Papillon
Stream
Rent & Buy
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.
What critics thought
DivisivePapillon divided critics sharply on release: many found it an admirable but punishing endurance test — easier to respect than to enjoy — while others considered it a flat-out bore that squanders two major stars. Audiences have been considerably kinder over the decades, cementing it as a survival-epic touchstone even as the original reviews ranged from respectful ambivalence to outright dismissal.
“a big, brave, stouthearted, sometimes romantic, sometimes silly melodrama with the kind of visual sweep you don't often find in movies anymore.”
Vincent Canby·The New York Times
“Papillon is an eloquent tribute to the indomitability of the human spirit and a powerful indictment of those institutions dedicated only to breaking it. As such, it's lots easier to admire than to enjoy.”
Kevin Thomas·Los Angeles Times
“a keen disappointment ... this lumbering vehicle directed by Franklin J. Schaffner leaves Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman stranded on the screen while opportunities for vivid filmmaking and sympathetic characterizations are bungled at every turn.”
Gary Arnold·The Washington Post
“You know something has gone wrong when you want the hero to escape simply so that the movie can be over.”
Chicago Sun-Times
“what is missing is any of the book's anger at the outrageous hypocrisy, injustice and inhumanity of the system; any of the passion which feeds Papillon's compulsion to escape.”
Richard Combs·The Monthly Film Bulletin
Accolades
Genres
Biography, Crime, Drama
Cast & Crew
Franklin J. SchaffnerDirector
Steve McQueenHenri "Papillon" Charriere
Dustin HoffmanLouis Dega
Victor JoryIndian Chief
Don GordonJulot
Anthony ZerbeToussaint
Robert DemanMaturette
Woodrow ParfreyClusiot
Bill MumyLariot
George CoulourisDr. Chatal
Ratna AssanZoraima
William SmithersWarden Barrot
Val AveryPascal
Jerry GoldsmithComposer
Lorenzo Semple Jr.Writer
Dalton TrumboWriter
Fred J. KoenekampCinematographyPapillon
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.
What critics thought
DivisivePapillon divided critics sharply on release: many found it an admirable but punishing endurance test — easier to respect than to enjoy — while others considered it a flat-out bore that squanders two major stars. Audiences have been considerably kinder over the decades, cementing it as a survival-epic touchstone even as the original reviews ranged from respectful ambivalence to outright dismissal.
“a big, brave, stouthearted, sometimes romantic, sometimes silly melodrama with the kind of visual sweep you don't often find in movies anymore.”
Vincent Canby·The New York Times
“Papillon is an eloquent tribute to the indomitability of the human spirit and a powerful indictment of those institutions dedicated only to breaking it. As such, it's lots easier to admire than to enjoy.”
Kevin Thomas·Los Angeles Times
“a keen disappointment ... this lumbering vehicle directed by Franklin J. Schaffner leaves Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman stranded on the screen while opportunities for vivid filmmaking and sympathetic characterizations are bungled at every turn.”
Gary Arnold·The Washington Post
“You know something has gone wrong when you want the hero to escape simply so that the movie can be over.”
Chicago Sun-Times
“what is missing is any of the book's anger at the outrageous hypocrisy, injustice and inhumanity of the system; any of the passion which feeds Papillon's compulsion to escape.”
Richard Combs·The Monthly Film Bulletin
Accolades
Genres
Biography, Crime, Drama
Cast & Crew
Franklin J. SchaffnerDirectorSteve McQueenHenri "Papillon" CharriereDustin HoffmanLouis DegaVictor JoryIndian ChiefDon GordonJulotAnthony ZerbeToussaintRobert DemanMaturetteWoodrow ParfreyClusiotBill MumyLariotGeorge CoulourisDr. ChatalRatna AssanZoraimaWilliam SmithersWarden BarrotVal AveryPascalJerry GoldsmithComposerLorenzo Semple Jr.WriterDalton TrumboWriterFred J. KoenekampCinematographyStream
Rent & Buy