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The green-capped McCormick spices on the spice rack in the apartment were not available in the early 1960s. See more...

Trivia

The real Frank Abagnale Jr. was held in the French prison (Perpignan's House of Arrest) for approximately six months. His term was shortened from twelve months. When released (extradited to Sweden), he was quite ill because he was forced to live in a damp, dark cell, naked and allowed only bread and water to eat. He was next sent to Sweden, where he was tried and convicted. The Swedish prison was quite comfortable. However, upon completion of his prison term in Sweden, he was next to be extradited to Italy. The Swedish government believes in prison reform and was afraid of the treatment he would receive in an Italian prison. As a result, Sweden revoked Frank's passport so it could intentionally have him extradited to the U.S. Once in the US, he was protected and couldn't be tried in all the foreign countries he perpetrated his fraudulent schemes. This can all be confirmed in the book, which is a much more accurate depiction of his life and was written approximately 10 years prior to the release of the movie. See more...

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Catch Me If You Can (2002) - 25 corrections

Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Amy Adams, Christopher Walken, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Tom Hanks (add more)

Genres: Biography, Crime, Drama

Comments made in brackets are corrections from other visitors. To submit your own corrections for mistakes, just click "edit" under an entry, then choose "correct entry". You can also submit corrections for corrections, if you think a mistake has been unfairly removed.

