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Papillon

  • 1973
  • R
  • 2h 31m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
142K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,778
152
Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen in Papillon (1973)
Watch Theatrical Trailer
Play trailer4:09
1 Video
99+ Photos
Prison DramaBiographyCrimeDrama

A French convict in the 1930s befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence in the South American penal colony on Devil's Island, which inspires the man to plot... Read allA French convict in the 1930s befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence in the South American penal colony on Devil's Island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.A French convict in the 1930s befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence in the South American penal colony on Devil's Island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.

  • Director
    • Franklin J. Schaffner
  • Writers
    • Dalton Trumbo
    • Lorenzo Semple Jr.
    • Henri Charrière
  • Stars
    • Steve McQueen
    • Dustin Hoffman
    • Victor Jory
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    142K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,778
    152
    • Director
      • Franklin J. Schaffner
    • Writers
      • Dalton Trumbo
      • Lorenzo Semple Jr.
      • Henri Charrière
    • Stars
      • Steve McQueen
      • Dustin Hoffman
      • Victor Jory
    • 258User reviews
    • 84Critic reviews
    • 58Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 4:09
    Theatrical Trailer

    Photos207

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    Top cast36

    Edit
    Steve McQueen
    Steve McQueen
    • Henri 'Papillon' Charriere
    Dustin Hoffman
    Dustin Hoffman
    • Louis Dega
    Victor Jory
    Victor Jory
    • Indian Chief
    Don Gordon
    Don Gordon
    • Julot
    Anthony Zerbe
    Anthony Zerbe
    • Toussaint
    Robert Deman
    • Maturette
    Woodrow Parfrey
    Woodrow Parfrey
    • Clusiot
    Bill Mumy
    Bill Mumy
    • Lariot
    George Coulouris
    George Coulouris
    • Dr. Chatal
    Ratna Assan
    Ratna Assan
    • Zoraima
    William Smithers
    William Smithers
    • Warden Barrot
    Val Avery
    Val Avery
    • Pascal
    Gregory Sierra
    Gregory Sierra
    • Antonio
    Vic Tayback
    Vic Tayback
    • Sergeant
    • (as Victor Tayback)
    Mills Watson
    Mills Watson
    • Guard
    Ron Soble
    Ron Soble
    • Santini
    Barbara Morrison
    Barbara Morrison
    • Mother Superior
    Don Hanmer
    Don Hanmer
    • Butterfly Trader
    • Director
      • Franklin J. Schaffner
    • Writers
      • Dalton Trumbo
      • Lorenzo Semple Jr.
      • Henri Charrière
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Steve McQueen insisted on performing the stunt where he jumps off a cliff into the water. McQueen once said that it was "one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life".
    • Goofs
      It is highly implausible (and never explained) why the escaped trio would need to sail their boat all the way to Honduras, a country in Central America and several thousand miles away from French-Guiana. Why not sail along the coast due south to Brazil or north-west to Venezuela? In fact, in the autobiographic novel on which the movie is loosely based, Papillon (Henri Charriere) eventually escapes to Venezuela.
    • Quotes

      Papillon: Hey you bastards, I'm still here.

    • Alternate versions
      Some American prints of this film run 132 minutes, instead of 150.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Ballet Music from Faust
      (uncredited)

      Music by Charles Gounod

    User reviews258

    Featured review
    10/10

    Unforgettable, fantastic film, one of my top personal favorites

    Papillon is one of my all-time favorites films. Steve McQueen is fantastic in the lead role. Dustin Hoffman is at his finest as Louie Dega. Very memorable, unforgettable performances, shocking action scenes and psychological thrills and twists. I cannot write enough good things about this film. After years of looking, I recently found this film on DVD and added it to my collection. This is the kind of movie that you can watch again and again and continue to see things you've never noticed before. This film never gets old and you never grow tired of watching Papillon. Some of the cast 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.
    • JonDavidCampbell
    • Jul 24, 2004
    • Permalink

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Papillon?Powered by Alexa
    • Is the movie loyal to the original book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 19, 1973 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Papillón
    • Filming locations
      • St Laurent du Maroni, Guyane, Départements d'Outre-Mer, France(Camp de la Transportation, closing sequence)
    • Production companies
      • Les Films Corona
      • General Production Company
      • Solar Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $12,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $53,267,000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $53,267,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 31 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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    Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen in Papillon (1973)
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