10 Hilarious Films About Counterfeiters

Description: While not directly about counterfeiting, this film involves a scheme to produce a Broadway flop to defraud investors, which shares the spirit of financial trickery.

Fact: The film was remade in 2005 with Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, who also starred in the Broadway musical adaptation. The original film was Mel Brooks' directorial debut.

Description: This classic film features a pair of con artists who devise an elaborate plan to swindle a mob boss, involving a fake betting operation, which can be seen as a form of counterfeiting.

Fact: The film won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The ragtime music by Scott Joplin, particularly "The Entertainer," became synonymous with the film.

Description: Two con men compete to swindle a wealthy heiress, employing various scams, including a fake doctor scheme, which can be seen as a form of counterfeiting identity.

Fact: The film was remade in 2019 as "The Hustle" with Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. The original film was inspired by the 1964 film "Bedtime Story."

Description: While not strictly a comedy, this film has its fair share of humorous moments as a group of misfits plan to rob a bank, only to find themselves in the middle of a counterfeiting scandal.

Fact: The film is loosely based on the real-life 1971 Baker Street robbery in London. The plot was inspired by the fact that the robbers stumbled upon compromising photos of Princess Margaret.

Description: This film follows the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who forges checks worth millions of dollars, making it a direct link to counterfeiting.

Fact: The real Frank Abagnale Jr. served as a consultant for the film. Leonardo DiCaprio's performance was critically acclaimed, earning him a Golden Globe nomination.

Description: This film tells the story of Clifford Irving, who fakes an autobiography of Howard Hughes, a form of literary counterfeiting.

Fact: Richard Gere plays Irving, and the film was based on Irving's own book about the hoax. The real-life events were so bizarre that they almost defy belief.

Description: Two brothers, lifelong con artists, pull off their final scam involving a fake treasure hunt, which can be seen as counterfeiting adventure.

Fact: The film features a whimsical and playful tone, with Rian Johnson, known for "Knives Out," at the helm. The film's script was on the Black List, a list of the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood.

Description: This film, while primarily a drama, uses humor to explain complex financial concepts, including the world of mortgage-backed securities and the housing bubble, which indirectly relates to counterfeiting through financial fraud.

Fact: The film breaks the fourth wall with celebrities like Margot Robbie and Anthony Bourdain explaining financial terms in humorous ways. It also won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Description: While more of a thriller, this film involves a complex con involving a fake business deal, which can be likened to counterfeiting financial opportunities.

Fact: The film was written and directed by David Mamet, known for his sharp dialogue and intricate plots. The title refers to an old confidence trick known as the "Spanish Prisoner."

Description: This film, while more of a drama, has comedic elements as it follows a group of prisoners in a Nazi concentration camp who are forced to produce counterfeit money for the Third Reich.

Fact: The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in