concerning the death of Andy Warhol.) However, the film is also blessed with occasional flashes of genius that make this a film that is worth watching. Not surprisingly, Schnabel has a strong visual sense and he uses his limited budget to his advantage, capturing a strange sort of grimy fantasy world. Some of his enigmatic images are haunting. Basquiat continually sees an image of a lone figure surfing whenever he looks up to the sky. Why does this child of New York have this surfer in his head? No explanation is given or really needed. The surfer just happens to be there, just as Basquiat's artistic talent just happened to be there -- unexplainable but definitely real.

Schnabel also proves himself to be a capable director of actors. The film is full of cameos from the actors who always seem to show up in independent, art cinema and at first sight, the cast list looks a little self-conciously hip. At the same time, the celebrity casting somehow works brilliantly. Early on in the film, Basquiat stares through a window at the Warhol crowd standing in an art gallery. That "crowd" is made up of David Bowie, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, and several other recognizable faces and its somewhat jarring to see all of these familiar actors gathered together -- just as it was probably jarring for Basquiat to stare at the "icons" of his world. Plus, for the most part, these actors all give strong performances and don't just coast on their image. Bowie, especially, surprised me as Warhol. Its not a deep performance but at the same time, he never allows the artist to become a fey caricature. Parker Posey is wonderfully haughty as gallery owner Mary Boone while unusually restrained work comes from unexpected sources like Dennis Hopper, Paul Bartel, and Willem DaFoe. Christopher Walken has a wonderful cameo as a pretentious interviewer and nicely satirizes his own intense image. Of the supporting cast, the four strongest performances are given by Clare Forlani (who has never been allowed to be a strong and sexy as she is here as Basquiat's lover), Michael Wincott and a pre-traffic Benecio Del Toro (playing early friends of Basquiat -- Del Toro especially has some hilarious monologues early on), and Gary Oldman who is basically playing Julian Schnabel and brings a wonderfully arrogant glee to his scenes. (A highlight, late in the film, is the image of Oldman dancing with his daughter in front of one of Schnabel's trademark epic canvasses).

The best performance and the linchpin that holds the film together comes from Geoffrey Wright who found his first taste of fame playing the doomed Jean-Michel Basquiat. Wright, quite simply, is a revelation. He brings a touch of childlike vulnerablity to a character who isn't always extremely sympathetic and manages to add a much needed cohesion to Schnabel's uneven composition. His scenes following Warhol's death are especially haunting. Much as Schanbel's second film introduced many of us to Javeir Bardem, Basquiat serves as an introduction to Wright as well. When Wright sees his surfer, you don't wonder what a surfer's doing above the New York skyline as much as you share Basquiat's (and Wright's) excitement at what possibilities the future might hold.

Deep movie about a shallow art scene.
Basquiat (Julian Schnabel, 1996)

Schnabel has made two films in five years. I'm still wondering why the man hasn't yet been immortalized. Less talented directors have gotten stars on the Walk of Fame for less accomplishment than Schnabel showed with his second film, Before Night Falls, alone. His first, Basquiat, is damned close to being as good, and yet it fell almost completely below the radar of American cinema upon its release, despite a stable of talent so broad it's almost ludicrous.

Schnabel (played in the film by Gary Oldman, incidentally-- and Schnabel's real-life family plays Oldman's family in the film. heh.) gives us the story of Jean-Michel Basquiat, one of the brightest lights of New York's avant-garde art movement in the seventies and eighties before his 1988 overdose. Basquiat himself is played by the always-engaging Jeffrey Wright (recently seen giving Sam Jackson trouble in _Shaft_), and while the film never fails to center on Basquiat himself, Wright's brilliantly low-key performance seems almost a backdrop for a slew of A-list actors in minor roles (Willem Dafoe, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Tatum O'Neal, etc.) and up-and-coming stars who have since gone on to eclipse even Wright (Benecio del Toro, Courtney Love, Vincent Gallo, Linda Larkin, Caire Forlani, Michael Badalucco, et al.). But the show is truly stolen by David Bowie as (a believable, believe it or not) Andy Warhol. Bowie doesn't do a whole lot of acting, but when he does, he's usually wonderful at it (viz. The Hunger, Christiane F., etc.). He takes it to new heights here, and Bowie and Wright give a sense of the friendship between Warhol and Basquiat that does far more in far less screen time than most buddy movies could dream about. Of course, that may be because Schnabel, an artist himself, is a virtuoso at conveying the shallowness of the New York art scene. What's more, he manages to do so without turning Basquiat into a shallow film. Not an easy task, by any means.

Fantastic all the way around. **** 1/2

abysmal twaddle about egocentric junkies
Good performances can't save this self-indulgent tale of yet another artist whose out of control ego is supposed to be interesting to the viewer. Even the scenes of his "creative process" are meaningless, and no better than watching a wall being defaced by spray paint; somehow we are made to assume Basquiat is an inventive genius, when what the screen shows us is a man who has no respect for anyone (for instance, there is a scene where he goes to a lovely home for dinner, and urinates in the hallway), no gratitude to those who help him become famous, and is more interested in self-promotion than art.

