You know, I'm settling down.
You've stolen almost $4 million.
You think we can just call that a wedding present?
Nah, this isn't something you get to walk away from, Frank.
I want to call a truce.
No truce.
You will be caught, you will go to prison.
Where did you think this was going?
Please leave me alone, Carl.
Please?
I'm getting close, aren't I?
You're scared because I'm getting close.
I know you... you rented that car in Shreveport
and you stayed in that hotel on Lake Charles.
You want to run, be my guest.
Your checks don't lie as well as you do.
Stop chasing me.
I can't stop.
It's my job.
It's okay, Carl.
I just thought I'd ask, you know?
Hey. Merry Christmas, huh?
(click and dial tone)
I love my job.
All right... (clears throat)
let's get every newspaper we can
every newspaper in Louisiana for the last two months.
What are we looking for?
Engagement announcements, name of Conners.
Conners?! Come on, Carl, the kid would've
changed his name by now.
Mm-mm. He can't change it.
She thinks he's Conners.
If he loses the name, he loses the girl.
# I can't give you anything #
# But love, baby #
# That's the only thing I have plenty of #
# Baby #
# Dreamin' a while, schemin' a while... #
- Congratulations. - You having a good time?
#... You're sure to find #
- # Happiness, and I guess # - Keep dancing, huh?
# All those things you've always pined for... #
- Oh. - Hi.
Oh, me too. Thank you.
I'm going to, uh, the little boys' room.
- Okay. - Okay.
Hurry back.
(car approaching)
(brakes squeaking)
Good evening.
I'm Agent Hanratty with the FBI.
We'd like to have a few quiet words
with your host, if possible.
MAN: I'll get him.
Right over there, sir.
- Hi, Roger. How are you? - Hi, Vin.
Good evening, gentlemen. I'm Roger Strong.
Carl Hanratty, FBI.
This is Agents Amdursky and Fox.
Sorry to crash your party, sir.
Not at all. What can I do for you?
If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to meet the groom.
Is there a problem?
- (laughter) - Frank! Frank!
Can you hold all these?
(whispering): Yeah. Come here.
They're checks. They're from my dad's friends.
They're for us, so we can start a new life... Hey!
What are you doing? What's wrong?
We have to leave.
What?!
Brenda, you love me, right?
Yes.
I mean, you'd love me no matter what.
Yes.
I mean, you'd love me
whether I was sick or whether I was poor
or even if I had a different name.
Frank, where'd you get all that money?
Brenda, listen. A name, right?
A name, it doesn't matter.
My name is Frank Conners, right?
- That's who I am with you. - Yes.
But-but we all have secrets.
You know, sometimes when I travel
I use the name Frank Taylor. That-That's my secret.
- Frank Taylor?! - Yeah, Frank Taylor, you know?
- Frank Black. - Frank Black?!
Yeah, it doesn't matter.
Why are you saying all this?
Brenda... Brenda, I don't want to lie to you anymore.
All right? I'm not a doctor.
I never went to medical school.
I'm not a lawyer or a Harvard graduate or a Lutheran.
Brenda, I ran away from home a year and a half ago
when I was 16.
Frank...
Frank?
You're not a Lutheran?
Brenda... you see all this money?
You see all this money? I have more.
I have plenty more.
I have enough money
to last us for the rest of our lives
- (gasps) - Look.
Frank, stop teasing me.
You're Frank Conners.
You're Frank Conners, and you're 28 years old and...
(whispering): Brenda...
Why would you lie to me?
- Brenda, Brenda... - I want to know your name.
- Listen to me, Brenda. - Tell me your name.
We can live anywhere we want
but you have to trust me, Brenda.
- Do you trust me? - Yes.
- Do you love me, Brenda? - Yes.
- You love me? - I love you.
Excuse me, Mother.
Honey, this is Mr. Hanratty. My wife Carol.
- Oh, Mister? - Hanratty, ma'am.
- Ratty. - Yes.
Have you seen Frank or Brenda?
I-I think they went upstairs.
Frank...
(whispers): Brenda, come here.
Okay, in two days, you're going to meet me
at Miami International Airport, all right?
You're going to leave the house after your parents go to sleep.
