Paper Moon Budget
ComedyCrimeDrama1h 42mUpdated
Synopsis
Set in the midwest of the depression-era, Paper Moon follows Moses Pray and Addie Loggins - one a con artist, the other, the young girl who's the daughter of a woman who's just passed away. The pair meet when 'Mose' stops by the sparsely-attended funeral in Kansas of a woman he once knew (we never see her). In attendance, is the woman's young daughter, Addie, whom Moses agrees to transport to St Joseph, Mo, for money, of course. Mose - an inveterate hustler, has been working ostensibly as a representative of the Kansas Bible Company - who picks his marks from the obits, and tries to sell - at exorbitant prices - the decedents' spouse the custom bible they'd previously ordered. Wise beyond her years, Addie picks up on Moses' grift, and very quickly, she and Mose become a team. Traveling from town to town, making money in every dishonest way imaginable, and looking for the ultimate score. The colorful characters they meet along the way make the film all the more interesting. One in particular - Miss Trixie Delight - an exotic dancer who Mose rescues from a traveling carnival and the girl who works for her, poor, suffering Imogene. Addie sees Miss Delight as a potential rival, and she concocts a plan with Imogene to free themselves of her. The film's peppered with regional dialogue, one of the most memorable line's uttered when Mose is forced to wrestle a backwoodsman in order to trade his new car for the hillbilly's battered old truck; "make him say calf-rope, Leroy!" one of the observers calls out. Paper Moon, directed by Peter Bogdonovich is adapted from the novel, "Addie Pray" (1971) by Joe David Brown.
What is the budget of Paper Moon?
"Paper Moon," a comedy released in 1973, was directed by Peter Bogdanovich and stars Tatum O'Neal, Ryan O'Neal. The production budget was $2,500,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for comedy productions of the 1970s.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a comedy production like this include:
- Talent Salaries & Producing Deals: Established comedic talent can command $15 to 20 million per film, with top-tier stars earning even more through producing credits and backend deals.
- Production & Location Filming: While comedies generally avoid the VFX costs of action films, location shooting in recognizable cities or exotic locales adds meaningful production expense.
- Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising): Comedies rely heavily on marketing to build opening-weekend momentum.
- Casting: At the suggestion of Polly Platt, Bogdanovich approached eight-year-old Tatum O'Neal to audition for the role, although she had no acting experience.
What were the major cost factors in Paper Moon?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Paper Moon."
- Talent Salaries: Talent Salaries & Producing Deals is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Production: Production & Location Filming is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
- Marketing: Marketing & P&A (Prints & Advertising) is one of the primary cost drivers in comedy productions of this scale.
How Does Paper Moon's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $2,500,000, Paper Moon sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- An Elephant Sitting Still (2018): Budget $2,500,000
- Wings of Desire (1987): Budget $2,500,000, Worldwide Gross $3,548,590
- Before Sunrise (1995): Budget $2,500,000, Worldwide Gross $5,987,386
- Play Dirty (2025): Budget $2,500,000
- The Mother (2003): Budget $2,500,000, Worldwide Gross $1,062,253
The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the era ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Paper Moon Box Office Performance
"Paper Moon" earned $30,933,743 domestically and $30,900,000 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $2,500,000, the film performed strongly at the box office.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Paper Moon," that break-even threshold was roughly $5,000,000. With worldwide earnings of $30,900,000, the film cleared that threshold comfortably.
- Production Budget: $2,500,000
- Worldwide Gross: $30,900,000
- Net Return: $28,400,000
- ROI: approximately 1136%
At 1136%, "Paper Moon" earned roughly $12.36 for every $1 invested in production.
Paper Moon Production History
At the suggestion of Polly Platt, Bogdanovich approached eight-year-old Tatum O'Neal to audition for the role, although she had no acting experience. Bogdanovich had worked with Tatum's father Ryan O'Neal on What's Up, Doc?, and decided to cast them as the leads.
The film was shot in the small towns of Hays, Kansas; McCracken, Kansas; Wilson, Kansas; Dorrance, Kansas, and St. Joseph, Missouri. Various shooting locations include the Midland Hotel at Wilson, Kansas; the railway depot at Gorham, Kansas; storefronts and buildings on Main Street in White Cloud, Kansas; Hays, Kansas; sites on both sides of the Missouri River; Rulo Bridge; and St.
Awards and Recognition
Won 1 Oscar. 9 wins & 10 nominations total
- National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
- Silver nugget for the best foreign film
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: Tatum O'Neal (46th Academy Awards)
Critical Reception
Vincent Canby of The New York Times praised "two first-class performances" from Ryan and Tatum O'Neal but found the film "oddly depressing" and unable to "make up its mind whether it wants to be an instant antique or a comment on one". Roger Ebert gave the film his top four-star rating and commented that "a genre movie about a con man and a little girl is teamed up with the real poverty and desperation of Kansas and Missouri, circa 1936.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Paper Moon (1973)?
The production budget was $2,500,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $1,250,000 - $2,000,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $3,750,000 - $4,500,000.
How much did Paper Moon (1973) earn at the box office?
Paper Moon grossed $30,933,743 domestic, $-33,743 international, totaling $30,900,000 worldwide.
Was Paper Moon (1973) profitable?
Yes. Against a production budget of $2,500,000 and estimated total costs of ~$6,250,000, the film earned $30,900,000 theatrically - a 1136% ROI on production costs alone.
What were the biggest costs in producing Paper Moon?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Tatum O'Neal, Ryan O'Neal, Madeline Kahn); star comedian salaries, location filming, and aggressive marketing campaigns.
How does Paper Moon's budget compare to similar comedy films?
At $2,500,000, Paper Moon is classified as a micro-budget production. The median budget for wide-release comedy films in the era ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: An Elephant Sitting Still (2018, $2,500,000); Wings of Desire (1987, $2,500,000); Before Sunrise (1995, $2,500,000).
Did Paper Moon (1973) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Paper Moon?
The theatrical ROI was 1136.0%, calculated as ($30,900,000 − $2,500,000) ÷ $2,500,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
What awards did Paper Moon (1973) win?
Won 1 Oscar. 9 wins & 10 nominations total.
Who directed Paper Moon and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, written by Alvin Sargent, shot by László Kovács, edited by Verna Fields.
Where was Paper Moon filmed?
Paper Moon was filmed in United States of America. The film was shot in the small towns of Hays, Kansas; McCracken, Kansas; Wilson, Kansas; Dorrance, Kansas, and St. Joseph, Missouri.
Filmmakers
Paper Moon
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