The Amazing Mr. Nordill

Amazing Mr. Nordill, The (1947)

*** (out of 4)

The 61st entry in John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series once again features a very interesting, if forgotten, bit of history. The film tells the story of Everett Nordill (Leon Ames), a mastermind behind a counterfeiting ring, which included the help of his three young daughters. A government man begins trailing Nordill but it seems impossible that he'll make a mistake to give himself away. This is another winning entry in the series as the story itself is quite entertaining and the twist in how they were able to finally bring him down was pretty funny in a weird sort of way. Once again the story itself is the main ingredient as all the films in the series depended on good storytelling to make everything work. Ames, best known for his role in MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, turns in another charming performance and really captures the "gentleman" side of his character. The supporting cast is also pretty good in their roles even if none really jump out at you. The film features some nice direction and a really good atmosphere that helps put you in the time that the film is set.

Watching this short subject from John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series put me in mind of a 20th century case somewhat similar to this one. The Leonardo DiCaprio/Tom Hanks Catch Me If You Can had almost the same plot with Leo as young Frank Abegnale who was a master forger and identity stealer living it up on his illegal gains while a very dogged and determined FBI agent Tom Hanks just relentlessly plods on to get his man.

The DiCaprio role is played here by Leon Ames who is a master counterfeiter whose work is so good that the best experts are stumped by him. The Treasury Department calls in an outside expert in the person of Clinton Sundberg who first identifies and then pursues Ames just waiting to catch him cold passing phony money. Sundberg is a rather unprepossessing sort, like Hanks in Catch Me If You Can or maybe even Peter Falk as Columbo. But it's those guys the majority in the audience identify with.

The Amazing Mr. Nordill is a delightful short subject and let me tease the potential viewer in that it isn't the quality of his engraving that eventually gives Ames away.

Just caught this short on TCM, and found it to be quite a charming tale of a family of counterfeiters. Based on a true story, the short is dramatically photographed, swiftly plotted, and uses the pleasant talents of Leon Ames (who effectively and amusingly played Judy Garland's irascible yet loving father in Meet Me In St. Louis). The scene in which the entire family (including the youngsters) is engaged in learning to produce fake bills is quite interesting, and there are several other elements in this short film (including the "Yawning Detective," and the manner in which Mr. Nordill eventually slips up) which add up to a nice way to spend a very short period of time. Superior of its type, I think.

It is an MGM presents John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short. It is the story of counterfeiter Everett Nordill (Leon Ames) who evaded the U. S. government agents during the middle of the 19th century. At home, he's a rich respectable family man teaching his children how to copy a signature. The government agents slowly and methodically uncover the true identity of the counterfeiter.

I would like to see more insight into the investigation. I am still not sure how the guy was caught. Did they lay a trap and wait until he went to that particular bar? It seems like happenstance that he used a wrong note. This is fine and it's interesting to consider this type of crime during an earlier era.