Papillon (1973)

Papillon (PG) - Review

"Jailhouse gets empty"

The true life account of 1930s French thief and accused murderer Henri "Papillon" Charriere (played with absolute perfection by action star Steve McQueen) who is sentenced to imprisonment on the infamous Penal Colony "Devil's Island".  On the way there by boat he befriends and protects fellow convict Louis Degas (Dustin Hoffman in one of his more unique and fantastic roles), a rich banker who has been caught swindling the entire country and is now a lamb among wolves.  The conditions on the island are bleak, the situations the characters slog through are inhuman but the spirit of freedom and justice carry Papillon through escape attempt after escape attempt, recapture after recapture.  Themes of loyalty, friendship and hardship are palpable, the solitary confinement scene is riveting, McQueen's performance impeccable (we expect great things which are often exceeded by Hoffman, and his role in this movie is equal parts important and amazing).  The guards attempt to break the prisoners, the prison attempts to extinquish them and their lust for life and survival trumps them all.  Written by the late great Dalton Trumbo the movie is thematically strong and yet unpreachy.  Viewers are allowed to experience the hell of severe confinement and feel the brief joy of freedom along with the characters.  The controversies surrounding the Penal Colony, the authenticity of the autobiography and the discrepancies in the life of the real Henri Charriere cannot tarnish this pristine piece of movie fiction and it's statements about willpower and the flight of the human soul.

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