criticized this film. I guess you cant blame them too much, movies were better those days. Note that 1973 was sandwiched between 2 Godfather years.Maybe some people figured that McQueen was just redoing his Great Escape role. Either way, nowadays films are so bad I am just thirsting for a movie this deep. But if the best Hollywood can do nowadays is a glittzy trashpiece like Chicago, we cant expect too much from our times.

includes Vic Tayback also known as Mel from the hit TV series "Alice." He is convincing as a mean, surly prison guard. Also, Billy Tumy known for his role in "Lost in Space" as Will Robinson, plays a young, doomed inmate. There are other character actors included in the cast that you will more than likely recognize throughout the film. I give this film the strongest and highest of recommendations.

years... We watch his multiple adventures through hundreds of miles of swamp, reaching an encounter with a kind leper colony, a friendly tribe of Indians, and a traitorous nun... Papillon is seen pursued by Indian trustees, and harassed by brutal guards... The power of the movie lies on Papillon's triumph over oppression, his continual perseverance, humanity, honesty, his quiet dignity, and sheer spirit...Guided this time by one of the most creative directors who offered handsomely 'Planet of the Apes' and 'Patton,' Steve McQueen—as Papillon— exhibits a raw vitality, a complete spectrum of emotions, and a sure command of his technical acting-resources that are breathtaking in their impact..Dustin Hoffman—in perfect rapport with his role, perceptively invading its every nuance and implication— portrays a quality of character exhibited in the face of impossible adversity... His last scene with McQueen attempting to convince his friend not to leave the island, represents one of the film's most moving, and effective sequence...Schaffner gives a stirring picture of forsaken men, and takes up the challenge and proceeding to 'beat the system' against incalculable odds... He certainly gives rise to some of the great epics of human courage and fortitude...

least to some degree - the brutal trials and tribulations Papillion went through in real life.If you enjoyed this film, the book is a "must-read" for you and very highly-recommend You won't believe all the things Charriere experienced: good and bad. In real life, the man escaped something like eight times and each time went through hell.Steve McQueen, playing "Papillion," was excellent. He was particularly good at showing the physical effects of years of solitary confinement. By the way, in real life, Charriere was much younger went sent to jail than McQueen was at the time this movie was shot. Papillion should have been played by a younger actor, but who's going to complain when you get an actor of McQueen's caliber? Dustin Hoffman also was great as Papillion's friend, "Louis Dega," who had a bigger role in the movie than he did in the book. For the most part, Papillion had a number of friends, all helping him over the years. Hoffman also provided some good comic relief to the movie and, heaven knows, it needed it. Take it from someone who has read the book: this is a grim story, worse than what you saw on screen here.Nevertheless, thanks to the two leading actors and the wonderful work by Director Franklin Schaffner and Cinematograher Fred Koenekamp, this long film entertained. No, it wasn't the caliber of the book, but it's didn't insult it, either, and is definitely worth a look.

murder he didn't commit. The film, as is the book, is a fictionalised account of Charrière's time at the penal colony.The film is probably best described as being a stirring drama of friendship under duress, endurance and opportunism, all neatly blended with an adventure based heart. Schaffner directs it with great technical skill, for in a film with minimal dialogue, he manages to perfectly stifle the viewer with a hot sweaty atmosphere. This is crucial for us to feel the confines of this penal colony life. These men are doing hard time, lets not soft soap it Hollywood style, lets get the feel right, something, that much like Don Siegel also did in 79 with his excellent Escape From Alcatraz, Schaffner does exceptionally well. He is helped enormously by two fabulous performances from McQueen & Hoffman.McQueen is in his element as Papillon. Always an actor whose ability for dominating scenes without using histrionic acting was undervalued, Papillon goes some way to readdressing the myth that he was more about iconography than actual talent. His solitary confinement scenes are sublime, and this without saying barely a word. As Papillon staves off starvation, madness and disease, McQueen has such a powerful and believable presence that he pulls us into that five by five paces cell alongside him. Incredible! Once again though the Academy ignored McQueen's excellent work and the film only received just the one Oscar nomination for Goldsmith's pinging tropical score. Hoffman's great work was something of a given, meticulous as usual in his preparation he had studied for weeks about penal colony life , he is the perfect foil for McQueen and the relationship between them is tender yet never twee. Fine support also comes from Anthony Zerbe as a compassionate leader of a leper colony & Victor Jory as an Indian Chief.The production was an expensive one, with the original budget of $4 million ballooning to $14 million, making it the most expensive film of 1973. A couple of scripts were jettisoned money down the drain before Schaffner enlisted Trumbo to write the screenplay. A good move because Trumbo was able to flesh out character relationships that didn't exist in the source novel. Hoffman himself was adamant that he would only play Dega if the film steered away from a buddy buddy formula and gave Dega intelligent integrity. He got it, which is credit to Trumbo since the Dega character is barely formed in the novel, in fact the film version is an amalgamation of several penal colony characters. Trumbo was rewarded with not only a considerable paycheck, but also a bit part in the movie as the colony commandant early in the piece.Initial critical reaction to the film was harsh, but the public didn't agree since the theatres were packed and the film made almost $50 million Worldwide. This made it Allied Artists most successful film ever. It has since garnered a massive fan base and has been favourably reassessed by a new wave of critics. Those old complaints about it being too sombre and too enduring to get through just don't add up. One only has to note the thematics and essence of the story to know that this is indeed fact. 9/10

