Catch Me If You Can was another major hit in Steven Spielberg’s filmography. The director’s name is associated with some of the most iconic Hollywood movies of all time and the 2002 movie was also a major addition to it. The movie featured Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in the lead and the performances were widely appreciated. While it is very hard to imagine any other actor in the roles, Spielberg was initially unsure if Hanks will agree to the role of Carl Hanratty.
Steven Spielberg has collaborated with Tom Hanks on five movies and all of them have been significant box-office successes. Catch Me If You Can marked the second collaboration between the director and the actor and featured the Forrest Gump actor as an FBI agent.
Steven Spielberg on Tom Hanks’ casting in Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can shows the story of Frank Abagnale Jr. played by Leonardo DiCaprio who was a con artist. Although the accuracy of his stories has been repeatedly questioned, the movie based on his frauds turned out to be a critical and commercial success.
The role of Tom Hanks as the FBI agent based on the real-life FBI agent Joseph Shea was heavily appreciated by everyone. But according to IMDb, the Raiders of the Last Ark director didn’t expect Hanks to take the role. Steven Spielberg was worried that the Oscar Winning actor who is one of the biggest Hollywood names to date wouldn’t agree to play a supporting role.
But the 76-year-old filmmaker was proved wrong when the actor showed an immense level of professionalism. According to Tom Hanks, the role mattered more to him than the size of it. Steven Spielberg also added in an interview with Roger Ebert how Hanks “invited” himself to the film.
“No, Tom had read the script as a writing sample and called me and Walter Parkes, the co-producer, and said ‘Can I be in this movie? Do you think Steven would let me play the FBI agent? I really know who this guy is.’ And then Tom called me and he said, ‘Can I kinda horn in here?’ And I said, my God, what do you mean horn in?”
Hanks didn’t stop there and also called up Leonardo DiCaprio as the latter had the primary part in the movie. The Titanic lead was overjoyed by the humbleness of the two times Academy Award Winner.
“Then he called Leo and said, ‘Is it an imposition for me to be this movie which is clearly your film? You’re carrying it. Would it be an imposition upon you if I played the FBI agent?’ Leo thought that heaven had just come down to earth for him. So in a sense, Tom invited himself into the project in such a humble, beautiful way.”
The role of Carl Hanratty became iconic over the years and numerous critics have praised Tom Hanks for giving one of the best performances of his career. Steven Spielberg also praised highly how the 66-year-old actor was just perfect in his part.
Steven Spielberg couldn’t stop praising Tom Hanks
Steven Spielberg made Catch Me If You Can soon after Saving Private Ryan which also starred the Hanks in the lead. Both movies presented the actor in contrasting roles yet the Captain Phillips star pulled those off with great ease. In the interview with Ebert, the three-time Oscar-winning director spoke highly about Tom Hanks’ range.
Further, the filmmaker also praised by calling him a “chameleon” who can pull off any role with perfection. Speaking on the Legion of Honor winner’s performance as Hanratty, Spielberg said:
“This is the first movie I think he’s ever been in where he has made a meal of anonymity, because he’s so anonymous for so long in the picture. He doesn’t steal any scenes; he’s not trying to out-act anybody. He’s just trying to play this pencil pusher whose own FBI agents don’t believe all this effort is worth the trouble he’s going through.”
The 2002 movie was a huge blockbuster earning $352 million and was also nominated for two Oscars. Besides the leads, it also had some other major faces such as Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, James Brolin, and Amy Adams.
Catch Me If You Can can be streamed on Max.
Source: Roger Ebert.com