It has a stellar cast of character actors, among them David Bowie, who shines as Andy Warhol (and is sporting one of Warhol's actual wigs), and Gary Oldman as "Albert Milo", which is an alias for artist and writer/director of this film, Julian Schnabel, and uses Schnabel's paintings, including one he made for Basquiat (the one he shows Jeffrey Wright/Basquiat saying he painted it for a friend who died).
The reproductions of Basquiat's work were also done by Schnabel.

Will Basquiat's work be known 100 years from now ? I doubt it; though it is lauded now, I believe time will reveal it to be no more than glorified graffiti.
For superior films on other self-obsessed, but far better artists, see "Pollock" or "Surviving Picasso", for a humorless depiction of substance abusing bores, an aimless script, and jumpy editing, this is your film. Total running time 1 hour and 46 minutes.

Watch and listen
I'm totally ignorant of art, but this film is very exciting especially in Jeffrey Wright's scenes with actors Claire Forlani, Michael Wincott, and Benicio Del Toro. The way Basquiat's success changes his relationship with his girlfriend and friends and the way he seemingly unwittingly uses people and is also used by people makes for great entertainment. I'm not sure about the Andy Warhol scenes, and nothing much is learned of the relationship between he and Basquiat, but I enjoyed the reunion at the end between Basquiat and his pre-fame best friend Benny. My two favorite scenes would be the one where Basquiat ruins his girlfriend's painting sparking a wonderful argument and the scene between Basquiat and Benny in the car when Basquiat accuses Benny of being a racist. Benicio Del Toro's response is awesome in this scene: "What gives you the audacity to even think that..." I really appreciate the fact that Jeffrey Wright's performance does not allow Basquiat to become merely a symbol for oh-so-cool self-destructive artists. At times he is sweetly sympathetic and at other times he is very irritating and self-righteous. What I think is tragic about the film's Basquiat is that he is constantly being judged based on his race and set apart rather than being embraced solely for his artistic talent. Although Schnabel is an artist himself I don't feel the film is a visual film, it is visual/audio similar to Scorcese's Mean Streets but without that film's violence. The music soundtrack is so important and the songs are so well chosen that it feels like many of the scenes were filmed to fit a specific song. The wonderful soundtrack includes songs by The Pogues, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Miles Davis, and John Cale. I especially like the use of the songs Fairytale of New York and Summer in Siam by The Pogues and Hallelujah by John Cale. Great music fills plot holes and connects fragmented scenes together. For me the dialogue is very musical as well, especially as delivered by such uniquely talented actors. This film can be watched many times without becoming boring, and therefore I recommend owning it.

Too fragile for the World / Excellent Film
Basquiat is an amazing true life story of a man too fragile for the world. Jean Michel Basquiat posessed a child like quality that made people want to help him and an innate charisma that made people want to be around him. This is a man that was almost too creative for this world a tortured soul who could not deal with fame Julian Schnabel captures that in this film. This movie really depicts his struggle with fame. Basquiat wanting fame / recognition so badly then finally reaching it & not knowing how to or can't deal with it. The acting is phenominal Jeffrey Wright is amazing he is Basqiuat in this movie to the exact detail. David Bowie plays a great Andy Warhol. The cinematography and symbolism in the film is incredible there's a scene where Basqiuat is walking down the street and sees on a billboard a man surfing catching a wave which pretty much symbilizes his drive & wanting to be at the top. This film also captures that exciting time in the early 80's where art met music & fashion when artists were the superstars. Sad story of an eccentric man whose talent was exploited & became more of an image then a soul. A must see I own it on VHS one of my top 10 favorite films, the soundtrack rocks too. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Enjoyable movie
Little Darlings is movie about two very different teenage girls(Tatum O'Neal as rich girl Ferris,Kristy McNichol as tough girl Angel) at summer camp who enter into a contest to see who loses her virginity first.

That may not sound very exciting,but the young cast really makes this film enjoyable.Tatum O'Neal does decent job,but it's Kristy McNichol who really shines in her role.
The rest of the cast includes (a very young)Cynthia Nixon,Matt Dillon,and Armand Assante.

I have one beef with this video edition.I saw the movie on cable and the Bellamy Brothers' "Let Your Love Flow" played over the closing credits.It was replaced on this video with some generic late 70s/early 80s pop song.

