Poster

Papillon ()

Reference View | Change View
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:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
  • Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 1 nomination.
  • See more »
Reviews:

Photos and Videos

200 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

Edit
...
Henri 'Papillon' Charriere
...
Louis Dega
...
Indian Chief
...
Julot
...
Toussaint
Robert Deman ...
Maturette
...
Clusiot
...
Lariot
...
Dr. Chatal
...
Zoraima
...
Warden Barrot
...
Pascal
...
Antonio
...
Sergeant (as Victor Tayback)
...
Guard
...
Santini
...
Mother Superior
...
Butterfly Trader
...
Old Con
...
Commandant
Jack Denbo ...
Classification Officer
...
Guard
...
Masked Breton
...
Deputy Warden
...
Turnkey
...
Old Trustee
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
...
Doctor (uncredited)
...
Manhunter (uncredited)
...
Old Man (uncredited)
Pepe Hern ...
Francisco (uncredited)
...
Mrs. Dega (uncredited)
...
Convict on Ship (uncredited)
...
(uncredited)
...
Nun (uncredited)
Ken Muggleston ...
Border Official (uncredited)
...
Commandant (uncredited)

Directed by

Edit
Franklin J. Schaffner

Written by

Edit
Dalton Trumbo ... (screenplay) and
Lorenzo Semple Jr. ... (screenplay)
 
Henri Charrière ... (book "Papillon")
 
William Goldman ... (contributing writer) (uncredited)

Produced by

Edit
Robert Dorfmann ... producer
Robert O. Kaplan ... assistant producer
Robert Laffont ... associate producer (uncredited)
Ted Richmond ... executive producer
Franklin J. Schaffner ... producer
Emanuel L. Wolf ... executive producer (uncredited)

Music by

Edit
Jerry Goldsmith ... (music by)

Cinematography by

Edit
Fred J. Koenekamp ... director of photography (as Fred Koenekamp)

Editing by

Edit
Robert Swink

Casting By

Edit
Jack Baur

Production Design by

Edit
Anthony Masters

Art Direction by

Edit
Jack Maxsted

Costume Design by

Edit
Anthony Powell

Makeup Department

Edit
Charles H. Schram ... make up creator (as Charles Schram)
John Truwe ... makeup artist
Evet Hussey ... hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management

Edit
Emmett Emerson ... production manager
Robert Watts ... unit production manager
Francisco Ariza ... production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Edit
José López Rodero ... first assistant director (as Jose Lopez Rodero)
Kuki López Rodero ... first assistant director (as Juan Lopez Rodero)
Joe Nayfack ... second assistant director
Roberto Parra ... second assistant director

Art Department

Edit
Bill MacSems ... assistant property master (as William MacSems)
Dennis J. Parrish ... property master (as Dennis Parrish)
Hugh Scaife ... set dressing
Terry Ackland-Snow ... draughtsman (uncredited)
Richard Amsel ... poster artist (uncredited)
Bill Gold ... poster designer (uncredited)
Tom Jung ... poster designer (uncredited)
Francisco Prósper ... construction coordinator (uncredited)
Alan Roderick-Jones ... assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department

Edit
Derek Ball ... sound recordist
James A. Corbett ... re-recording mixer
Gordon Daniel ... sound editor
Richard Portman ... rerecording

Special Effects by

Edit
Alex Weldon ... special effects
Basilio Cortijo ... special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by

Edit
Albert Whitlock ... special photographic effects

Stunts

Edit
Joe Canutt ... stunt gaffer
Jophery C. Brown ... stunts (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth ... stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes ... stunt double: Steve Mcqueen (uncredited)
Fred Lerner ... stunts (uncredited)
Dar Robinson ... cliff stunt double: Steve McQueen (uncredited)
Roy Scammell ... stunt double: Steve Mcqueen (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department

Edit
Mike Benson ... assistant cameraman (as Michael Benson)
Jack Courtland ... camera operator (as John Courtland)
Reggie Jones ... key grip
Thomas Laughridge ... camera operator
William McCreery ... assistant cameraman
Gene Stout ... gaffer
Steve Yaconelli ... assistant cameraman (as Stephen Yaconelli)
Julio Garbi ... electrical equipment supplier (uncredited)
Ronald Lenoir ... set rigger (uncredited)
Owen Marsh ... camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

Edit
Tony Pueo ... wardrobe supervisor
Mickey Sherrard ... wardrobe supervisor

Location Management

Edit
Randy Spangler ... location manager (uncredited)

Music Department

Edit
Erma E. Levin ... music editor
Arthur Morton ... orchestrator
Emil Richards ... musician: percussion
Alexander Courage ... composer: source music/music arranger (uncredited)
Jerry Goldsmith ... conductor (uncredited) / score producer (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

Edit
Marshall Schlom ... script supervisor

Additional Crew

Edit
Lucien Lamontagne ... technical advisor
Scott Alexander Tritt ... stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

Edit

Distributors

Edit

Special Effects

Edit

Other Companies

Edit

Storyline

Edit
Plot Summary

A semi-fictional account of Henri Charrière's time in the penal system in French Guyana - some of it spent on infamous Devil's Island - is presented. It's the early 1930s. Charrière - nicknamed Papillon because of his butterfly tattoo - and Louis Dega are two among many who have been convicted in the French judicial system, they now being transferred to French Guyana where they will serve their time, never to return to France even if they are ever released. A safe-cracker by criminal profession, Papillon is serving a life sentence for murdering a pimp, a crime for which he adamantly states he was framed. Dega is a wealthy counterfeiter, who expects his well-to-do wife eventually to get him released. On Papillon's initiative, Papillon and Dega enter into a business arrangement: Papillon will provide protection for Dega, while Dega will finance Papillon's escape attempt. As Papillon and Degas' time together lasts longer than either expects, their burgeoning friendship ends up being an important factor altering their original plans, needed as they work with and against others who are trying to achieve their own goals, sometime conflicting with Papillon and Dega's. Written by Huggo

Plot Keywords
Taglines Escape is Everything! See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

Edit
Also Known As
  • Ba Bi Long (China, Mandarin title)
  • Метелик (Ukraine)
  • Kapalak (Uzbekistan)
  • Drugelis (Lithuania)
  • Motýlik (Slovakia)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 151 min
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $12,000,000 (estimated)

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". See more »
Goofs At the end of the film, when Papillon is floating on his bag of coconuts, a scuba diver is clearly visible in the water beneath that bag. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in The Ultimate Stuntman: A Tribute to Dar Robinson (1987). See more »
Soundtracks Ballet Music from Faust See more »
Quotes Papillon: Hey you bastards, I'm still here.
See more »
Getting Started | Contributor Zone »

Contribute to This Page


Clear your history

Recently Viewed