You're going to take a taxicab.
You give the taxi driver this money right here
and you tell him to drive all through the night.
Brenda, you're going to leave at 10:00am.
- 10:00am, all right? - But...
(scatting)
# I never stop #
# Till I get to the top... #
(jazz continues in distance)
Which room, sir?
In the corner.
You have to listen to me, all right?
The International Terminal in Miami, all right? Say it.
Okay, the International Terminal in Miami.
- No matter what... - No matter what...
- You're going to take a taxicab. - I will take a taxi.
You're going to be there at 10:00am.
I will be there at 10:00am, no matter what.
- In two days. - Two days.
Two days, Brenda. Two days.
In two days, I'll be there
no matter what, at 10:00am.
You're not going to tell anyone, Brenda.
You have to promise me, now.
(crying): Frank, please!
Before you go, please tell me your name.
Please, tell me.
Frank William Abagnale Jr.
(ominous music playing)
(light, childlike theme plays)
(wind blowing)
(ominous theme building)
(childlike theme returns)
(shuddering)
# #
WOMAN (over P.A.): National Airlines
flight number 27, serving Fort Myers, Sarasota, Tampa
and New York Kennedy, is now available at gate n...
Skycap, Gate 14. Skycap, Gate 14.
Taxi!
(announcements continue indistinctly over P.A.)
MAN (over P.A.): Your attention...
# #
(sighing)
Brenda.
AMDURSKY: This guy's a no-show.
He must've got wise to us.
HANRATTY: Maybe he was tipped.
If he's not here today, he'll be tomorrow.
We'll get him before he leaves the country.
He doesn't have a passport.
For the last six months, he's gone to Harvard and Berkeley.
I'm betting he can get a passport.
So we have all our men waiting for him here
in Miami International.
He's used it before. He knows the layout.
I talked to Miami police; they've offered us
50 uniformed cops in two shifts of 25.
With our guys, that's almost 100 men in one airport.
Don't you think we should spread it around?
No, no, this is the exit point.
Well, how do you know he hasn't rented a car
and driven to airports in New York, Atlanta?
Because I'm not in New York.
I'm not in Atlanta.
Yes, this is, uh, Frank Roberts
and I'm letting all the universities
in the area know that Pan Am will be initiating
a new recruiting program this year.
I'll, uh, be stopping by your campus tomorrow morning.
Thank you all very much for coming.
At the end of the day
I'll be choosing eight young ladies to be a part of...
(cheering and laughter)
...Pan Am's future stewardess flight crew program.
Now, these eight young ladies will accompany me
on a two-month public relations tour through Europe.
(women squealing)
They will discover firsthand what it takes
to be a Pan American stewardess.
(cheering)
HANRATTY: Give me at least two men...
Nah, one man per every two counters.
- Mm-hmm. - All right?
Amdursky?
Yeah?
Make sure your uniforms are covering
the sidewalk entrances and exits.
Hey... let's have, uh, periodic sweeps of the men's lav.
You, here.
What qualifies me to be a future stewardess?
Well, I think that I'm really friendly
and I can really help out
and, um, make people feel welcome on the plane and...
We'll be traveling at 6,000 miles per hour
at an altitude of 300 feet.
# All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go... #
(playing dramatic piano intro)
Ilene Anderson.
(squealing and applause)
(pianist playing "Come Fly With Me")
Miggy Acker.
(excited squealing)
Debra Jo McMillan.
Candy Heston.
FRANK SINATRA: # Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away #
# If you can use some exotic booze #
# There's a bar in far Bombay #
# Come fly with me, let's fly, let's fly away #
# Come fly with me, let's float down to Peru #
# In llama land there's a one-man band #
# And he'll toot his flute for you #
(appreciative whistle)
# Come fly with me... #
Hi.
#... Let's take off in the blue #
# Once I get you up there #
# Where the air is rarefied #
(wolf whistle)
# We'll just glide starry-eyed #
# Once I get you up there... #
You see that blonde out front?
I should have been a pilot.
Exactly.
WOMAN (over P.A.): Mr. Carl Hanratty
please pick up the courtesy telephone.
Hanratty.