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In the scene right after To Tell the Truth, Carl goes to take Frank back to the United States. We are made to believe it is night by the fact that it is dark out when Carl gets out of the car and he tells Frank they are leaving in the morning. When Frank tries to escape, there is sunlight shining through the windows. [It is dark because of the storm. After some time has passed the rain has subsided and the light you see is the sun peeking out through the clouds. In the morning just refers to the fact that he will get things straightened out so they could leave early tomorrow.]
Edit Corrected by jairodrigue
In the James Bond scene that inspires Frank to purchase identical suits to James in the film, James makes reference to his nemesis and love interest, Octopussy. Octopussy was released in 1983. Frank was caught in France in 1969, 14 years prior to the film that supposedly inspired him to make the purchase. [The film was released in 1983, but the short story by Ian Fleming, "Octopussy" (or "Octopussy and The Living Daylights"), that the film took its' name from was published in 1966.]
Edit Corrected by rswarrior
When Frank Jr. is getting fitted for his pilot's uniform (because he lied and said he lost his other one), after the tailor finishes and tells him the cost, there are only two rank bars on his sleeves. Then, when he walks out in the uniform, there are three bars on the sleeves. Considering he says he lost his uniform in his first week as a copilot, he wouldn't have been given an extra bar before leaving. [When he is in the factory, you are correct there are 2 bars. In the next scene he is walking and there is 3 bars. However, the scenes aren't continuous. It doesn't show him walking out of the factory. Since he is a conman, we can assume he added the bar himself to make himself look better]
Edit Corrected by James Storck Time
Dr. Conners works the night shift 12am - 8 am. It seems highly unlikely that a boy would be riding a bicycle at that time of day to have an accident. [Highly unlikely doesn't make it impossible or even a mistake. I would have thought that an accident at night time was considerably more likely.]
Edit Corrected by tw_stuart Time
When Carl is talking on the phone after seeing Frank Abagnale Sr, the phone booth shakes each time he touches the window as if it was not attached on the ground. [Not all phone booths were sturdy. Depending on how old it is it could be very shaky and basically coming off the ground.]
Edit Time
As Frank is climbing out of the window at the party, to escape from the FBI, he turns and tells his girlfriend, Brenda, to meet him at Miami International Airport in two days, and specifically tells her to leave at 10am. Then when he is telling her again, he tells her to be there at 10am. [That could have been a mistake he made, or maybe he just changed his mind.]
Edit Time
In the scene where Handratty is studying a map of Europe, you can see Germany united. From 1949 til 1989, Germany was divided into West Germany (BRD) and East Germany (DDR). [No, Germany was not formally divided until several years after the Western zones were merged. It's not impossible that Hanratty had a map from the late forties or early fifties, which would show post-war borders and a united Germany.]
Edit Time
During a scene early in the movie when Frank begins perfecting his check cashing scam, there is a closeup shot of bills being counted out by a bank teller. In that shot, some one dollar bills (Washington) are followed by some two dollar bills (Jefferson) and then fives (Lincoln), tens, etc. This scene is set in the early 1960s and two dollar bills were not first printed until the 200th anniversity (commonly known as the Bicentential) of the United States in 1976. [Two dollar bills did exist during the 60's. The first Two dollar bill came out in 1862. In 1928, the bill had Jefferson on the front. The 1963A series had Jefferson on the front and Monticello on the back. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._two_dollar_bill]
Edit Corrected by William Bergquist
In the movie's version of how Frank is eventually caught, Hanratty charts Frank's movement's on a map of Europe. He tells the other agents that Frank is probably heading back to France because he's running out of checks and needs to print more. This seems unlikely as Frank could print hundreds if not thousands of checks at one time - enough to last a number of years. [True, he could have printed hundreds of checks at a time, which would have lasted a number of years; but it has to be remembered that the police, FBI, Banks etc became more and more aware of Check forgery, and therefore changed the checks regularly. Frank was most likely aware of that, and did not waste time and money printing more checks than he could use in a certain period of time. ]
Edit
When Frank Junior is arrested in France, the French police arrive in their cars. At the side of one of their cars it says "Police", even though it's the French police. [Police is also a French word, and French police cars do say 'Police'.]
Edit Corrected by Sereenie Time
Riverbend Apartments in Atlanta, Ga. is located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. However, in the party scene at Frank's apartment, an ocean and a beach can be seen in the background, not a river. (Atlanta, Ga. is about a 4 hour drive to either the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic) [A hazy shot of the city is seen in the background, not an ocean or beach. The only water shown is the apartment complex pool.]
Edit Corrected by Ral0618
When Tom is talking to Frank's mother and she offers the Sara Lee cake, the other officer keeps reaching for the fork and in the background you can see Tom holding papers. In the next shot, Tom grabs the fork and has no papers. After Tom gives the officer the fork, the papers are back. [Hanratty (Tom Hanks) has the papers in his hand the entire time. They may not be as visible in different shots due to shadows.]
Edit Corrected by Ral0618 Time
In the scene where Frank Jr.'s mother spills wine on the rug, Frank Jr. is told to get a towel. He runs quickly into the kitchen, however, when he returns he walks in slowly holding a glass of milk. [Frank has a towel in his left hand, the milk is in his right.]
Edit Corrected by ChiChi Time
In the scene where Frank is talking to Brenda's father in Brenda's parents' home, he appears to be on the left side of the couch (as you face him on the screen), yet in the next shot, he is on the other end of the couch, and Brenda's father then sits next to him on the left. It would have made sense if Frank was shown moving over to make room, but instead, it's as if he was sitting at that end of the couch all along. [Frank initially sits more towards the middle (if not the right side) of the couch.]
Edit Corrected by Ral0618
Fugitives who flee the United States fall under the jurisdiction of the State Department, not the FBI. Agent Hanratty has no jurisdiction in France. Even if Abagnale's apprehension were a joint effort, at least one agent of the State Department would have gone along with him. [The film never claims Hanratty was alone. There well could have been a member of the State Department present at Frank's capture, but Hanratty (due to their past incidents/relationship) was the one to perform the actual arrest. Just because an agent didn't speak did not mean one wasn't along in France.]
Edit
Carl and Frank Jr. flew home to LaGuardia Airport. However, LaGuardia is a domestic airport only (except for nearby Canadian cities, such as Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal). Coming home from France, they'd have flown to JFK. [Frank merely points out that they are flying over LaGuardia, not necessarily landing there.]
Edit
When Decaprio is walking into Miami International Airport with the new stewardesses, there is a shot of the entry into the airport. Just above the sign reading "Miami International Airport" flies the state flag of Alabama. [The flag outside Miami International Airport is correctly the flag of FLORIDA, not Alabama. The Alabama flag is white with a red "X" across it. The Florida flag is also white with a red "X" across it, but the Florida flag also has the State Seal in the middle of the "X". The Alabama flag has no such seal. The flag at the airport has the Florida seal in the middle.]
Edit Time
When Hanratty is talking to Frank Sr. in Frank Sr.'s apartment, Hanratty sees an envelope from Frank Jr. It is illegal for Hanratty to look through Frank Sr.'s mail without his consent or a court order, that constitutes invasion of privacy. [Yes it is true cops cannot search areas without consent or a warrant, EXCEPT if the item is in plain view, which that envelope was.]
Edit
There is a scene in which Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio are aboard a plane at LaGuardia Airport. This particular scene takes place in 1969, and at one point there is a shot of the New York City skyline with the Twin Towers intact. However, the towers were not completed until 1973. [After going over it several times, all I see is The Empire State Building. It was either filmed after the tragedy, or they were removed during editing.]
Edit Corrected by Anthony Chiaro
In the scene at the French prison in 1969, Carl uses a pop-up mini-umbrella. This type of umbrella wasn't available until the late 70s. Until then, all umbrellas were of the two-hand, slide-up variety. [Sure looked like a regular long black push-up type when I double-checked it.]
Edit Corrected by Anthony Chiaro

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