Papillon (1973)
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The story
Henri Charrière, a safecracker known as "Papillon" due to a butterfly tattoo, is wrongly convicted of murder in 1933 and sentenced to life imprisonment in the French Guiana penal colony. During his transport, he meets Louis Dega, an infamous forger and embezzler. The two men strike a deal: Papillon will protect Dega if Dega funds his eventual escape. As they endure the brutal conditions of a jungle labor camp, the two men form a deep friendship. The story follows their shared struggle against the harsh environment and the oppressive regime of the prison system as they seek freedom from their confinement.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being sentenced to life in French Guiana, Papillon and his friend Dega endure the horrors of a jungle labor camp. After Papillon is forced into solitary confinement for defending Dega, he eventually escapes into the jungle but is recaptured. He later coordinates a complex escape with Dega and others, involving a boat and a trek through the jungle. They eventually reach the coast but are separated; Papillon survives for a long period with a native tribe before being returned to the penal colony. Years later, he is moved to Devil's Island, where he reunites with Dega. Realizing the power of the sea, Papillon convinces a reluctant Dega to join him in one final escape attempt. Papillon leaps from a cliff into the ocean to reach the mainland, while the narrator confirms he lived the rest of his life as a free man.
- First release year
- 1973
- Runtime (minutes)
- 150
- Directors
- Franklin J. Schaffner
- Cast and characters
- Steve McQueen · Charrière ("Papillon"); Dustin Hoffman · Louis Dega; Victor Jory; Don Gordon; Anthony Zerbe
- Genres
- historical adventure drama; prison film
- Themes
- human spirit; injustice of the penal system
- Tone and mood
- despair; brutality; romantic
- Premise and plot tags
- prison drama; survival; historical epic
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1969 autobiography by the French convict Henri Charrière
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with critics praising its visual scale and the lead performances while criticizing its pacing and lack of engagement in certain segments. It was noted for its portrayal of the human spirit and its status as a significant production of its time.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 74% · scale: percentage · review count: 34; Metacritic · score: 58% · scale: score · review count: 10
- Awards and nominations
- Oscar · Best Music, Original Dramatic Score · 1974 · nomination; Golden Globe Award · Best Motion Picture Actor, Drama · 1974 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The title is French for 'Butterfly', referring to the protagonist's tattoo.; The film was based on a 1969 autobiography by Henri Charrière.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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