"Catch Me If You Can" - Weird

Cafe Society
1

I have never heard anyone mention a rather strange coincidence in the Steven Spielberg movie, Catch Me If You Can. Today seems a good enough time to mention it.

In Christopher Walken’s opening scene, he’s giving a speech to a local Rotary Club. Check out his dialogue from an online copy of the script:

*"I stand here humbled by the presence of Mayor **Robert Wagner **and our club president, Jack Barnes. Most of all, I’m honored to see my loving wife Paula and my son Frank Jr…aw, stand up. Come on, sitting in the front row.

Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned. The second mouse wouldn’t quit."*

Anyone else find that a little strange? Don’t you think Walken would feel a little strange using the name ‘Robert Wagner’ and then telling a story about a drowning?

2

That does seem odd.

Coincedentally, I heard on the news this morning that law enforcement was “looking into the Natalie Wood case again”.

3

Sounds like the screenwriters threw in an Easter egg.

4

Interesting day to post this, as I heard on the news this morning that the Natalie Wood case was being re-opened. What they hope to find 30 years later is beyond me.

ETA: This is what happens when I open multiple threads at once and take my time reading them…

5

I doubt that Walken thought anything of it. It’s just a coincidence, as a different man named Robert Wagner was mayor of New York from 1954 through 1965.

6

I would assume that Wagner (who was mayor of New York from 1954-1965) was present in the scene portrayed, so would have been mentioned in any speech.

What would it matter to anyone? At most, it’s a minor coincidence that no one picked up on. And it’s unlikely in the extreme anyone made the connection at all.

7

Don’t know if this adds much, but Christopher Walken was on the yacht the night Natlie drowned. Certainly adds a macabre note to your observation.

8

Far from adding anything, I rather suspect that fact was the exact reason for the OP.

9

Plus which, none of the various accounts have him literally watching Natalie Wood die. I don’t think I’d attach survivor’s guilt to him.

10

I find it odd that no one has pointed out that this thread has a fever…

11

And was preceded by a mayor named Jimmy Walker.

12

And going back a little farther, a mayor named Hugh Grant.

13

And even further back, there was Governor (later Vice President) George Clinton.