Liverpool is in the spotlight again — this time as the backdrop for one of the most daring financial fraud stories ever told. Production has officially begun on The Man Who Stole Portugal, a new film based on the true story of a con man who nearly broke an entire country’s economy in the 1920s.
Cameras are rolling at some of the city’s most recognized locations. Croxteth Hall, a stunning historic estate in Liverpool, has been fully transformed into a period film set. Production crews have filled its grand interiors with vintage props, period costumes, and full-scale filming equipment — turning the clock back nearly a century.
Filming has not been limited to one spot. Crews have also been spotted at Hamilton Square in Birkenhead and along Little St Bride Street in Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter. These locations are helping bring the early 20th-century setting to life on screen.
Two familiar names have already been seen on set. Actor Dominic West and James Nelson Joyce were both spotted during filming, adding star power to what is shaping up to be a major production.
“The film is based on the true story of Artur Virgílio Alves Reis, a Portuguese fraudster whose scheme in the 1920s brought a nation to the edge of financial collapse.”
Reis managed to forge official-looking documents that convinced a London security printing company he had permission from the Bank of Portugal to print new banknotes. The printing firm had no reason to doubt him — and so they printed the notes. The result? More than £3 million worth of real, valid currency ended up in Reis’ hands.
With that money, Reis built a powerful empire. He bought businesses, purchased land, and even launched his own bank. At one point, he came dangerously close to taking control of the very institution he had deceived — the Bank of Portugal itself.
The scheme finally fell apart in 1925. When the truth came out, it sent shockwaves through Portugal, sparking economic panic and public unrest. The fallout was so severe that historians link it to the collapse of Portugal’s First Republic. Reis was eventually arrested and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
His story was first documented in the book The Man Who Stole Portugal by author Murray Teigh Bloom and has been considered one of the boldest financial scandals in modern history. Now, that book is being turned into a film — and Liverpool is playing a central role in telling that story. As reported by Explore Liverpool, the production arrived in the city this week with full cast and crew.
It is no surprise that filmmakers chose Liverpool for this production. Croxteth Hall’s preserved architecture and historic charm have made it a go-to location for period dramas. The city continues to build its reputation as one of the UK’s top filming destinations, attracting big-budget productions year after year.
With Dominic West on board and real history as its foundation, The Man Who Stole Portugal is already generating serious attention. No official release date has been announced yet, but filming is well underway.
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