AMDURSKY: Carl, your walkie-talkie wasn't working.
There's a guy in a Pan Am uniform
sitting in a white Coupe DeVille out in front of Terminal J.
That's the charter terminal.
Can you get a look at his face?
He's got his pilot's cap on.
Carl, I think it's him!
#... Just say the words, and we'll beat the birds #
# Down to Acapulco Bay... #
(siren blaring)
Watch out, watch out, watch out!
#... It's perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say... #
(agents shouting)
Out of the car, Frank.
(patrol cars' tires squealing)
Frank?!
Step out of the car!
Keep your hands where I can see 'em.
Don't shoot me! I'm just a driver.
A man paid me $100 to wear this uniform
and pick someone up at the airport.
Who you picking up?
Hey!
# Pack up, let's fly away. #
(engine roaring)
Seven months later
HANRATTY: South America, Australia
Singapore, Egypt.
The kid's gone completely out of control.
Why wasn't I called?
FOX: Nobody was called, sir.
The banks didn't know what was happening till last week.
That's impossible.
They didn't call 'cause it's not counterfeiting.
- It's something else. - Well, what is he doing?
He's making real checks, sir.
These are so perfect
the airline didn't know the difference.
Last check was cashed in Madrid a week ago.
My guess is he's still there.
We have to leave now, sir. Today.
Go where?
Spain? You want to go to Spain?
Well, eventually, he's got to go back
to where the checks were printed.
I think that's why he's moving back through Europe.
Look at the map, sir. He's making a circle.
He's running out of checks.
I know it's a... it's a long shot, sir
but if we track him from Madrid, sir, we could still catch him.
I'm sorry, Carl, if you couldn't catch him here
you're not going to catch him there.
But, sir, we're going to let him get away.
No, Carl, you let him get away.
(tapping map)
# #
A perfect one-16th all the way around.
Hmm!
Color separation is flawless.
There's no bleeding. Hmm.
Nobody does work like this in the States.
Nobody but us.
HANRATTY: Where was it printed?
(chuckling): It was printed on a monster...
A monster.
...a Heidelberg, an Istra...
Heidelberg.
...a dinosaur, four colors.
You can smell the weight.
Two tons, without the ink.
(inhales, clears throat)
Where do they do printing like this?
Germany, Great Britain...
France.
BOTH PRINTERS: France!
France. Frank's mother said the name of a village in France
where they didn't have Sara Lee.
The village where she met Frank's father.
Oh, yeah, I don't remember, uh...
It started with an M. It was, uh, "Mont" something.
"Mont." Mr. Fox?
Uh, yes, yes.
Question: "You met your husband during the war?"
Answer: "Yes, I lived in a small village in France.
Yeah, right.
"The kind of place where they never heard of Sara Lee."
Tell me you wrote down the name of the village, Mr. Fox.
Montrichard.
CHORUS (in distance): # Laeti triumphantes #
Montrichard, France Christmas Eve 1967
# Venite, venite #
# In Bethlehem #
# Natum videte #
# Regem angelorum #
# Venite adoremus, Venite adoremus #
# Venite... #
(rhythmic clattering)
(bell ringing)
(thumping and fluttering)
(clattering slows)
Carl?
Carl!
Merry Christmas!
How is it that we're always talking on Christmas, Carl?
Every Christmas I'm talking to you!
(laughing)
Put your shirt on, Frank. You're under arrest.
Hey, are you hungry? Do you want some beans, Carl?
They got the best French beans here.
Here, give these a try.
There's two dozen French police officers outside.
Carl, I gotta tell you, they're delicious.
They wanted to bring you in.
You want a bite?
But they needed the help of an American.
Are you hungry? You want a bite?
But I told them I wouldn't bring them to you
unless I could put the cuffs on you myself.
Well, you have a gun? You have a gun?
- No gun? - No.
No gun.
And-and you're... and you're telling me what?
There's, uh, there's uh... (chuckles)
there's two dozen French police officers out there
right now on Christmas Eve?
That's what you're telling me?
Yeah.
(chuckling): All right, all right.
Well, there's no windows here.
I'm going to take a look out the front door.
No! No!
I told them I'd walk out first and give a signal.
