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IMDb > Papillon (1973)
Papillon
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Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   24,660 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 7% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Dalton Trumbo (screenplay) and
Lorenzo Semple Jr. (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Papillon on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 December 1973 (USA) more
Tagline:
The greatest adventure of escape ever filmed! more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Excellent film entertainment more

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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)
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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
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
150 min
Country:
USA | France
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
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 more

Fun Stuff

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. more
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. more
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!
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Van Helsing (2004) more

FAQ

Is the movie loyal to the original book?
more
24 out of 35 people found the following comment useful:-
Excellent film entertainment, 8 June 2002
Author: eaglejet98

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.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Papillon (1973)
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Tropical paradise ZolaTheGola
and the moral of the story is... flatlinebeforedeath
Dega's line about blame???? evenrane
The Dive at the End ron1970
Name of the actor + character (of gay convict) interlingua_usa
your favorite quotes from the book or the movie? shutterbug_iconium
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