A Darlin' Movie
I first saw this film when I was barely an adolescent and hardly remembered anything at all except it was about two girls on hijinks at summer camp. Now after viewing it for the second time about fifteen years later, it's not at all the silly, bubblebrained teenage fluff I vaguely but falsely remembered it to be. The beginning half seemed the usual fare of two girls--Kristy McNichol and Tatum O'Neal--vying with one another to lose their virginity first, but then takes a surprising and poignant turn by becoming sincerely serious and depthful. Although O'Neal is enjoyable enough and downright endearing at times as a cultured, romantic rich girl, it's truly Kristy that steals the show with her poignant portrayal of a tough kid from "the wrong side of the tracks" who on the surface appears to be ready for anything and not afraid of anyone but then wisely realizes (albeit belatedly) that she has been pushed into something she was not yet ready for. Also great are two young men who would soon be well known--a hot Matt Dillon and a very sexy Armand Assante who become Kristy and Tatum's objects of affection respectively!

see it
tatum oneal and christie mcnichol playing ferris and angel, one girl from the high society and one from the inner city with a car that puts out more smoke and bang than it does drive. both girls though totally different are dealing with things with their parents and the confusion and pains of growing up. they meet on a camp bus and are quickly targeted by the camp tramp who puts them against one another (even more than them being completly different did naturally) in a competition to see who will lose their virginity first. wow, another part of growing up....> PEIR PRESSURE.. lol
well the story isnt dull by any means, its funny, its cute and despite the fact that your kid should atleast be about 13 before they see it, i dont see why a kid should have to wait and see it when their 17 because of an r rating because if this film was done in todays time it would have been pg-13, no question. "down to me" with freddie prince jr and julia styles was trashy in comparison sexually and not done in the humor that this film is done.
the soundtrack is great, followes in with the times with music from "let your love flow" to john lennon. your gonna love "little darlings"...
its a story of finding true friendship, breaking down barriers from different lifestyles, lost youth, peir pressure, first loves, rebellion (gotta love it when christie mcnichol (angel) decides to get her guy drunk so hell get turned on and he passes out with her saying "your suppose to get turned on stupid not pass out". ) and somewhere in the mix finding people inside of your parents.
tatum oneal is great in her role and she is the reason i saw it in the first place (i was hooked after paper moon) but i have to say that matt dillon and christie mcnichol truly shine in this movie. almost litterally, theirs like a shine or a spark to the way they are on the screen in the film. makes ya laugh and smile and ache for more of the movie...

Music is a very important element
I loved this movie when I was 15 and still do. I hope to watch it with my daughter in a couple of years. What really disappointed me was the fact that they changed the music for several scenes. Not only the Bellamy Brothers Let Your Love Flow that played over the credits, but the lovely and haunting Oh My Love by John Lennon that played when Angel went to the cabin with Randy as well as others were replaced by some very boring and unknown songs. To me, music is an integral part of a movie experience. This let me down.

surprise
Lets see who will get the hottest guy and lose our virginity first. Sounds slutty but this movie is about learning about yourself and peer pressure and all that other good stuff that forms zits in out adolesent years. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

nothing's black or white when you're fighting for your life
This film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal is only interesting in that it presents two female protagonists, pre-empting his later preference for female actors, eg Barbara Hershey. There is enough rough housing - beatings, rape, fire, flood, rats, drugs, chase, guns - for action fans and the dramatic plot doesn't slow things down too much. However given that the main characters are female, screenwriter Michael Jacobs unfortunately subjects them both to extended humiliations.
The incident which sets Irene Cara and Tatum O'Neal on the lam is poorly if campily staged, a courtroom gunbattle where the police are exposed as clods, and the idea that they have no reason to run since they are not responsible for the gunfire is soon dubiously rationalised by the death of a pursuing policeman.
Jacobs idea of social commentary is having Moses Gunn as Cara's doctor father pontificating "I can go into an operating room, take out the bad part, and it's healed. How do you cut this off?". There is also a laugh line in response to his tale of Cara retreating to her room upon her mother's death with "You probably didn't realise how serious it was". Plus having two women trying to survive in the sleazy underworld, it's no surprise how many times they are referred to as "witch".
The inverted casting of O'Neal as a streetkid and Cara as a middle class student is unexpected, though O'Neal is hardly convincing, given her face and pedigree. Her slumming only extends to having dyed her hair red to go with her name Scarlett, and swearing. Cara is the stronger performer though has little material to shine with - the best she can do is sing the title song over the credits, which she co-wrote. Peter Fonda has one scene with O'Neal, where he calls her a "spoilt little girl", and which ends in disfigurement.
We aren't told about O'Neal's past, how long she has been on the street, and this then makes us question the glamour photo of her that appears in the newspaper. However Gyllenhaal creates an atmospheric candle-lit drug palace, even if we are told it's a place where guns are prohibited, and where someone who has molested one of the heroines and tried to kill the other is suddenly shown concern for a hot predicament.

Irene and Tatum pair well as first adversaries then friends.
The first film that Irene did after "Fame", being a fan of both stars, you will enjoy this film. Despite holes in the plot, the two stars give good performances. Irene as rich daddy's girl looking for attention and Tatum as poor girl looking to survive they make you believe in both of their struggles. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I love Richard Burton!
I first saw this movie years ago on cable tv when I was a teenager home sick from school one day. I sat and cried my eyes out because I too fell in love with Ashley (Richard Burton) and vowed to name my first child after him.