Here, you can put these on yourself.
No, I can't do that! I can't do that.
You know why?
(panting)
'Cause I think you're full of shit.
I don't... I don't think there's anyone else out there.
I think... I think it's just me and you.
That's right.
I think it's just me and you, and you know what?
You're going to have to catch me yourself!
I wo... we don't have time for this.
Ah, that's good. That's good.
Tell me what you want me to see, huh?
I wouldn't lie to you.
Look, you're wearing a wedding ring.
You're wearing a wedding ring, Carl!
You lied to me about that!
Didn't you lie about that?!
You asked me if I had a family.
I did, but I don't anymore.
(phone ringing)
(anxious breathing)
(ringing continues)
Yes? No, no, no, there is no problem.
We're coming out right now.
(laughing)
Whoa, that was good. That was good.
What, did you... you pay some hotel desk clerk
to make that call for you, is that what you did?
It was Captain Luc.
I've got one minute to bring you out.
Captain Luc? Captain Luc!
Ooh, Captain Luc.
Well, Carl, I gotta say
that-that sounds pretty official to me
but like I said, I... I think it's just
me and you here, it's me and you.
So you're going to have to catch me.
Frank. Frank!
You have to trust me on this!
These people have been embarrassed, Frank.
They're angry.
You rob their banks, you steal their money
you live in their country.
I told you this was what was going to happen
that there was no other way for it to end.
Don't make a mistake!
That's good.
That's good, Carl, you know?
Keep pushing that lie.
Keep pushing it.
Keep pushing till you make it true.
They're going to kill you!
You walk out that door, they're going to kill you.
(panting)
Is that the truth?
Yeah.
You have any children, Carl?
I have a four-year-old daughter.
You swear on your daughter?
You swear?
(handcuffs clacking)
CHORUS: # Redit ce chant melodieux #
# Gloria #
# In excelsius Deo #
# Gloria... #
That was really good, Carl.
(car approaching)
(sirens blaring)
(chorus continues singing)
(tires screeching)
(officer shouting in French)
I have him in custody.
I got him.
I got him! It's all right!
(shouting continues)
It's all right!
I got him!
(speaking in French)
(officer shouting excitedly)
Hey, I want it... I want it on the record.
Frank Abagnale surrendered of his own accord.
Understood? Understood?
Where are you taking him?
(speaking in French)
I'm... I'm supposed to go.
Where are you taking him?
Let me in the...
Let me in the car!
(shouting continues)
Hey! Let me in the car!
# Gloria... #
(engine starts)
Don't worry, Frank!
I'll have you extradited back to the United States.
Don't worry.
(siren wailing)
# Gloria #
# In excelsius Deo. #
Carl...
Carl, you have to remember
to let me call my father when we land.
I just want to, I want to talk to him
before he sees me on television or something like that.
Carl, look.
That's LaGuardia right there.
Runway 4-4.
Frank, your father is dead.
I'm sorry.
I didn't want to say anything till we got closer to home.
He-He... He fell down some steps at Grand Central Station
trying to catch a train.
I didn't want to be the one to tell you.
You're lying, right?
You said I could talk to him.
Carl, who are you to...
who are you to say something like that, huh?
Who are you to say something like that?
You said I could talk to him.
He fell, and he... and he broke his neck.
I'm sorry.
I'm really sorry.
(panting)
(hits seat)
(sobbing): Goddamn it!
Carl, I'm going to be sick!
- (people muttering) - It's all right.
It's all right. It's okay.
Carl, I got to go to the bathroom.
I'm going to be sick.
Sure. Let's go in the bathroom.
(panting)
Goddamn it!
(sobbing)
(pounding)
(murmuring)
(panting)
(panting slows)
(Frank panting)
(whispering): Oh, Daddy...
You'll have take your seat, sir.
I've told you twice. We're landing.
- Sorry. Thank you... - All of you.
Frank! Come on now.
- Frank? - We're landing in six minutes.
All of you need to be in your seats
- with your seat belts fastened. - Frank, open the door!
Frank!
- You do it. - Yeah.
(engines decelerating)
(grunting)
(frustrated sigh)
(grunting)
Frank! Frank!
