Rating: 
Summary: Good movie to see diverse acting abilities of McQueen + Hoff
Review: I just saw this movie a few days ago on DVD. I wasn't born yet when this was originally released. I like the Steve McQueen movies I've seen and usually Hoffman's movies as well. I thought this movie was a great example of both of these actors' abilities. It's not an uplifting movie for sure, but gives you some things to think about in life as well as to be grateful for your freedoms. The movie is a little long at 2.5 hours, so don't throw it in if you are looking for something short and light.
Rating: 
Summary: When life was cheap and safe deposit boxes were cylindrical
Review:
Back in the first half of the 1970s, many of the movie blockbusters were based on airport novels that were even more popular than the movie. Henri Charriere, Mario Puzo and Arthur Hailey come to mind. Sometimes the adaptation worked brilliantly -- particularly for the GODFATHER series -- but I don't feel that PAPILLON succeeds on the big screen.
The pace is unusual. Most of the excitement comes from McQueen recreating his role as Hiltz in THE GREAT ESCAPE, or almost. But two-thirds of the way in, the action is nearly all over, when McQueen finds a coastal paradise with topless women. Resolution of the entire story is strangely feeble, as it is left to a narrator to tell us that McQueen eventually made it to freedom on his coconut raft.
Two things perplexed me:
1. How did the prisoners' economy function? We see the prisoners handing over large bribes to the prison staff, but we never see how the prisoners acquire more money. New arrivals and the recently guillotined would seem to be the only feasible source of capital inflow.
2. While on the sea, we see Hoffman having part of his gangrenous leg amputated, as a result of an untreated fracture. But by the end of the film, Hoffman seems to have a full complement of feet and he is barely hobbling.
The wide-screen DVD is well remastered, despite the mono soundtrack. But overall, the story adaptation isn't sufficiently well done for most people to want to watch it more than once very five years, say.
Rating: 
Summary: one of the most amazing movies of all times...
Review: wow this movie took my breath away. They really got Henri Charriere's life down hard in this (only a couple of changes but not bad ones) some of the scenes were very hard to take in some ways, you can really tell just by seeing some of what they did to him, that it wasn't easy. The relationship between Dega and Papi was very good. It really brought out the bonding they had and everything they went through together. The ending was very touching as well.
Steve McQueen was once again exeptional. Even though, he was protrayed as a cool tough guy as he usually is in all of his films, this movie showed more then that. In some scenes he really brought out the character. As a rough tough human being to a very emotional tortured person. it was just shocking how he managed to take your breath away with a twinkle in those stunning blue eyes. This movie is the movie that really made me fall head over heels with this guy. It's a shame that he didn't get and oscar nomination for this. He derseves it!
Dustin Hoffman did an extrememly good job on this character. (one of the best actors of all times)playing Papillon's scruffy, scrawny friend who went to prison for fake bank bonds. He made the character very believable especially at the end
I would have to say this is the most amazing movie i have seen in a long time. From beginning to the end it just took my breath away. Even though it is long, the time goes by really fast, and it is worth seeing
Rating:
Summary: A Thrilling tale
Review: Papillion is one of the best prisoner stories ever, and this film completly captures the book. Dustin Hoffman does a great job as dega and Steve Mcqueen is the exact papillion one imagines reading about in the book. The tale is extremely gripping all the way to the great ending. It's a story that always leaves me satisfied. I highly recommend this to anyone that likes Prison stories or Adventure stories.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Film
Review: Franklin J. Schaffner directed this 1973 film with a screenplay by Dalton Trumbo (Spartacus) and Lorenzo Semple Jr. The screenplay is based on the autobiography of Henri Charriere (aka "Papillon"), a small-time pimp in Paris who was convicted of murder and sentenced for the rest of his life to the prison colony in French Guyanna: home of the infamous Devil's Island. A very good film that brings to life Charriere's alleged experiences in the infamous Carribean prison island. The acting of McQueen and Hoffman along with Shaffner's superb direction makes this film a great drama.