His character has morals and values and that is why he takes the high road and turns down the love from a younger woman, not quite of legal age, despite the fact that her love brings him to life again as an artist. He honors and respects the American culture of age appropriateness and for that his character becomes even more endearing to me. He's a safe man for a young girl to have a crush on.

Tatum ONeal is fabulous in this story, playing well beyond her years in maturity... and I will never forget the look on her face in the busy streets of New York as she slowly walks away and stands there as Ashley sticks to his resolve to send her back home after she shows up without his invitation all alone to confront her love for him.

Love is like that sometimes, it makes no sense, but in the end, if it's love, it always does the right thing and that's what I love about this movie.

Deary Canadian Pedophilia
Tatum O'Neal never fulfilled the promise of her first, delightful role as a child actor in Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon. Although she grew into a pleasant looking teenager, some unwise forces -- parents? agents? -- allowed or pushed her into "sexy" roles in terrible pictures like this and 1980's Little Darlings. There seemed to be a very unwholesome interest back in the late 70s/early 80s in pre-teen girl sexuality -- look at movies like these and Brook Shield's Pretty Baby and Blue Lagoon. I don't think you could get away with this kind of leering nonsense in today's climate of greater sensitivity towards child molestation, Jon-Benet Ramsey, etc.

Not too surprisingly, this low budget Canadian mishmash was directed by an older (French) director. It's the ultimate in fantasy for a late middle-aged male -- that a nubile teenager would fall in love with you and throw herself at you (and you of course would heroically refuse to have sex with her). Also that it would rejuvenate you not only romantically and personally, but professionally as well.

Aside from Ms. O'Neal's horribly leaden and awkward performance, there is so much that is wrong and off-key here -- a dreadful script full of lame dialogue and pontification, implausible situations and a cast of supporting actors who look like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck.

Tatum O'Neal (Sarah) is supposed to be a 15 year old girl -- which she probably was at the time of the filming -- but she dresses like an middle-aged woman in loose blouses, dressy shoes and long flowered skirts. Apparently neither the director or costume designer was aware that teenagers in the 80s wore jeans, t-shirts,and sweatshirts. As a result, instead of coming across as an authentic 10th grader, "Sarah" seems to be a adult woman with a high pitched squeaky voice. This takes our focus off the disheartening spectacle of her sexual involvement with a man easily old enough to be her grandfather.

Richard Burton (Ashley), who looks very handsome and fit here, and has a grand theatrical speaking voice, appears pained and uncomfortable (I imagine he had kids younger than Tatum O'Neal), and although he tries mightily to make the character human and sympathetic, he doesn't stand a chance with the lame & embarassing lines he has to spout. To his credit, he comes across as grandfatherly with his co-star and not lecherous, but that tiptoes around the basic problem that a 60 yr old man having a romantic attachment with a 15 yr old girl is sick and destructive.

Speaking of that, where are the authorities -- police, prosecutors, child psychologists etc -- in Toronto anyhow? When Sarah's parents find out she is seeing Ashley, they respond in horror...and lock her in her bedroom (a bedroom that has a huge unlocked window leading to a big branched tree that any teenager could skedaddle down in a minute) but they don't make the slightest attempt to file charges against their daughter's geriatric seducer. Also, Sarah's teenage boyfriend (Michael Wincott) attempts to rape her -- but her parents are unconcerned about this and don't apparently file charges against HIM -- and in turn she bashes him in the head with a large rock and fractures his skull and nothing happens as a result of this either. When she starves herself and threatens sucicide on her 16th birthday, instead of putting her into a psychiatric hospital, her parents allow her to see her elderly boyfriend again.

The worst thing about this type of movie is that it invites us to leer -- even showing us Ms. O'Neal in the nude, quite unnecessarily -- and then wants to overlay the whole thing with a smarmy explanation that it's "true love" and that Sarah is a "woman" because she really loves this senior citizen whom she has known all of one month.

Today this kind of film would probably be made for cable and shown on the Lifetime channel, but hopefully public consciousness is more sensitive these days and no one would make a film glorifying what in fact is not just a crime, but a destructive act of control and manipulation and the objectification of the bodies of very young girls.

In conclusion -- gross, but too dull to be porno.

An American French Film
I agree with another reviewer, this is one of my favorite hard to find videos. I titled this review an American French Film, because of the subject matter. Normally we Americans steer away from the older man, much younger girl romance story. Something the French do with ease. Look at Beau Pere, which you can get right here at Amazon.com. Richard Burton gives a fine performance as the older man while Tatum O'Neil gives us a look at what I consider to be one of, if not her finest performance. A love story for the ages, too bad most ages will never see this film. If you can find this film, buy it. It is a keeper.

A very rare love story
This movie has been my all time favorite hard to find video. A story of an innocent youth (Tatum O'Neal) following her heart with no detour due to outside presures as the repectable aging man (Richard Burton) who recaptures his soul through her eyes which inspires him not only in his paintings, but in the heart and soul as well. A must see movie for all ages young and old alike.

