classicsoncall
By the time the movie's over, you're kind of hoping that Moses Pray and his young ward Addie are really a father and daughter team. The story keeps the relationship intentionally ambiguous and leaves it to the viewer's imagination, but if you're like me, you probably wind up rooting for it to be true. Addie (Tatum O'Neal) turns out to be a consummate hustler who one-ups 'Moze' more than once, from her off the cuff Bible pricing to breaking up his road romance with Miss Trixie Delight (Madeline Kahn). But the elder O'Neal is no slouch in the con game himself, as his whiskey scam and wrasslin' match maneuver clearly show. This is another of those Seventies flicks that I saw when it first came out, and not again until some forty plus years later, and it still holds up well as an entertaining picture. In my case, it helps that it was done in glorious black and white, just like director Peter Bogdanovich's masterpiece (in my opinion), "The Last Picture Show". If you consider the story in it's entirety, it's a nicely developed caper and heist movie which compares favorably with another 1973 film, "The Sting". Picture if you will Redford and Newman in a double team up with the two O'Neals and you've got the makings for a con with a sure fire blow-off. I'd even pay double to see that one.
chaudhariu
This movie is difficult to be described in words, at least the right choice of words. There is some eccentricity in the storyline, its very catchy and entertaining but at the same time absolutely unassuming and unpredictable. Normally you would always be amazed to see how many times you wanted certain things to happen during the movie but it is so practical that you realise that you are assuming too much of romanticism in the world which seldom exists and thats why the plot is near perfect! Still the movie continues to entertain you, its neither a happy romanticised dream nor a tragedy but its the slug fit between these two ends of the drama.
The acting and on screen chemistry of real life father daughter duo is phenomenal and certainly Tatum O'neal amazes as a child actor. The movie explores certain dimensions of those delicate and subtle human emotions of love which you long to express but cannot due to situations.
Its definitely impressive movie with a perfect acting, plot, settings and direction which made me revise its rating to a perfect 10 from 9 as I couldn't stop thinking about it for long time!
grantss
Kansas, 1930s. 9-year old Addie Loggins's mother has just died, leaving her alone (she never knew her father). Moses Pray is a con man and initially uses Addie's misfortune to make some money off a third party. With that done, he tries to pack her off on a train to her aunt in Missouri, but Addie won't have any of that. They set off for her aunt's place by car, with neither having much time for the other, initially... Wonderful movie, directed by Peter Bogdanovich and based on the novel "Addie Pray" by Joe David Brown. Solid, evolving broad plot and great detail too. The cons the two pull are fantastic in their concept and execution. Quite funny, with many amusing adventures and conspiracies. Very engaging - the main characters and their interaction absolutely pull you in. Very emotional ending.Great work by Ryan O'Neal as Moses. Tatum O'Neal, his daughter, is superb as Addie and well-deserved her Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Her playing of the street-smart, wise-beyond-her-years Addie is spot-on and a sight to behold. Tatum is still the youngest ever winner of a competitive Oscar, winning at only 10 years old. Good work too from Madeline Kahn, who got a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her efforts.
dougdoepke
Plot-- A small-time con-man agrees to escort a 10-year old orphaned girl to her aunt's house in 1930's rural Kansas. But on the way, the challenges mount. So how did they transfer a 50-year old brain into 10-year old Addy's head. And did they have little actress O'Neal swallow a lemon before every scene. Just count her smiles, one finger will do. Well, whatever they did, it's a moppet performance unlike any I've seen. Great movie! The period re-creation strikes me as spot on, between the flivvers, dusty open roads, and pop 30's songs. All backdrop a tricky story that features a grown man getting a little girl started in a life of crime. Even selling phony, over-priced Bibles to widows, no less. Of course, it's not violent crime, but still. Anyway, the story's fashioned in such a charming way, you hardly notice. Then again, will Addy ever find out if Mose is her real daddy or not. And how about Madeline Kahn's chirpy bimbo, with a small bladder, no less. What a loss she was to the world of comedy.Good thing that headman Bogdanovich took Orson Welles' advice and filmed in b&w. I can't imagine the same period results in Technicolor. Anyway, the various parts come together in rich fashion, both amusing and poignant. And despite some critics, Tatum really did deserve an Oscar. I just hope she's found a lot to smile about in the meantime. Watching the movie, I certainly did.
AD
