Papillon (1973)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Franklin J. Schaffner

Writers:

Dalton Trumbo (screenplay) and
Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 December 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

The greatest adventure of escape ever filmed!

Plot:

A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.

Plot Keywords:

French | Escape | Island | Tattoo | South America

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Henri 'Papillon' Charriere
Dustin Hoffman	...	Louis Dega
Victor Jory	...	Indian Chief
Don Gordon	...	Julot
Anthony Zerbe	...	Toussaint
Robert Deman	...	Maturette
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Clusiot
Bill Mumy	...	Lariot
George Coulouris	...	Dr. Chatal
Ratna Assan	...	Zoraima
William Smithers	...	Warden Barrot
Val Avery	...	Pascal
Gregory Sierra	...	Antonio
Vic Tayback	...	Sergeant (as Victor Tayback)
Mills Watson	...	Guard
Ron Soble	...	Santini
Barbara Morrison	...	Mother Superior
Don Hanmer	...	Butterfly Trader
E.J. André	...	Old Con
Richard Angarola	...	Commandant
Jack Denbo	...	Classification Officer
Len Lesser	...	Guard
John Quade	...	Masked Breton
Fred Sadoff	...	Deputy Warden
Allen Jaffe	...	Turnkey
Liam Dunn	...	Old Trustee
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Peter Brocco	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Manhunter (uncredited)
Billy M. Greene	...	Old man (uncredited)
Anne Byrne Hoffman	...	Mrs. Dega (uncredited)
Fred Lerner	...	Convict on ship (uncredited)
Harry Monty	...	(uncredited)
Ellen Moss	...	Nun (uncredited)
Dalton Trumbo	...	Commandant (uncredited)

Directed by
Franklin J. Schaffner

Writing credits
Dalton Trumbo		(screenplay) and
Lorenzo Semple Jr.		(screenplay)
Henri Charrière		(book "Papillon")

Produced by
Robert Dorfmann	....	producer
Robert O. Kaplan	....	assistant producer
Ted Richmond	....	executive producer
Franklin J. Schaffner	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp		(director of photography) (as Fred Koenekamp)

Film Editing by
Robert Swink

Casting by
Jack Baur

Production Design by
Anthony Masters

Art Direction by
Jack Maxsted

Costume Design by
Anthony Powell

Makeup Department
Charles H. Schram	....	makeup designer (as Charles Schram)

Production Management
Emmett Emerson	....	production manager
Robert Watts	....	unit production manager
Francisco Ariza	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
José López Rodero	....	first assistant director (as Jose Lopez Rodero)
Kuki López Rodero	....	first assistant director (as Juan Lopez Rodero)
Joe Nayfack	....	second assistant director
Roberto Parra	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Bill MacSems	....	assistant property master (as William MacSems)
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master (as Dennis Parrish)
Hugh Scaife	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Derek Ball	....	sound recordist
Gordon Daniel	....	sound editor
Richard Portman	....	sound re-recordist

Special Effects by
Alex Weldon	....	special effects
Albert Whitlock	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Joe Canutt	....	stunt gaffer
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dar Robinson	....	cliff stunt double: Steve McQueen (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Benson	....	assistant camera (as Michael Benson)
Jack Courtland	....	camera operator (as John Courtland)
Reggie Jones	....	key grip
Thomas Laughridge	....	camera operator
William McCreery	....	assistant camera
Gene Stout	....	gaffer
Steve Yaconelli	....	assistant camera (as Stephen Yaconelli)
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tony Pueo	....	wardrobe supervisor
Mickey Sherrard	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Erma E. Levin	....	music editor
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator
Charles Gounod	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Other crew
Robert Laffont	....	publisher: book "Papillon"
Lucien Lamontagne	....	technical advisor
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Allied Artists Pictures
• Allied Artists Productions
• Corona-General
• Solar Productions

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (????) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Irfan Film (1974) (Turkey) (all media)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1974) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Egmont Film (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Vii Pillars Entertainment (2004) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Allied Artists Home Video (1973) (worldwide) (all media)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (????) (Korea) (DVD)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (????) (Korea) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2002) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Flashstar (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• Screen Life Sucessos (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles

Runtime:

150 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Australia:M | South Korea:18 | Canada:14A (video rating) | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-18 | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1974) | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | UK:AA (original rating) (cut) | West Germany:16 | UK:15 (video rating) (2000) | USA:PG (re-rating on appeal) | USA:R (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Jamaica

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

Although billed as a true story, the French in French Guiana claim that much of the story of Henri Charrière (Papillon) is fabricated. Papillon was documented to have been incarcerated in Saint Laurent and may have escaped from there, but he never served any time on the Devil's Islands (now known as Iles du Salut or Salvation Islands). The book and movie both present Devil's Island as having rocky cliffs, when in fact, though the entire island is rocky, it gently slopes into the surrounding sea.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Papillon is in his first solitary confinement a vampire bat bites him and drinks his blood. The wound is two fang-like holes where the blood comes out. A vampire bat doesn't have fangs for teeth. Using their sharp teeth, the bats make tiny cuts in the skin. The bats' saliva contains a chemical that keeps the blood from clotting. The bats then lap up the blood that oozes from the wound.

Quotes:

Dega: Well, it now seems quite possible that until we get to a decent jail with bribeable guards, I may stand in some need of... rather close physical protection.
Papillon: That depends on how long you want to live.
Dega: For a long time.
Papillon: Then you got a problem.
Dega: Well, I presume that you have some, uh, goals, some particular need that outrates all the others. I mean, if so... may I aslk what it is?
Papillon: Money!
Dega: For what?
Papillon: Escape.
Dega: Very good. You keep me alive until we land in Guyana, and I'll underwrite any escape you care to arrange.
Papillon: Escape for me, not for us!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Van Helsing (2004)

Excellent film entertainment

Excellent movie. Entertaining and realistic.

Although media promotion hinted that this was another version of "The Great Escape", the movie, and Steve McQueen, avoided what would have been a fatal pratfall - remaking the 1962 POW war film with different costumes.

In fact, this was an excellent film that stood on its own merit(despite the fact that historians claim the story is not true) It was an excellent depiction of the French penal colony in Guana. It would have been great even without McQueen in the title role.

Dustin Hoffman was his usual superb actor, making the most out of his role. McQueen wisely avoided playing himself, and as a result, his role was stronger and believable.

Location scenes and overall plot were superb.

Outstanding film.