PAPILLON

Czech Republic/Spain, 2017, 133 minutes, Colour.
Charlie Hunnam, Rami Malek.
Directed by Michael Noer.


Papillon was one of the big films of the early 1970s, starring Steve Mc Queen in the title role, working along with Dustin Hoffman. There was a cinema interest in the penal colony of Devil’s Island in the 1970s, including an action show with Jim Brown, I Escaped from Devil’s Island.

Here is a 21st-century remake which recreates the atmosphere of the penal colony but also extends the narrative to Henri Charriere’s life and career after his escape and return to France. The film is based on his autobiography, Papillon and Banco.

For the remake, the leading actors were better known on television than on the big screen, Charlie Hunnam known for Sons of Anarchy and Rami Malek for Mr Robot. Malek was to receive the Academy Award the following year for playing Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. Charlie Hunnam continued a successful career in films, beginning in England, returning to England for The Gentleman and Australia for The True Story of the Kelly Gang.

The film is of interest for its picture of the French criminal world, for the re-creation of Devil’s Island, for dramatising the later career of Henri Charriere.

1. A true story? Autobiography? The popularity? The 1970s film version?

2. The title, the name, the name of the Butterfly? The use of the images of the Butterfly?

3. Paris, 1931, the safe cracker, his robberies, giving the proceeds to his boss, the threats from the boss, seeing the torture of the informant? his girlfriend, going out on the town, the cinema, the man seeing the girlfriend with a necklace, reporting them? The police, coming to the apartment, the arrest, in jail, his being framed for the murder of the informant?

4. The prisoners being sent to the owner, the French prison system, administration? The men in their uniforms, caps, assembled like military in lines at the wharf (and the later credits seeing the newsreel of the times)? On the ship, crowded, the fights, the guards and discipline, the suspect with his Jules in his belly, the thugs slitting him? Henri, the information about danger, his background as a forger, Henri offering his help, protection?

5. Their arrival in Guinea, the officials and speeches, no escape? The harshness of the administration, and life, work? Friendships and bonds, mistrusts?

6. Henri as a character, strong, physically strong? The contrast with Dega, small, his spectacles, a low key person?

7. The friend on the boat, his attempts at escapes, killing guards, the prisoners assembled, the guillotine, his execution, the head in the box? Henri and Dega having to carry the body, take a exhausted, the guard whipping him, Henri getting the rock, hitting the guard, his attempted escape, the boat, the man and his having over to the police?

8. Time in the cell, solitary, the authorities wanting to break him, the darkness, the food, the isolation, his doing exercises, becoming it? The gifts of the coconut with the note? His not revealing the name? The interrogation, the threats, on half rations, being deprived of light, Time passing, his getting out, in the hospital?

9. Dega, his jobs, with the officials, visit to the hospital, Henri pretending to be mad, planning his escape?

10. Getting the tranquilizing pills and keeping them? The big turnkey and his threats of raping the young man? The conflict with associations in the past, whether he was to be trusted or not? Their forming a group? Henri is a mouse to be no killing? The issues of money? The contact with the both?

11. The night on the escape, the screening of King Kong, the turnkey and the attack on him, the rescue of the young man, getting the keys? Dega and his putting the drugs and the drinks for the authorities? The rain pouring, the lights going out? The decision to go, jumping from the wall, Dega injuring his ankle, getting away, being apprehended by the owner of the boat, the other man and his threats, the getting the boat, going to see, scooping the water, mending the writer? The mixing, too much weight, wanting to throw Degas\ overboard? The threats, the boy going overboard? Dega and his reaction? The vicious stabbing of the convict?

12. The storm, the difficulties at sea? Finding themselves on lantern rescued, in Colombia, working with the natives, the nuns and talking about repentance? Henri trying to leave, seeing the authorities in their car, returning, the boy being shot? Their being arrested?

13. Henri in prison, for five years and his cell, still resistant, transferred to Devils Island, finding day get there? That life, isolation, the man hanging himself, standing on the cliffs, looking at the tides?

14. The plan for the raft, to jump, using the tides? Dega deciding to stay? the raft?

15. Settling in Venezuela, the transition to 1969, the manuscript of his autobiography, the publisher in France? The government allowing him to return? The publication of his book, the sales, fame, the film version?

16. The 21st-century treatment of Henri Charriere’s life? the reputation of the 1970s film and its stars? This version in its own right?