Burton still a powerful force.
Sometimes you run across a movie that just moves you. I've been moved to get up and walk out on some movies, but others like Circle of Two moved me to tell my friends about it. I had the good fortune to see this movie just after it came out and I had a copy for a long time. To many viewings I guess. Burton and O'Neal play their parts very well. If you are a romantic, give it a glance, it will turn into a long look. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A sweet and subtle gem of a movie. Newly orphaned Addie (Tatum O'Neal) falls into the care of small-time con artist Moses Pray (Ryan O'Neal, Tatum's real-life father) and turns out to be better at grifting than he is. Set in Depression-era Kansas, Paper Moon is a miracle of unity. The set design and cinematography combine to give both the flavor of documentary photos and the visual quality of movies from the period, and every performance meshes with the overall tone of sincerity, earnest optimism, and creeping desperation. The rapport between Addie and Moses is phenomenal--and being father and daughter doesn't make that a sure thing. Ryan O'Neal gives a truly great performance (perhaps the only one of his career) and Tatum won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (she's the youngest winner in history). Madeline Kahn was also nominated for her wonderfully funny and sad turn as an exotic dancer named Trixie Delight. Paper Moon has a miraculous combination of outrageous sentimentality and pragmatic cynicism; the result is genuinely touching. One of director Peter Bogdanovich's best films, and kind of a comic companion piece to The Last Picture Show. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (40)

It's Only A Paper Moon Sailing Over A Cardboard Sea...
Adapted from the matchless novel "Addie Pray" by Joe David Brown, Paper Moon is set in the Midwest/dustbowl during the Great Depression/Roosevelt era. One-of-a-kind directing by Peter Bogdanovich, beautiful black & white cinematography, a great musical score with snippets of old time radio shows like Fibber McGee & Molly, Jack Benny and a host of others.

Real-life father & daughter duo, Ryan & Tatum O'Neil team up in this gem of a movie.

Ryan plays Moses Pray. A slick, sliver-tongued, gold toothed, travelling huckster & who always has a new con to turn up his sleeve such as door to door Bible selling to recently widowed women, bootlegging, short changing, and a "car swappin' wrasslin' match" between Moses and a very young Randy Quaid. Tatum plays Addie and garnered the coveted Oscar for her performance at the tender age of 10. Addie decides to get in on many of the cons and becomes quite a prolific short change artist. Addie decides on her own to take Moses' last name and travel with him under the guise as his daughter. In one of the best scenes in the movie they deal with whether or not Addie is Moses' illegitimate daughter. That scene is set in a diner while drinking NeHi's and eating Coney Islands. Addie is sure that Moses is, indeed, her father as she states, "We got the SAME jaw!" Moses responds and says, "I know a lady who has the jaw of a bullfrog but that doesn't mean that she's the damn things mother!" Addie asks Moses, "You meet my mamma in a barroom?" (implying that her mamma was a prostitute). Moses comes right back asking Addie, "You think that just because a man meets a woman in a barroom means that they get a baby?" Ryan and Tatum's bantering repartee is natural, hilarious and touching all at the same time.

The Prays fall "prey" to a con played on them (well, Moses anyway) as the film progesses, by a hootchie-cootchie sideshow carnival dancer/prostitute named Miss Trixie Delight, adeptly played by Madelyn Kahn who was also nominated for an Oscar. The sneaky and a little jealous Addie deals with Miss Trixie in her own time and also helps out Miss Trixie's maid, Imogene and gives her money to return back to her family.

This is a great family movie with a touching father/daughter story to share. No nudity, few "cuss" words, and an all-around crowd pleaser whether you are 6 or 106. I don't mind telling you that this is my favorite movie of all time and I have viewed it upwards of 100 times. I still laugh, cry, and go through a multitude of emotions no matter how many times a watch the film. Certainly, a hallmark of a great cinematic masterpiece! Happy Watching!

A perfect movie?
It is hard to find any fault in this movie. Filmed in black-and-white, is uses great depth of field so everything, including the Kansas landscape and people in the deep background, is in focus. Many scenes are in one shot, and go for minutes without a cut.

Tatum O'Neal earned her best supporting actress Oscar as a "mature" youngster who ends up on an adventurous road trip to a relative's house, driven by a cheap con-man played by Tatum's father, Ryan O'Neal.

A few other notable actors make an appearance - namely Randy Quaid (briefly) and John Hillerman (several key scenes). Madeline Kahn was nominated for best supporting actress as well.

The DVD has a great picture quality, some nice behind-the-scenes stuff, and a commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich.

It's rated PG for some (funny) language.

It's not my favorite all-time movie, but could be in my top-10.

An easy 5 stars.

Quiet, subtle, excellent and funny
What a great and fun movie! Tatum O'Neal steals the show here; she definitely deserved the Oscar for her great portrayal of the way-too street smart for her age orphan (maybe) Addie Pray (Loggins). Adults and kids can enjoy this together without much fear of the admittedly seedy subject matter -- con artistry, prostitution, racial exploitation, the corruption of youth, etc. You can't help but root for Addie all the while knowing that Moses will never be a good father, role model or successful "businessman."

