Papillon (film)
| Papillon | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster by Tom Jung
|
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| Directed by | Franklin J. Schaffner |
| Produced by |
Robert Dorfmann Franklin J. Schaffner Ted Richmond (executive) |
| Screenplay by |
Dalton Trumbo Lorenzo Semple Jr. |
| Based on |
Papillon by Henri Charrière |
| Starring |
Steve McQueen Dustin Hoffman |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
| Cinematography | Fred J. Koenekamp |
| Edited by | Robert Swink |
| Distributed by |
Allied Artists (USA) Columbia Pictures (Non-USA) |
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Release date
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December 16, 1973 |
|
Running time
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150 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $13.5 million |
| Box office | $53,267,000 |
Papillon is a 1973 American crime drama prison film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the best-selling autobiography by the French convict Henri Charrière.
The film stars Steve McQueen as Henri Charrière ("Papillon"), and Dustin Hoffman as Louis Dega. Because it was filmed at remote locations, the film was quite expensive for the time ($12 million), but it readily earned more than twice that in the first year of public distribution. The film's title is French for "Butterfly," referring to Charrière's tattoo and nickname.
Henri Charrière (Steve McQueen), is a safecracker nicknamed Papillon because of the butterfly tattoo on his chest, and is wrongly convicted of murdering a pimp. In 1933 he is sentenced to life imprisonment within the penal system in French Guiana. En route, he meets a fellow convict, Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman), a forger and embezzler who is convinced that his wife will secure his release. Papillon offers to protect Dega if he will underwrite the former's escape once they reach French Guiana, however, the two eventually develop a friendship.
After defending Dega against a sadistic guard, Papillon escapes into the jungle but is captured and sentenced to solitary confinement. In gratitude, Dega smuggles extra food to Papillon. When the food smuggling is discovered, prison guards cut Papillon's food rations in half, believing that hunger will force him to reveal the name of his benefactor. Though emaciated and half-insane, and reduced to eating insects to survive, Papillon refuses to give up Dega. After two years he is released from solitary confinement, having spent six months in total darkness and on half rations. A grateful Dega, who would not have had any ill feeling toward Papillon if he had told the warden that it was he who arranged the extra food, wants to pay back Papillon, which Papillon states is not necessary. However, Papillon plans another escape with Dega's help. During a medical exam, a fellow inmate offers to secure them a boat on the outside with the help of a man named Pascal. Clusiot (Woodrow Parfrey), whom Papillon and Dega long ago befriended, begs to go along, to which Papillon ultimately agrees. Before the escape attempt, Papillon urges Dega to join them stating "now, while you have a chance." Dega declines, still believing that his wife will eventually get him released, which Papillon does not think will ever happen as the prison system now "owns" him.
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