Dizziness, spinning.
The large screen swirled like a vortex, pulling the entire audience into it, engulfing them in the story as if swept into a storm.
In this segment, Steven Spielberg once again demonstrated his unparalleled mastery of direction, editing, and pacing, executing a brilliant piece of filmmaking—
Dual narratives, cross-cutting, parallel advancement.
On one side, the FBI agents, led by Carl, were closing in.
At the engagement party, the clinking glasses and joyful atmosphere gave no hint of the impending danger, but Carl was tightening the noose, closing in step by step.
On the other side, young Frank was fumbling to make his escape.
Brenda, who had just been floating in joy and happiness, suddenly plummeted into confusion and sorrow. Tears streamed down her face as she trembled in fear. Her panic and Frank's frantic actions intertwined, making the oppressive tension so palpable it felt like it could silently choke both of them.
Calm and tension.
Stealth and chaos.
The switching of camera angles, the seamless transitions in rhythm, the collision of visuals—all formed a giant vortex, with a suffocating sense of tension quietly spreading, dragging the entire theater into it.
No one was exempt. No one.
Until—
"Frank, please, before you go, tell me your real name. Please tell me."
Brenda, sobbing uncontrollably, clung to Frank's arm. The lace curtains on the window thrashed wildly in the wind, slapping both Brenda and Frank's faces, while moonlight cast shifting shadows on their youthful expressions.
For that moment, they were like Romeo and Juliet, standing on the balcony, pouring out their hearts.
Frank paused, momentarily stunned.
In his deep blue eyes, Brenda's heartbroken face was reflected. Amidst the panic and haste, fear and confusion, it was like someone hit the pause button.
At that instant, Melvin's heart stopped as well. He stared at Frank, staring at Brenda's reflection in Frank's eyes, holding his breath.
Would Frank tell the truth this time?
"Frank William Abagnale."
He spoke.
No more lies.
The entire theater froze, but hearts began to plummet uncontrollably, as if in freefall from the sky—
It was all real.
Frank truly loved Brenda. What he told Mr. Strong was true. Frank genuinely wanted to settle down and start a family. All the loneliness, bitterness, and sorrow were real.
But.
It was impossible to achieve.
Now, Melvin finally understood the conversation between Frank and his father in the bar, when Frank asked his father to stop him, but his father told him that he couldn't stop.
At that moment, Frank finally realized that his initial escape was an attempt to save his family and return to them, but he had taken the wrong path, one from which there was no return. Not only had the Abagnale family become a thing of the past, but Frank had also destroyed any chance of building a future with Brenda.
So.
He turned, dazed and disoriented, and ran.
Like a dog with its tail between its legs.
What else could he do?
Run.
Keep running.
Melvin involuntarily closed his eyes.
He knew Frank was a criminal, deserving of punishment, and that Frank was responsible for his own downfall. He shouldn't feel sympathy for Frank.
But in that moment, the sadness and regret were real.
A bittersweet feeling spread across the entire theater.
Two days later, Frank appeared at Miami International Airport, immediately spotting Brenda in a pink suit, standing weak and helpless at the entrance, looking around, waiting for her lover to appear.
Frank was ecstatic, opening the car door, ready to run to her, but something felt off. Instantly alert, he scanned his surroundings.
Then, Frank realized it—FBI agents were everywhere, setting a trap just waiting for him to fall into.
Frank got back in his car, passing by Brenda without her noticing.
The FBI believed Frank had sensed something and wouldn't show up. But Carl disagreed—he was convinced Frank would leave the U.S.
And, he would do it from Miami International Airport.
"How do you know he won't rent a car and drive to New York or Atlanta to fly out?" one agent asked.
Carl replied, "Because I'm not in New York, and I'm not in Atlanta."
Once again, Carl's instincts were correct. Frank was indeed planning to leave from Miami International Airport. Meanwhile, the FBI had placed over a hundred agents around the airport, monitoring everything 24/7. If Frank appeared, there was no way he'd escape their watchful eyes.
What now?
Frank once again used his cleverness.
He posed as a Pan Am pilot and went to an all-girls high school to conduct a recruitment presentation for flight attendants. As part of a "live experience" program, he actually held interviews at the school, eventually selecting eight girls of varying shapes and sizes. He dressed them in flight attendant uniforms—
And brazenly walked into Miami International Airport.
The group passed right in front of the FBI agents, but their attention was entirely on the beautiful girls, paying no mind to Frank.
"You know why the Yankees always win?"
Melvin's mind echoed the same conversation.
Meanwhile, the FBI agents were monitoring the cars around the airport. Someone noticed something suspicious and immediately informed Carl, who rushed over with the team.
But.
It was a decoy.
"Don't shoot! I'm just a driver. A guy gave me a hundred dollars to put on this uniform and come to the airport to pick someone up."
A trembling young man, dressed in a pilot's uniform, raised his hands high.
Carl was furious. "Who are you picking up?"
The boy obediently retrieved a sign from the passenger seat. "Hanratty."
The FBI agents had been completely fooled. Frank had once again successfully escaped, leaving the United States.
And this time, he disappeared for seven whole months.
The FBI finally got wind of him again—South America, Australia, Singapore, Egypt—Frank had been everywhere.
This time, Frank had upped his game—
For more than six months, neither the FBI nor the banks noticed anything unusual. The reason? Frank wasn't forging checks anymore. He was printing real checks, so perfect that neither the airlines nor the banks could detect the difference.
The last check was cashed in Madrid.
Carl tried to go to Spain to continue his pursuit of Frank, but the FBI wouldn't approve it. Budget issues and cross-border operations restricted them.
Carl's request was denied.
Nevertheless, Carl didn't give up. He began investigating the ink, the printers, and consulted a number of veteran experts. Finally, he found a clue: the checks were likely printed in Germany, the UK, or France.
Then it hit Carl—Frank's mother came from a small village in France—
Montrichard.
So, Carl went to Montrichard, a village in southern France, where he found an old printing factory.
Even though it was late at night, the machines were still humming, the place bustling with activity.
Carl hit the switch, shutting everything down. A storm of checks fluttered in the air, and a familiar figure hurriedly stood up, bathed in the warm yellow light, like a Greek god.
"Carl!"
It was Frank.