The black and white cinematography recalls classic Margaret Bourke-White Depression-era photos as well as "The Grapes of Wrath," but without the need for Prozac or counseling. The soundtrack is comprised of Thirties pop radio standards that fit perfectly without calling too much attention to themselves.

Madeline Kahn is a scream as Miss Trixie Delight, John Hillerman excels in two roles: a sheriff and his brother, a local bootleggar, and P.J. Johnson is great as Trixie's maid, Imogene.

I loved it when I first saw it as a 12-year-old. I still love it now. So will you.

How could anyone not love this movie?
Paper Moon is without a doubt Ryan O'Neal's best performance. His daughter Tatum absolutely STEALS the show. The Academy Award says it all. Back then the Oscar meant something, now the whole thing's become a joke. But Paper Moon will always be one of my favorites. You really get the feel of the Depression era Midwest. All the sets, costumes, and music authenticate this. I've never gotten that "Grapes of Wrath" feel from any other movie that's been produced since the forties, and that's not just because it's shot in B&W. This movie also will keep you in stitches as Moses (O'Neal) slowly discovers how clever a little con artist Addie (Tatum) really is. Her wit and sarcasm would make this movie equally entertaining if you turned off the picture and merely LISTENED to it. It's that good. I also adore Madeline Khan and Trixie Delight IS a delight. This movie is in my top twenty and I recommend it as a "must own."

tatum oneal as addie
ive read a few people comment on how tatum isnt a great actress but you have to keep in mind that tatum oneal was very young in this movie.
in all this movies been one of my top 3 movies since i was a small child. if your a big fan of Paper Moon id suggest seeing matchstick men. it just came out.. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Still one of my Top Five Favorite movies!
I've never understood why this movie has been so largely ignored by viewers and critics since its release in 1978.

I saw "National Velvet" when I was young, and truthfully, I hated it. I was able to get my mother to take me to see "International Velvet" because of her love of Elizabeth Taylor (her peer) and the original. I loved this movie for many reasons, but it was wonderful to see Tatum O'Neal (a slightly-older peer of mine) in such a wonderful, heart-warming role.

Ms. O'Neal moved so gracefully in this movie from age 8 to 18 without question. She portrays Sarah Velvet Brown, niece of the "original" Velvet Brown - winner of the Grand National. At the beginning of the film, Sarah arrives in England to live with her Aunt Velvet and "Uncle" John after the car-accident deaths of her parents in their home town of Cave Creek, Arizona.

She soon develops a keen interest in horses, and raises Velvet's horse, "Pi"'s son, "Arizona Pi" to adulthood and eventually rides him to to the Olympics.

This is a true "coming-of-age" story with SUPERB cinematography (a stunningly-beautiful sea-side English locale), haunting score and stellar acting by a first-class cast, including two of my all-time favorite actors, Christopher Plummer and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

A year or so ago, I happened to catch the tail-end of a short featurette on this film, on the Independent Film Channel. It featured clips and details about how Tatum O'Neal learned to ride entirely for, and during the production of this movie. The race-footage clearly shows Tatum doing most, if not all, of the actual riding, even in the most difficult steeplechase sequences.

Even if you're not a horse-lover, you'll adore this movie.

NOW, LET'S GET IT RELEASED ON DVD!!!

Where's the DVD & soundtrack??
This is a superb movie that I still love & remember from childhood. It also has one of the most gorgeous & moving soundtracks of any film I can remember. So, where is the DVD edition and the soundtrack CD?? I am still looking and refuse to give up!!

Great Parts, Could Have Been Better
This movie had a lot going for it--Anthony Hopkins, a beautiful score and scenery, wonderful cross-country eventing scenes--but on other terms it falls quite flat. At some points Tatum O'Neal is acting very well; at other times she's not quite up to the material. Christopher Plummer and Nanette Newman are charming as John and Velvet--I particularly like John--but many of the other characters are just two-dimensional, like the student with the crush on Sarah, her riding partners, etc. Plus the romance late in the film just appears; she marries this guy after knowing him two weeks???? The quality of the film is uneven as well; sometimes it looks as if it were videotaped rather than filmed. Plus there's a big anachronism in the film: NATIONAL VELVET takes place in the 1920s! In the 1970s Velvet would have been an elderly woman and the Pi would have been dead!

