Probably some of the movies that come to mind when we hear the name, Steven Spielberg, are Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Jaws. And while that is reasonable, you should not restrict yourself to only the classics. The lesser-known masterpiece Catch Me If You Can, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is one of the many outstanding films in Spielberg’s extensive filmography.
For a quick refresher, Leonardo DiCaprio was young and endearing as ever in Catch Me If You Can, acting alongside legends like Tom Hanks and Christopher Walken. He has put his roguish charm to good use when playing Frank Abagnale Jr.; he connived millions of dollars while pretending to be a pilot for Pan American World Airways.
The semi-autobiographical book of the same name by Frank Abagnale Jr. served as the basis for the 2002 biographical crime comedy-drama. However, his real-life story and its historical veracity have been fiercely debated.
DiCaprio had the opportunity to meet Abagnale Jr., before filming one of his best true-life story-based films. However, as the actor put it, he did not have the best impression of the real conman.
Leonardo Dicaprio On Meeting The ‘Most Egocentric Criminal’
Although Leonardo DiCaprio has played some fantastic roles throughout his career, not all of them have been morally upright.
The 2002 biographical crime comedy-drama, Catch Me If You Can, directed by Steven Spielberg, must be mentioned when discussing DiCaprio’s one of the best thriller films. The actor played the bold conman, Frank Abagnale Jr. in this 2002 release. Tom Hanks played the FBI agent who was pursuing the Titanic star in the film.
According to sources, Abagnale Jr., the conman, who served as the basis for Spielberg’s film, Catch Me If You Can, may have lied about his life experiences.
DiCaprio, who began his career in the late 1980s with television commercials, said to BBC:
“He understood whatever those hidden mechanisms are that convince people to trust you. I kind of watched him and absorbed what I could from him.”
The actor also clarified that the title Catch Me If You Can had a certain air of defiance and innocence about it.
“There’s a certain defiance and childlike quality in the title Catch Me If You Can. I think that has a lot to do with the ego of this cocky kid who thinks he can defy everyone, and in fact does. I mean, he had the FBI chasing their tail for years! I think he’s one of the most egocentric criminals who ever lived.”
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Frank Abagnale Jr. May Have Lied About His Crimes
According to reports, Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can, Frank Abagnale Jr., may have lied about his life experiences.
The conman, whose memoir shared the same name as Spielberg’s movie, claimed that while on the run, he pretended to be a professor, a doctor, and a lawyer in order to cash $2.5 million in fake checks. However, an article from the New York Post suggests that the man may have exaggerated the extent of his illegal exploits in order to attract media attention.
After committing the crimes, Abagnale Jr. was eventually able to change his life for the better and even work for the FBI as an advisor. However, after hearing him speak at a high school, Jim Keith, the then manager of security at a JC Penney in St. Louis, began to have doubts about his claims because a lot of the data contained inaccurate “technical information regarding bad checks”.
Keith went on to say:
“We walked away with a sick feeling that we and those students were sold a bill of worthless goods.”
Keith collaborated with a border patrol agent and a professor of criminal justice to compile a number of documents in an effort to corroborate Abagnale Jr.’s claims. The researchers concluded that while some of his claims were accurate, others were “inaccurate, misleading, exaggerated, or totally false.”
Catch Me If You Can is streaming on DIRECTV.
