Papillon (Wide Screen)

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...try to murder Louis, but Papillon steps in and saves him leading the two to become close friends. It is this friendship which earns Papillon the first of many extended stints in solitary confinement, as he attacks a guard who is picking on Louis and tries to make an escape attempt. Most of the movie then revolves around a battle of wills between Papillon and the commander of solitary confinement as he makes frequent escape attempts and gets returned ...
...neither will back down before Papillon is finally returned to the prison population. Here he is greeted once again by Louis who has been living a relatively cushy life thanks to being able to bribe every member of the prison with his fortune. He tries to convince Papillon to serve the rest of his time and wait for parole but he of course refuses and eventually both get involved in a final escape attempt... Both McQueen and Hoffman are absolutely ... Read review

Advantages: One of McQueen's finest performances, true story
Disadvantages: Bit lengthy at nearly two and a half hours

...selling book of Henri Charriere Papillon (Henri's nickname meaning butterfly) is not only one of the greatest escape stories ever but also a tale of a man who refused to give in. Wrongly convicted of murdering a pimp the film opens with Papi walking thorough the streets of France with the other convicts. The crowd gathered around them is a mixture of people spitting in disgust at them and other baring Christian symbols and praying for their soles. ...
...The following day Dega approaches Papillon saying that he knows he is danger and that he requires protection, Papi agrees for some of the money that Dega is carrying to help him escape. Arriving at the prison we see some of the futile attempts of some convicts to escape which ends in them being shot and we discover that it's desperation as 40% of the people send to this prison die. All gathered in a courtyard the prison governor lays the hash rules ... Read review

Advantages: Outstanding performnaces, great story
Disadvantages: A little long

...amongst the prisoners is rife. Papillon offers protection to master forger Louis Dega in return for Dega financing his escape attempt when they reach their destination. Life in the prison is fanatically harsh with severe penalties for escape attempts and very little in the way of priveledges and comforts. Despite this Papillon attempts escape but is sold out, recaptured, and must endure two years silent solitary confinement. Emerging a seemingly ...
...brilliance was needed and although Papillon boasts a very limited well known cast, it doesn't really get hampered by it. McQueen and Hoffman are the stars and they show what class acts they are. The portrayal of Papillon is brilliantly handled by McQueen and this is arguably his finest perfomance. His scenes of solitary confinement are harrowing because of the realisticness of the production and the intimate camerawork but McQueen's performance is ... Read review

Advantages: The greatest movie ever made, McQueen, Hoffman....everything
Disadvantages: nothing

...subsequent book by Henri Charriere, Papillon (French for butterfly and Charriere's nickname) tells the tale of a petty criminal wrongly convicted of murder in France and subsequently sentenced to a long term in the notorious penal colony. Papillon joins forces with Dega, played exceptionally well by the ever amazing Dustin Hoffman serving time for a national bonds scam and looks out of place in a very unforgiving environment. As stated before McQueen ...
...(1966) Time and again Papillon tries to escape knowing that capture will lead to solitary confinement and many more years in jail unjustly, and time and again Papillon is captured and retuned either by the evil bounty hunters or intriguingly a nun. The passion running through McQueen lets you feel the raw emotions he is going through, and no matter what he endures he never gives up the hope of one day escaping "I'm still here you Bastards" a line ... Read review

Advantages: Hoffman, cinematography, screenplay, atmosphere
Disadvantages: McQueen, overlong & pretentious, uneven directing.

Wrongly convicted Henri Carriere (Papillon, a bland performance from Steve McQueen) tries to escape from the evil prison environment of Devil's Island with the able assistance of fellow convict, Dustin Hoffman. The big problem with this film is with director, Franklin J. Schaffner's choice of lead: McQueen looks too relatively sedate & out of place for a tough story like this. Perhaps he still thinks he's the Cooler King from the more entertaining ...
...extreme prison punishments & unsavoury environments McQueen just doesn't fit the bill. I was, however, more interested in Hoffman's character as a crooked financier who sold a lot of investors into poverty and is now a Public Enemy to a lot of people. And only a bodily-inserted capsule full of money manages to keep him alive as he bargains with McQueen to protect him as his bodyguard. The great thing about Hoffman is that he can play all kinds ... Read review