Loved it
I saw this movie before National Velvet, and I feel it was just as good as National Velvet! I think the ambition Sarah had was great :)

good story bad quality tape
sweet story for pre-teen and teenage girls, but the sound quality was awful. popping, hissing and static throughout the video. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

nothing's black or white when you're fighting for your life
This film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal is only interesting in that it presents two female protagonists, pre-empting his later preference for female actors, eg Barbara Hershey. There is enough rough housing - beatings, rape, fire, flood, rats, drugs, chase, guns - for action fans and the dramatic plot doesn't slow things down too much. However given that the main characters are female, screenwriter Michael Jacobs unfortunately subjects them both to extended humiliations.
The incident which sets Irene Cara and Tatum O'Neal on the lam is poorly if campily staged, a courtroom gunbattle where the police are exposed as clods, and the idea that they have no reason to run since they are not responsible for the gunfire is soon dubiously rationalised by the death of a pursuing policeman.
Jacobs idea of social commentary is having Moses Gunn as Cara's doctor father pontificating "I can go into an operating room, take out the bad part, and it's healed. How do you cut this off?". There is also a laugh line in response to his tale of Cara retreating to her room upon her mother's death with "You probably didn't realise how serious it was". Plus having two women trying to survive in the sleazy underworld, it's no surprise how many times they are referred to as "witch".
The inverted casting of O'Neal as a streetkid and Cara as a middle class student is unexpected, though O'Neal is hardly convincing, given her face and pedigree. Her slumming only extends to having dyed her hair red to go with her name Scarlett, and swearing. Cara is the stronger performer though has little material to shine with - the best she can do is sing the title song over the credits, which she co-wrote. Peter Fonda has one scene with O'Neal, where he calls her a "spoilt little girl", and which ends in disfigurement.
We aren't told about O'Neal's past, how long she has been on the street, and this then makes us question the glamour photo of her that appears in the newspaper. However Gyllenhaal creates an atmospheric candle-lit drug palace, even if we are told it's a place where guns are prohibited, and where someone who has molested one of the heroines and tried to kill the other is suddenly shown concern for a hot predicament.

Irene and Tatum pair well as first adversaries then friends.
The first film that Irene did after "Fame", being a fan of both stars, you will enjoy this film. Despite holes in the plot, the two stars give good performances. Irene as rich daddy's girl looking for attention and Tatum as poor girl looking to survive they make you believe in both of their struggles. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Fated Journey
The quality of the video is marginal but watchable. The background of music by DeBussy is wonderful. The simplicity of expectation is unique. This is not a film for everyone. However, if you grew up with something missing and noticed yourself drifting, in the post teen years or well beyond, there is a tale here to relate to with an ethereal component to sort of guess at to maybe answer the question of why it all had to be this way. this is a simple yet complex, rather miraculous film which I'd love to see show up on DVD with better sound especially instead of some of the garbage they are dredging for that medium. I can watch this film over and over and never quite get it or get enough of it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

nothing's black or white when you're fighting for your life
This film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal is only interesting in that it presents two female protagonists, pre-empting his later preference for female actors, eg Barbara Hershey. There is enough rough housing - beatings, rape, fire, flood, rats, drugs, chase, guns - for action fans and the dramatic plot doesn't slow things down too much. However given that the main characters are female, screenwriter Michael Jacobs unfortunately subjects them both to extended humiliations.
The incident which sets Irene Cara and Tatum O'Neal on the lam is poorly if campily staged, a courtroom gunbattle where the police are exposed as clods, and the idea that they have no reason to run since they are not responsible for the gunfire is soon dubiously rationalised by the death of a pursuing policeman.
Jacobs idea of social commentary is having Moses Gunn as Cara's doctor father pontificating "I can go into an operating room, take out the bad part, and it's healed. How do you cut this off?". There is also a laugh line in response to his tale of Cara retreating to her room upon her mother's death with "You probably didn't realise how serious it was". Plus having two women trying to survive in the sleazy underworld, it's no surprise how many times they are referred to as "witch".
The inverted casting of O'Neal as a streetkid and Cara as a middle class student is unexpected, though O'Neal is hardly convincing, given her face and pedigree. Her slumming only extends to having dyed her hair red to go with her name Scarlett, and swearing. Cara is the stronger performer though has little material to shine with - the best she can do is sing the title song over the credits, which she co-wrote. Peter Fonda has one scene with O'Neal, where he calls her a "spoilt little girl", and which ends in disfigurement.
We aren't told about O'Neal's past, how long she has been on the street, and this then makes us question the glamour photo of her that appears in the newspaper. However Gyllenhaal creates an atmospheric candle-lit drug palace, even if we are told it's a place where guns are prohibited, and where someone who has molested one of the heroines and tried to kill the other is suddenly shown concern for a hot predicament.

Irene and Tatum pair well as first adversaries then friends.
The first film that Irene did after "Fame", being a fan of both stars, you will enjoy this film. Despite holes in the plot, the two stars give good performances. Irene as rich daddy's girl looking for attention and Tatum as poor girl looking to survive they make you believe in both of their struggles. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

It's Only A Paper Moon Sailing Over A Cardboard Sea...
Adapted from the matchless novel "Addie Pray" by Joe David Brown, Paper Moon is set in the Midwest/dustbowl during the Great Depression/Roosevelt era. One-of-a-kind directing by Peter Bogdanovich, beautiful black & white cinematography, a great musical score with snippets of old time radio shows like Fibber McGee & Molly, Jack Benny and a host of others.

