Factual error: On the plane, while being escorted by FBI agents, Frank Jr sees New York's LaGuardia Airport and says, "There it is, LaGuardia Airport, runway 44." A runway numbered 44 is impossible. No runway can be numbered over 36 because there are 360 degrees in a circle.
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Mistakes
When Handratty presses the emergency stop button at the printers, it causes paper to fly all over the place. Pressing the emergency stop would also stop the sheet feeder, and therefore stop the paper feeding through the press. See more...
Trivia
In case anyone was wondering, Frank was telling the truth when he said he passed the Bar Exam by studying. He studied for three weeks and took it. He did, however, fail the first two times. But since you were allowed to take it as many times as possible, he just used process of elimination till he passed, and third time was a charm. See more...
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Amy Adams, Christopher Walken, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Tom Hanks (add more)
Catch Me If You Can mistakes
Factual error: In the scene where Handratty hits the button to stop the press, suddenly individual checks come flying up from the press. This could not happen. On such a large press the checks would be printed several up on a large sheet of paper, to be cut down after printing is completed.
Factual error: In a telephone conversation scene between Frank and Handratty, Frank is using a phone that has a plug type receiver. The phones in that era were all hard wired.
Catch Me If You Can 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.
In case anyone was wondering, Frank was telling the truth when he said he passed the Bar Exam by studying. He studied for three weeks and took it. He did, however, fail the first two times. But since you were allowed to take it as many times as possible, he just used process of elimination till he passed, and third time was a charm.
Frank Abagnale's father was, in real life, a straight honest law abiding citizen, and not the shonky con-man as depicted in the movie.