In front of the monitor, Steven Spielberg focused intently on the screen. The soft light gently fell on Anson's eyelashes, fluttering like a butterfly's wings.
A pause, a glance back, a lowered gaze, a moment of silence.
It was in this brief moment that a subtle reaction tugged at the heart, bringing forth a faint bitterness that words could not describe—a complex mix of emotions.
In this moment, Steven saw himself; he saw young Frank and saw himself as well.
In reality, they all understood.
Parents believe their children are still too young to understand anything, but that's not the case. They may be children, but that doesn't mean they are completely oblivious.
They know the storm is coming; they know the family is on the verge of collapse. But they don't know what to do. In their short lives, they have never faced such a challenge before. Even if they wanted to resolve it, they wouldn't know where to start. So, like ostriches, they bury their heads in the sand, cautiously maintaining normalcy, silently praying that as long as they don't face the truth, the end won't come.
The bitterness, the struggle, the fear.
Like fragile butterfly wings, they weakly and stubbornly flap in the storm, and then... bit by bit, they shatter into pieces.
Steven was stunned.
His focus had always been on composition, camera movement, lighting, and framing. As for the acting, that was the actor's domain, and he had no need to interfere in another's expertise.
But now, in those deep blue eyes, he saw a world on the verge of collapse.
Unconsciously, Steven paused where he stood.
"No, I didn't think you'd forgotten."
Young Frank tried to maintain calm, his panic and unease settling down as he continued to carefully flip the pancake.
Then, Steven noticed a slight pause in Christopher's movement on screen—
Did he miss his cue?
Impossible. An experienced actor like Christopher couldn't make such a mistake.
Moreover, Christopher is a classic example of representational acting.
The biggest difference between representational acting and method acting is:
Method acting emphasizes "losing control," surrendering oneself to the character, following the character's unique traits and personality to develop the story. Method actors believe that characters have their own vitality; they breathe, think, and evolve with the plot.
Representational acting, on the other hand, emphasizes "control." The actor needs to control the scene entirely, using their composure to plan and present every aspect, including the nuances of the performance. Unexpected occurrences are not permitted. The more skilled the actor, the more precise the control, to the point where tears may well up in the eyes but never fall.
No matter how Anson performed, Christopher would never lose control. Look at stage actors; even in the face of unexpected situations, they never pause the performance.
Besides, Anson's performance was delicate and restrained; it wasn't so powerful that it would shock Christopher into a daze—
It wasn't that dramatic, really.
So, what happened to Christopher?
The thought flashed through Steven's mind, but Christopher's pause was so subtle and brief that he quickly resumed.
His shoulders and steps slightly stiffened, and when he spoke again, his voice was slightly louder, the contrast between voice and body subtly creating a sense of awkwardness—
Guilt. Sadness. Bitterness.
Christopher noticed it. He also noticed the nuances in Anson's performance and immediately responded with his own, showing old Frank's similarly complex emotions.
Watching the scene again, the pause created a blank space that echoed Anson's earlier silence—
They both realized the storm was coming, a sense of unease hung over them, but to maintain family harmony, they both chose to cover up the truth.
And just like that, the scene came together.
"I opened a checking account in your name."
Old Frank said loudly.
This caused young Frank to pause, a mix of shyness and embarrassment on his face, but he couldn't suppress his happiness. He turned off the gas stove, put down the ladle, and turned to face his father, but hesitated to approach, standing on his toes to hide his upturned mouth, mumbling something inaudible.
Then, old Frank pulled a checkbook from his briefcase.
Young Frank took a big step forward, unable to contain his excitement, suddenly appearing in front of old Frank. The move was so sudden that old Frank looked up, and at that moment, he saw the shy yet happy smile on his son's face, which made his own mouth curl up slightly.
"I deposited twenty-five dollars in the account; you can buy whatever you want."
Young Frank eagerly reached out his hands.
Old Frank was about to hand over the checkbook but pulled it back just before their fingers touched, using a rare light-hearted tone to remind, "Don't tell your mother."
Young Frank obediently nodded, "I won't."
Only then did old Frank place the checkbook in young Frank's hands.
Young Frank's heels bounced off the ground as if on springs, swaying gently up and down as he looked down at the blank checkbook. A smile finally crept onto his face, his eyes and fingertips showing a trace of reluctance and excitement. It took him a full second to react, and he looked up at old Frank again.
"Thank you, Dad."
Young Frank's raised arms were a bit awkward, but he still hugged his father.
And in that moment, the air became completely still.
Steven, Christopher, Anson, and everyone on set could feel a subtle warmth, like an electric current tingling through their fingers—
A connection, both familial and between the Abagnale father and son, was quietly established in an odd yet tender way.
However, the filming wasn't over yet.
Young Frank released the hug, took two steps back, and sat down beside the dining table. "Didn't that bank refuse to give you a loan?"
Old Frank didn't deny it, his expression open and honest. "Yes, they all turned me down."
Young Frank couldn't help but chuckle. He could hear the self-deprecation in his father's words. "Then why open an account there?"
Old Frank patted his son's shoulder and walked over to the gas stove to continue the work Young Frank had been doing. "Because sooner or later, you'll need to use a bank—for a mortgage, a car loan—they control that money."
But there was no response from Young Frank.
Old Frank turned around and saw Young Frank had opened the checkbook, unable to take his eyes off it. He was flipping through the pages, playing with it like it was a new toy, completely absorbed.
Old Frank walked up behind his son, resting his hands on his shoulders. "There are fifty checks here, Junior. That means from today on..."
In the script, the line called for "Frank," not "Junior," but in a rare moment, Christopher, who always valued precision and control, altered the dialogue.
It was a minor detail, but it completed the bond between the Abagnale father and son.
"...you've joined their little club."