Two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks may always be synonymous with winning consecutive Academy Awards for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. However, his five cinematic collaborations with Steven Spielberg are just as special. The actor-director duo first worked together on the all-time great WWII epic Saving Private Ryan, which not only won Best Picture but also directly spawned HBO’s outstanding Band of Brothers miniseries (which Hanks co-produced with Spielberg).
With four subsequent film collaborations with Spielberg, Hanks gives arguably the most overlooked performance of his Hall of Fame career in the 2002 true-crime thriller Catch Me If You Can. Co-starring Leonardo DiCaprio in a much showier role as precocious con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., Hanks’ nuanced, subdued performance as the bespectacled, thick-accented FBI agent Carl Hanratty is on par with his absolute best. Nearly 25 years later, Hanks’ chameleonic turn has aged like fine wine, proving that the finest performances aren’t always the loudest.
Tom Hanks’ Character in ‘Catch Me If You Can’ is Loosely Based on a Real FBI Agent
One of Steven Spielberg’s most underappreciated movies as well, Catch Me If You Can is a breezy, wildly amusing caper film that follows the purported true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio), a con artist, forger, and thief who successfully posed as an airline pilot, doctor, and lawyer all before the age of 21. When the authorities catch wind of his crimes, FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks) is assigned to arrest Abagnale Jr., prompting a decades-long chase and manhunt across the world.
Upon reading Jeff Nathanson’s screenplay as a sample, Hanks asked Spielberg if he could play the supporting part of Hanratty, stating, “I really know who this guy is” (via Roger Ebert). Hanratty was loosely based on Joseph Shae, the real FBI agent who spent years tracking Abagnale Jr., while forming a tender bond with the con artist in the process.
Living up to his nice-guy persona, Hanks phoned DiCaprio before being cast and asked, “Is it an imposition for me to be in this movie, which is clearly your film? You’re carrying it. Would it be an imposition upon you if I played the FBI agent?”
In keeping with the supportive sentiment, Hanks gives an incredibly subdued performance that allows DiCaprio to shine, burying himself beneath thick horn-rimmed glasses, a heavy Boston accent, and a stylish fedora.
Spielberg Called Hanks A Chameleon For His ‘Catch Me If You Can’ Performance
Before transitioning to an Oscar-winning dramatic actor, Hanks famously came of age in comedic lead and supporting roles. And while the subject in Catch Me If You Can is no laughing matter, Hanks gives a hilariously restrained performance as a law enforcer sick and tired of being outwitted and evaded by such a young con artist. Yet not without pathos, Hanratty’s frustrations with Abagnale Jr. evolve through the years as they forge a touching kinship by the end.
When Roger Ebert praised Hanks’ versatility, Spielberg retorted with:
“He’s a chameleon. He has amazing range. This is the first movie I think he’s ever been in where he has made a meal of anonymity, because he’s so anonymous for so long in the picture. He doesn’t steal any scenes; he’s not trying to out-act anybody. He’s just trying to play this pencil pusher whose own FBI agents don’t believe all this effort is worth the trouble he’s going through.”
It’s true. In an effort to give generous support and let DiCaprio hog the limelight as the lead character, Hanks gives a quiet, internalized, incredibly understated performance that is no less convincing than his showier lead roles. He deliberately disguises himself and selflessly recedes into the background with the same humility he had when asking DiCaprio if he could join the project. He really did know who that Hanratty guy was.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