(engines roaring)
(tires squealing)
HANRATTY: All right, remain seated, everyone, please.
FBI. Stay seated. FBI. Stay seated.
(engines whining)
- Please remain seated! - Stay seated.
STEWARDESS: You must stay seated
until the aircraft has come to a complete stop.
HANRATTY: God almighty.
NAT KING COLE: # Chestnuts roasting on an open fire... #
(panting)
# Jack Frost nipping at your nose #
# Yuletide carols being sung by a choir #
# And folks dressed up like Eskimos #
# Everybody knows #
# A turkey and some mistletoe #
# Help to make the season bright #
(quietly blowing notes)
# Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow #
# Will find it hard to sleep tonight... #
What's your name?
(blows note)
# They know that Santa's on his way... #
Where's your mommy?
#... He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh #
(blows note)
# And every mother's child is gonna spy #
# To see if reindeer really know how to fly... #
(brakes squeaking)
# And so I'm offering this simple phrase... #
(men shouting indistinctly)
# To kids from one to 92 #
# Although it's been said many times #
# Many ways: "Merry Christmas..." #
Hands behind your head!
#... To you. #
Carl, get me in the car, please.
Get me in the car.
HANRATTY: Put him in.
(piano playing interlude in "The Christmas Song")
(handcuffs latching)
# #
JUDGE: Taking into account the gravity of these crimes
your history of bold and elusive behavior
and your complete lack of respect
for the laws of the United States
I have no choice but to ignore your request
to be treated as a minor
and sentence you to 12 years
in Atlanta's maximum security prison
and recommend strongly that you be kept in isolation
for the entirety of that sentence.
#..."Merry Christmas to you." #
(song ends with guitar playing "Jingle Bells" riff)
Use that door over there.
(phone ringing)
(indistinct voices)
PRISONER: ...and give everyone my love.
I think about them all the time.
(indistinct conversations in distance)
(sighs deeply)
Merry Christmas, Frank.
Hey, I got you some comic books here.
How's your daughter?
What was her name?
Grace.
Well... I don't know.
She lives with her mother in Chicago
and I don't get to see her much.
What's in the briefcase?
Oh. I'm on my way to the airport.
It's a paperhanger
who's working his way through Minnesota.
(chuckling)
Aw, geez, he's... he's driving us crazy.
You got any of the checks?
Yeah, yeah, I got a... a counterfeit that he drew
on the Great Lakes Savings and Loan.
See, he's just using a stencil machine
and an Underwood.
Yeah, it's a teller at the bank.
Say again?
I-It's definitely a teller, Carl.
I mean, banks, they always use hand-stamps
for the dates, see.
They get used over and over again
so they always get worn out
and the numbers are always cracking.
The sixes and the nines... see, they go first.
Thanks.
(buzzer sounding)
MAN: I'd like you to take a look
at something for me.
Tell me what you think.
(clears throat)
That's a fake.
How do you know?
You haven't looked at it.
Well, there's no perforated edge, right?
I mean, this... this check was hand-cut, not fed.
Yeah...
Paper is double-bonded
much too heavy to be a bank check.
Magnetic ink, it's, uh, raised against my fingers
instead of flat.
(sniffing)
And this doesn't smell like MICR.
It's some kind of a...
you know, some kind of a drafting ink.
You know, the kind you get at a stationery store.
(clears throat)
(paper rustling)
Frank...
would you be interested in working
with the FBI's Financial Crimes Unit?
(shuffles cards)
I already got a job here.
You know, I, uh, deliver the mail.
Frank, we have the power to take you out of prison.
You'd be placed in the custody of the FBI
where you'd serve out the remainder of your sentence
as an employee of the federal government.
Under whose custody?
(phone ringing)
Hi. I-I'm Frank Abagnale.
I'm supposed to start work here today.
It's a tour company operating out of the BVI.
Sir, Mr. Abagnale is here.
I'm going to call you back.
(melancholy melody playing)
# #
Hello, Carl.
Welcome to the FBI.
I'll show you where you're working.
Carl... how long do I have to work here?
It's 8:15 in the morning to 5:00 in the afternoon.
45 minutes for lunch.
