From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Wait, what—

“Catch Me If You Can,” starts with a small surprise right off the bat.

Steven Spielberg actually produced a retro television program, unfolding the story with a playful and satirical tone, almost like a mocking comic.

Instantly, my eyes lit up.

“Contestant number one, what is your name?”

“My name is Frank William Abagnale.”

“Contestant number two?”

“My name is Frank William Abagnale.”

“Contestant number three!”

“My name is Frank William Abagnale.”

The scene was slightly comical.

Clearly, every audience member sitting in the theater at this moment knows:

The second one, Anson Wood, is the true protagonist of the movie.

But the movie insists on producing a retro show to find the truth, and this incongruity creates an inexplicable sense of humor, making it hard to suppress a smile.

So, isn't this a spoiler?

Unexpectedly, the spoiler is the intention, because the host then goes a step further and reveals the story content in advance, which is definitely a surprise.

In an era where everyone rejects spoilers and even considers them a heinous act, film companies always do their best to protect the plot; however, “Catch Me If You Can” goes against the grain and spoils it themselves in advance.

So, how should the movie unfold then?

Curiosity arose immediately.

The voice of the TV show host continued.

“From 1964 to 1967, I successfully impersonated a Pan American World Airways pilot, flying over two million miles for free. During that time, I was also the chief resident pediatrician at a hospital in Georgia, and an assistant to the chief prosecutor in Louisiana.”

“When I was arrested, I was considered the youngest and most daring con man in American history.”

“I cashed approximately four million dollars in forged checks in twenty-six countries and territories outside the United States and in fifty states within the country; and all of this was accomplished before my nineteenth birthday.”

More importantly, curiosity.

A little spoiler, but it lays out the legendary experience of this character, not only does it not disappoint, but it creates a headline-grabbing effect, instantly grabbing attention and making people look forward to it uncontrollably.

The camera, like a television program, scanned over the three candidates one by one, looking at Anson's innocent face like an angel, thoughts surged in his mind, it was really hard to imagine how Anson could commit those crimes.

Oh, forgot, not Anson, but Frank William Abagnale.

This should be the most profound and clearest time that the audience has remembered the male protagonist of a movie, and the movie has just started for less than three minutes.

The TV show host, “So, for the first time ever, he's going to tell the truth, starting with Katie's question.”

Katie, a guest on the show, a middle-aged woman wearing a floral dress, “Thank you. Contestant number one, with your intelligence—you must be a very intelligent guy, why don't you find a legitimate career path?”

The number one Frank appeared calm and composed, “It's a matter of dollars and cents. When I was young, I needed money, and I thought this profession was the easiest way to make money.”

Katie's voice came from outside the screen, the camera has quietly moved horizontally to focus on Anson, "I see. Contestant number two, I find this very curious, so, who finally caught you?”

The number two Frank looked at the camera generously and gave a shallow smile, “His name is Carl Hanratty.”

One second, transition.

“Han. Rat. Ty.”

Whirring, torrential rain.

Close-up shot, Tom Hanks' familiar face switches to the stage, seamlessly completing the connection without warning, from fiction to reality, like a roller coaster, instantly dragging the audience into the story.

Sure enough, Steven is Steven, he always knows how to create impact.

From Anson to Tom, from Frank to Carl, the switching of the screen brings the switching of the protagonist, from fiction to reality, from criminal to pursuer, unfolding the story from a completely different perspective.

And, spoiler again.

Just like spoiling Frank's criminal history, at this time it is also spoiling the superhero who solves the case and brings the criminal to justice, and the tension between crime and law enforcement instantly fills the entire screen.

The reporters understood in seconds—

“Catch Me If You Can”, in fact, the movie title has already spoiled it, apart from the original biography, the focus of the movie is on Frank and Carl, a brilliant con man and a relentless detective.

Look, this is narrative efficiency.

Less than three minutes into the movie, Steven had already thrown out the bait, firmly grabbing the focus, and the entire audience was immersed in it before they realized it.

Awesome!

“Han! Rat! Ty!”

In the heavy rain, Carl had to repeat his last name, a case of talking to a brick wall.

“Ra, Tee?”

You can tell from the accent that the people standing in front of Carl are French.

Wait, how did the story come from America to France again?

A suspense, a switch, seemingly dizzying and unclear, but Steven's rhythm handling is absolutely brilliant, before question marks fill the brain, the answers are thrown out little by little.

“Carl Hanratty?”

“Yes!”

“Ah?”

“I am. Carl. Hanratty. I represent the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. I have official permission to meet with that American prisoner, Abagnale.”

Marseille, France, 1969, Christmas Eve.

Buzz, buzz, buzz.

There was a commotion in the screening room.

Because the movie didn't let the confusion and suspense last too long, before sliding further into the abyss of chaos, everything was listed out in detail.

Also because the movie broke the fourth wall, from Christmas Eve in 1969 to Christmas Eve in 2022, now I finally understand why DreamWorks chose to hold the premiere in Los Angeles today.

The movie shines into reality.

Moreover, the fictional TV program just now is the introduction, not only spoiling the relationship between Frank and Carl; at the same time, it cuts open a gap like a scalpel to enter the story.

So, it wasn't Carl who caught Frank, but the Marseille police?

Now, Carl is here in Marseille to extradite Frank back to the United States?

Despite some effort, Carl still met Frank—

Layer upon layer, tightly sealed, Frank was locked in the deepest part of the heavily guarded prison.

At the same time, the Marseille police kept in full alert, pointing to the iron door of the cell in front of them, and placing a stool at the door.

“You sit here. You are not allowed to open this door, nor are you allowed to pass anything to him through this small hole.”

The other party opened a small window on the right side of the iron door of the cell, a rectangle about the size of a mail slot, and it was tightly covered with wire mesh.

Carl put down his briefcase and umbrella, sat down, looked in through the wire mesh from the small window, and couldn't help but exclaim even though he was prepared.

“Jesus Christ.”

Cough cough.

Cough cough!

Inside, a thin figure covered his body with a dirty gray blanket, coughing violently, as if his entire lung was about to cough out, tightly pulling the blanket, tossing and turning trying to find a comfortable position, but failed, the whole person curled up wearily in the corner.

A head of golden brown long hair was messy like seaweed, vaguely revealing that dirty, bloodless face, the body uncontrollably trembling.

It's really hard to imagine that... that's actually Anson.