The story follows the conviction and sentencing of Henri Charriere for a crime he claims he never committed. He was sentenced to a life of hard labor to the Carribean prison colony in French Guyana. Trying to survive the deplorable conditions of French Guyanna and later Devil's Island, Charriere makes friends with Dustin Hoffman's character. Always having the intent of escaping, Charrierre tries to enroll the help of his friend to find a way to freedom. Despite many attempts, Charrierre is unable to escape and is subjected to even more gruelling conditions than before. He finally escapes after many years in solitary confinement. Although not shown in the film, Charrierre didn't live long after returning. He did bring to the French government's attention the inhuman conditions at the prison colony which caused the permanent closure of Devil's Island as a penal institution. Charriere hoped to earn a living from the sales of his rather exaggerated autobiography but died a natural death before he ever reaped any profits.
The film is a good character study and the acting of McQueen and Hoffman is ideal for this. The audience is also kept hostage in the brutal environment of our heroes. The film has a solid script with very good direction by Schaffner. A great drama to watch many times.
Rating:
Summary: Among the movies I want to see again.
Review: I saw the movie "Papillon" in the 70's and it kept me interested to find out how did Henri Charriere make out after his great escape. So when I found the book Banco (the story- sequel to Papillon) I read it.
The movie was great and I have been looking for a copy (either in VHS and DVD formats) for many years in the Philippines but no copy was available. This week I tried to order a copy from Amazon but there was a problem because the distribution of the DVD format is prohibited in the Philippines.
Though a good number of scenes were depressing, the portrayal of the courage and one-singlemindedness of Henri to be free made the movie very interesting. I agree, Steve McQueen should have won the best actor trophy that year. His acting was splendid.
I hope in the near future I could find a copy here in the Philippines or it can be available here at Amazon.
Rating:
Summary: Greatest Story Ever - Meilleure histoire ? jamais!!!!
Review: Quite easily one of the greatest stories ever!! I came about this movie since my dad had a big dusty book on the shelves downstairs called: Papillon. Once opened, I realized the author, Henri had the same last name as I did, and it turns out that I am of the same bloodline as he was. This sparked my interest, but of all due honesty, this is one of the GREATEST STORIES EVER!!!! Easily comparable to the Shawshank Redemption, which is also a great movie. I HIGHLY recommend the movie (and book as well) to anybody and everybody!!!Nicole, tu voulais savoir si une version francaise serait disponible. Je ne crois pas qu'une version francaise a ?t? produite, mais la version anglaise contient des sous-titres franco. Je recommende TRES fortement que tu visionne le filme, car ca vaut la peine de lire chaque phrase!!!! EXCELLENT FILME!!!
Rating:
Summary: Compelling in every respect
Review: Steve McQueen stars as "Papillion" a French safe-cracker whose butterfly tattoo earned him the title nickname. Framed up on a murder charge he is packed off to the infamous Devils Island prisoner colony. On the ship over he meets Dustin Hoffman, a notorious counterfitter with the means (money) to stay alive but not the muscle to back him up, that is where McQueen comes in. Papillion however has a single-minded outlook on life - freedom. He quickly devises escape plans by any means possible. The settings are exotic, the stories of friendship heart-rendering, the brutality of the prison shocking, the stories of escape, attempt, capture, escape, defiance and the soaring human spirit timeless. Simply a classic of cinema that will stand the test of time, could have been made yesterday and been a blockbuster smash.
Rating:
Summary: tristesse
Review: Je suis Qu?b?coise et j'ai lu et relu le livre de Papillon en fran?ais. Ce livre me fascine par la vie de cet homme (Henri Charri?res) et tout ce qu'il a v?cu pour enfin retrouver la libert?. Malheureusement, je ne trouve ce film nulle part en fran?ais et pourtant il est pass? au Qu?bec, donc il doit exister en fran?ais quelque part. j'en r?ve et je d?sire de tout mon coeur retrouver ce vid?o afin de pouvoir voir ce que j'ai lu.
Y a-t-il une possibillit? quelconque de le trouver en fran?ais, c'est mon plus grand d?sir.
Merci infiniment
Nicole
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