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 ill because he had been forced to live in a damp, dark cell, naked and allowed only bread and water. In Sweden where he was tried and convicted he was kept in a comfortable Swedish prison. However, upon completion of his prison term in Sweden, he was next to be extradited to Italy. The Swedish government believed 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 the foreign countries where he perpetrated his fraudulent schemes. The book about his life contains a more accurate depiction than the film and was written 10 years prior to its release.
Suggested correction: Incorrect. Abagnale served three months in a French prison, not six. He then served two months in a Swedish prison. He was ordered to recompense Swedish victims of his crimes but never did. The book about his life was published over 20 years before the film was released, not 10. The book and movie are both almost completely inaccurate; most of Abagnale's stories of his crimes and frauds were greatly exaggerated or completely made up. Journalists started discovering these lies in the late 1970s.
Corrected entry: 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 the third time was the charm.
Correction: Wrong. It has been verified that no only did he not bass the bar exam in Louisiana, but that a vast majority of his stories about his crimes and cons was exaggerated or completely made up. Since the bar exam is only given twice a year, it is not possible to pass the bar exam in three tries during the time period Abagnale claims. Also, using process of elimination to pass after multiple attempts doesn't make sense, since the bar exam changes their questions year to year.
Corrected entry: When Frank is told he's like the James Bond of the sky, we see him briefly sitting in the cinema watching a James Bond movie. The problem is that the movie features Roger Moore as Bond, but Roger didn't star in his first Bond movie until 1973, and it would have been Sean Connery in the 1960s.
Correction: The movie Frank watches at the cinema is 1964's Goldfinger (one of the best Bond movies!), with Sir Sean Connery as James Bond.
Continuity mistake: When Frank meets with his wife-to-be's mother and father, it's night time. When Frank and the father are talking after dinner, it is light out, but the characters are in the same outfits. (01:22:30 - 01:31:25)
Suggested correction: When Frank meets with his wife-to-be's mother and father, it's obviously day time.
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Frank is pulling down the second suitcase of money from the top of the bed canopy while talking frantically to Brenda, the large portion of the suitcase is initially on top when the suitcase is put on the bed. But when the camera returns to another shot of the suitcase as Frank is opening it, the large portion of the suitcase is on the bottom.
Suggested correction: Both portions of the suitcase are exactly the same.
Continuity mistake: There is a scene where Leo is at a hotel and meets Jennifer Garner, the 17 model. Then when he is recruiting flight attendants at a school, you see Jennifer Garner again but this time as one of the school girls.
Suggested correction: She is not in the recruiting scene. Jennifer Garner is featured in that one scene at the hotel, and is never seen in the movie again.
Revealing mistake: In the Atlanta party scene, we are supposed to believe it starts with a single long take. However there is a sneaky edit when Frank crosses the threshold of the room. He emerges at a slighty quicker pace and his hair is suddenly messed up. (01:10:35)
Suggested correction: There is nothing obvious in this scene that supports this. When he emerges on the other side, he bumps into his friend so suddenly that you can't tell if he was walking at a different pace. The reason his hair is messed up is because he bumps into his friend. He then yells at his friend, jerking his head around as he does so, which messes up his hair even further, which can be seen.
Even if it were true, it wouldn't qualify as a mistake. The shot may be intended to appear as a single shot, but that doesn't mean it's a mistake if it isn't.