Real-life father & daughter duo, Ryan & Tatum O'Neil team up in this gem of a movie.

Ryan plays Moses Pray. A slick, sliver-tongued, gold toothed, travelling huckster & who always has a new con to turn up his sleeve such as door to door Bible selling to recently widowed women, bootlegging, short changing, and a "car swappin' wrasslin' match" between Moses and a very young Randy Quaid. Tatum plays Addie and garnered the coveted Oscar for her performance at the tender age of 10. Addie decides to get in on many of the cons and becomes quite a prolific short change artist. Addie decides on her own to take Moses' last name and travel with him under the guise as his daughter. In one of the best scenes in the movie they deal with whether or not Addie is Moses' illegitimate daughter. That scene is set in a diner while drinking NeHi's and eating Coney Islands. Addie is sure that Moses is, indeed, her father as she states, "We got the SAME jaw!" Moses responds and says, "I know a lady who has the jaw of a bullfrog but that doesn't mean that she's the damn things mother!" Addie asks Moses, "You meet my mamma in a barroom?" (implying that her mamma was a prostitute). Moses comes right back asking Addie, "You think that just because a man meets a woman in a barroom means that they get a baby?" Ryan and Tatum's bantering repartee is natural, hilarious and touching all at the same time.

The Prays fall "prey" to a con played on them (well, Moses anyway) as the film progesses, by a hootchie-cootchie sideshow carnival dancer/prostitute named Miss Trixie Delight, adeptly played by Madelyn Kahn who was also nominated for an Oscar. The sneaky and a little jealous Addie deals with Miss Trixie in her own time and also helps out Miss Trixie's maid, Imogene and gives her money to return back to her family.

This is a great family movie with a touching father/daughter story to share. No nudity, few "cuss" words, and an all-around crowd pleaser whether you are 6 or 106. I don't mind telling you that this is my favorite movie of all time and I have viewed it upwards of 100 times. I still laugh, cry, and go through a multitude of emotions no matter how many times a watch the film. Certainly, a hallmark of a great cinematic masterpiece! Happy Watching!

A perfect movie?
It is hard to find any fault in this movie. Filmed in black-and-white, is uses great depth of field so everything, including the Kansas landscape and people in the deep background, is in focus. Many scenes are in one shot, and go for minutes without a cut.

Tatum O'Neal earned her best supporting actress Oscar as a "mature" youngster who ends up on an adventurous road trip to a relative's house, driven by a cheap con-man played by Tatum's father, Ryan O'Neal.

A few other notable actors make an appearance - namely Randy Quaid (briefly) and John Hillerman (several key scenes). Madeline Kahn was nominated for best supporting actress as well.

The DVD has a great picture quality, some nice behind-the-scenes stuff, and a commentary by director Peter Bogdanovich.

It's rated PG for some (funny) language.

It's not my favorite all-time movie, but could be in my top-10.

An easy 5 stars.

Quiet, subtle, excellent and funny
What a great and fun movie! Tatum O'Neal steals the show here; she definitely deserved the Oscar for her great portrayal of the way-too street smart for her age orphan (maybe) Addie Pray (Loggins). Adults and kids can enjoy this together without much fear of the admittedly seedy subject matter -- con artistry, prostitution, racial exploitation, the corruption of youth, etc. You can't help but root for Addie all the while knowing that Moses will never be a good father, role model or successful "businessman."

The black and white cinematography recalls classic Margaret Bourke-White Depression-era photos as well as "The Grapes of Wrath," but without the need for Prozac or counseling. The soundtrack is comprised of Thirties pop radio standards that fit perfectly without calling too much attention to themselves.

Madeline Kahn is a scream as Miss Trixie Delight, John Hillerman excels in two roles: a sheriff and his brother, a local bootleggar, and P.J. Johnson is great as Trixie's maid, Imogene.

I loved it when I first saw it as a 12-year-old. I still love it now. So will you.

How could anyone not love this movie?
Paper Moon is without a doubt Ryan O'Neal's best performance. His daughter Tatum absolutely STEALS the show. The Academy Award says it all. Back then the Oscar meant something, now the whole thing's become a joke. But Paper Moon will always be one of my favorites. You really get the feel of the Depression era Midwest. All the sets, costumes, and music authenticate this. I've never gotten that "Grapes of Wrath" feel from any other movie that's been produced since the forties, and that's not just because it's shot in B&W. This movie also will keep you in stitches as Moses (O'Neal) slowly discovers how clever a little con artist Addie (Tatum) really is. Her wit and sarcasm would make this movie equally entertaining if you turned off the picture and merely LISTENED to it. It's that good. I also adore Madeline Khan and Trixie Delight IS a delight. This movie is in my top twenty and I recommend it as a "must own."

tatum oneal as addie
ive read a few people comment on how tatum isnt a great actress but you have to keep in mind that tatum oneal was very young in this movie.
in all this movies been one of my top 3 movies since i was a small child. if your a big fan of Paper Moon id suggest seeing matchstick men. it just came out.. ... Read more