will be terrible and developed in graphic realism . The story is based on real deeds , it is adapted from an autobiographical best-selling book about a French burglar named Henri Charriere and Dalton Trumbo previously prohibited for the Black List and he's cast as the Commandant and Lorenzo Semple Jr. are the splendid screenwriters . The pic is overlong , about two hours and half , though is neither boring , nor tiring , but entertaining , because of it develops several adventures and happenings . The motion picture obtained a big success , it was a box office winner . It attained hits at every cinemas around the world . The film is a magnificent portrayal of tortures and sufferings of the prisoners in far countries . The yarn's title refers to the starring's butterfly tattoo , being based on his actual-life , as Papillon , Henri Charrière , was 25 when he was sent to French Guyana .Interpretation protagonists -McQueen, Hoffman- is top notch , they make a magnificent couple . In fact , McQueen did his own stunts , as he even insisted on performing a dangerous leap , as he jumped off a cliff himself . Dustin Hoffman said his interpretation was based on the movie's screenwriter Dalton Trumbo , especially his withdrawn and shy mannerisms which had inspired him when meeting Trumbo for the first time . The support cast , though very secondary , is very fine : George Coulouris , Don Gordon , Gregory Sierra , Victor Jory , among others . The veteran Jerry Goldsmith creates an exciting and atmospheric musical score , he also composed soundtracks for other Schaffner films as ¨Planet of Apes¨ and ¨Boys from Brazil¨ . Fred Koenekamp cinematography is excellent with astounding outdoors of the jungle . The picture was compellingly directed by Franklin J. Schaffner ¨Planet of Apes¨ , ¨Patton¨ . The flick will appeal to prison genre buffs and adventures films fans . Rating : Good and nice . Better than average . Well worth seeing.

shows bravery, solidarity, and resourcefulness equal to the two leads'.It's a fairly large role, the actor makes a strong impression, yet almost as important the filmmakers don't showcase him in a self-congratulatory way "Look how progressive we are!" . He's not offset by any more "typical" gay characters to lessen his impact, nor, thankfully, by one of those ritual gang-rape-of-the-male-lead scenes that seem to be obligatory in prison pictures e.g., "The Shawshank Redemption" . This is all especially remarkable in that Hollywood movies at the time were still rife with abysmal gay stereotypes see "Play Misty for Me," "The Eiger Sanction," "The Producers," any number of others in all kinds of genres. I'd love to know if this was a conscious decision by Schaffner or the screenwriters Trumbo and Semple both had good progressive credentials, after all .By the way, if you're going to see this film, see it letterboxed - it loses much of its visual impact in a standard TV pan-and-scan format.

time in the hellish, notorious island prison he becomes friends with fellow inmate, counterfeiter Louis Dega Dustin Hoffman , but he plans to escape. Papillon tries a few attempts at escape, but all fail and end up recapture, there is a point when he is put in solitary confinement with little food or drink for seven years and near death. Finally though he manages along with Louis to escape incarceration, but it is a challenge now finding a way off the island, not being able to find a safe boat, being surrounded by guards and tribes people. There is a point when he is shot at and he does manage to get away, and for a while he settles into life with the tribes people, before moving on to find a place to settle with nuns in reclusion for five years. After this time he explores the island further, and he finds Louis alive and well, having settled in his own place, and he decides it is finally time to get off the island itself. He judges the ocean current and waves and when is the best time to jump with flotation and let the current take him away, Louis decides in the end to stay behind, and the end narration said that Papillon did make it to shore to live the rest of his life not in prison. Also starring Victor Jory as Indian Chief, Don Gordon as Julot, Licence to Kill's Anthony Zerbe as Toussaint, Robert Deman as Maturette, Woodrow Parfrey as Clusiot, Bill Mumy as Lariot, George Coulouris as Dr. Chatal, Ratna Assan as Zoraima and William Smithers as Warden Barrot. McQueen gives an enigmatic performance, and Hoffman is splendid when he is on screen, there were points in the story where I might have drifted a little, I mean it is pretty long at just over two hours and forty minutes, but as a harrowing study of confinement and as an escape movie it is quite a highly watchable biographical prison drama. Dustin Hoffman was number 24, and Steve McQueen number 14 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, McQueen was number 49 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols, and McQueen was number 43, and Hoffman number 21 on The World's Greatest Actor. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Music for Jerry Goldsmith. Very good!