Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Screenplay by Alvin Sargent
Director of photography: László Kovács
Cast: Ryan O’Neal, Tatum O’Neal, Madeline Kahn, John Hillerman
Genre: comedy, crime

What is the hero of Peter Bogdanovich’s charming masterpiece? A petty, small-time crook? Yes. Con artist? Yes. Immoral heartbreaker? Yes. Yet he wins our sympathy. And he does this not only because he is played by Ryan O’Neal who won fame through his role in Love Story. His own daughter Tatum, who plays the orphaned Addie, is one half of the cutest, most mischievous duos in film history. The truth is that all their schemes, selling the bootlegger his own booze and offloading Bibles on unsuspecting widows, are not really scams, more mischievous naughtiness. The black-and-white cinematography of László Kovács is perfect not only for this duo but also for portraying the crippling poverty of the 1920s. That is, what awaited the young orphan girl had the man who taught her about a passionate love for life not come along.

Q&A after the screening