No, I...
I mean, how long?
Every day.
Every day, Frank, till we let you go.
# #
- (tapping) - Yeah.
- Hey, Carl. - Hi.
How you doing?
It's not a good time, Frank.
I'm clearing my desk for the weekend.
Carl, you mind if I come to work with you tomorrow?
Tomorrow is Saturday.
I'm flying to Chicago to see my daughter.
I'll be back to work on Monday.
You're going to see Grace, huh?
Well, that's the plan.
(heavy sigh)
So what should I do till Monday?
I'm sorry, kid, I can't help you there.
Excuse me.
(phone rings)
This is Hanratty.
Oh, yeah, put him on.
Mr. Sawyer.
How are you?
I have a half a dozen more checks
on that tour operator at the BVI.
(laughs quietly)
# #
(opens and shuts drawer)
WOMAN (over P.A.): American Airlines 355
serving Chicago and San Francisco
is now open for passenger check-in.
How'd you do it, Frank?
How'd you pass the bar in Louisiana?
What are you doing here?
Listen...
I'm sorry I put you through all this.
You go back to Europe, you're gonna die in Perpignan Prison.
You try to run here in the States
we'll send you back to Atlanta for 50 years.
I know that.
I spent four years trying to arrange your release.
Had to convince my bosses at the FBI
and the Attorney General of the United States
you wouldn't run.
Why'd you do it?
You're just a kid.
I'm not your kid.
You said you were going to Chicago.
My daughter can't see me this weekend.
She's going skiing.
You said she was four years old.
You're lying.
She was four when I left.
Now she's 15.
My wife's been remarried for 11 years.
I see Grace every now and again.
I don't understand.
Sure you do.
Sometimes it's easier living the lie.
I'm going to let you fly tonight, Frank.
I'm not even going to try to stop you.
That's 'cause I know you'll be back on Monday.
Yeah? How do you know I'll come back?
(chuckles quietly)
Look.
Frank...
nobody's chasing you.
WOMAN (over P.A.): American Airlines flight 131
to Pittsburgh is now ready for boarding.
Passengers with boarding passes, please proceed to Gate 23A.
Okay.
Alice, has he still not called?
No, he hasn't.
HANRATTY: Good morning.
I've, uh, called this meeting to discuss
a new type of check fraud and counterfeiting
which the unsub is washing and altering checks
then passing them throughout Arizona.
(panting)
passing checks as large as five figures.
(door opening)
Sorry I'm late.
Sorry.
We have a recovered check on Agent Reiter's desk.
Why don't we step out to the bullpen?
There's impressions on every line.
Looks like the original amount was for $60.
Mind if I take a look?
Cashed in Flagstaff a week ago.
Cost the bank $16,000.
It's a real check.
Yeah.
Yeah. It's been washed.
The only thing original is the signature.
But it's perfect, Carl. I mean...
I mean, this isn't hydrochloride or bleach.
No.
Something new.
Maybe a nail polish remover where the acetone
removes the ink that's not been printed?
How did you do it, Frank?
How did you cheat on the bar exam in Louisiana?
I didn't cheat.
I studied for two weeks and I passed.
Is that the truth, Frank?
Is that the truth?
I'll bet this guy steals checks out of mailboxes.
He washes off their names and he puts on his own.
You're saying that he's a local?
Well, if it were me, you know
I'd call the bank first, I'd check out the balance...
Make sure there's enough money in there
to make it worth your while.
Exactly.
You know, Carl, I think this guy's pretty smart.
I guess all we have to do now is catch him.
We'll start first thing in the morning.
We'll run the name Eric Anthony Feeders.
In Nevada, Arizona, California.
Frank Abagnale, Jr. has been married for 26 years. He has three sons and lives a quiet life in the midwest.
Since his release from prison in 1974, Frank has helped the FBI capture some of the world's most elusive check forgers
and counterfeiters, and is considered one of the world's foremost authorities on bank fraud and forgery.
Frank has also designed many of the secure checks that banks and Fortune 500 companies use every day.
For his services, these companies pay Frank Abagnale, Jr. millions of dollars a year.
Frank and Carl remain close friends to this day.
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(music ends)