MovieChat Forums > Paper Moon (1973) Discussion > Title?

Title?

posted 20 years ago by Zimmerman-1
5 replies | jump to latest

Just saw this flick last night and really enjoyed it. One
question...why the title? Yes, yes, I know she sat in a paper moon for
a photo at the fair and then gave the photo as a gift to Moze, but what
was so incredibly signifigant about that? It was based on a book
entitled "Addie Pray". Why didn't they go with that?

[–] s-mewilliams 20 years ago

Bogdanovich felt that the title "Addie Pray" would not attract those not familiar with the book. He was listening to songs recorded during the Depression-era and came upon the song "Paper Moon." He asked Orson Welles if it would be a good title for the movie and he said, "It's so good you shouldn't release the movie. Just release the title." And I guess what Orson says goes.

[–] Zimmerman-1 19 years ago

Interesting. Even if this isn't true, it's a great story (the part about Welles, that is).

[–] wolfgirv 19 years ago

It is a wonderfully true story, Bogdanovich tells of that story on the DVD commentary, and he and Orson Welles were good friends also.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] fhuerg20 19 years ago

I believe the title comes from Ella Fitzgerald's song "It's only a Paper Moon", which fits both Addie and Moses' characters.