Papillon (1973)

☆ ☆ ☆

Papillon (1973) – F. J. Schaffner

Epic prison flick shot on location in Jamaica (substituting for Devil’s Island and surrounds in French Guyana) with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman doing it tough after their convictions for pimp-killing and counterfeiting, respectively (although McQueen claims to be innocent).  Focused primarily on action rather than on thoughts (apart from dreams of escape), the film lacks the depth I had hoped for (and you can see this in other films by the same director, Schaffner:  Planet of the Apes, Patton, Boys from Brazil).  McQueen does a nice job of transforming from a steely tough guy to an addled old fool with rotten teeth (still dreaming of escape) but Hoffman’s performance seems rather one-note (if dedicated). Based on a supposedly true story by Papillon himself (Henri Charriere), the film has that seventies blockbuster look and feel but it doesn’t rise to the status of the great classics. Still, if you can handle the length, there are enough struggles and setbacks for the prisoners to hold your interest and the scenery looks great.