Trailer+1 trailer

Papillon

1973Movie2 h 31 minPG

73
GoodGoodWatch score
73
GoodGoodWatch score

Summary

A man befriends a fellow criminal as the two of them begin serving their sentence on a dreadful prison island, which inspires the man to plot his escape.

Good for

  • Friends night
  • Teens
  • Thought-provoking

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for laughs, warmth or scares.

Movies with

Cast

Crew

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 16, 1973 · 2 h 31 min · PG

Released
December 16, 1973
Runtime
2 h 31 min
Age rating
PG
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Crime, Drama
Original language
English
Also spoken
Spanish
Made in
United States, France
Budget
$12 million
Box office
$53 million
Available in
25 countries

Tropes

Never Smile at a Crocodile, Deadly Environment Prison, Threatening Shark +9

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Papillon?"

Questions about Papillon

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Papillon?

In the United States, Papillon is free with ads on Plex, Kanopy, Fandango at Home Free, and Tubi TV. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Spectrum On Demand. It also streams in 18 other countries.

Is Papillon worth watching?

73
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 73 (IMDb 8, Letterboxd 4.0 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 74%, and Metacritic 58). Audiences rate it higher (82 out of 100) than critics (66).

Is Papillon okay for kids?

PGViolenceDisturbing imagery

Not for young kids: it's rated PG in the United States for violence and disturbing imagery, and the viewing guide lists it for teens and adults.

Is Papillon plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was Papillon a box office hit?

Budget$12 million
Box office$53 million

Yes: it cost about $12 million to make and earned $53 million worldwide, 4.4 times its budget.

What tropes does Papillon use?

Never Smile at a CrocodileDeadly Environment PrisonThreatening SharkDream SequenceGreat EscapeGoing NativePolice BrutalityCounterfeit CashBrutally HonestHellhole PrisonHow Did You Know? I Didn'tDeath Seekerand 61 more

TV Tropes lists 73 tropes for it, including Never Smile at a Crocodile, Deadly Environment Prison, and Threatening Shark.