Papillon (1973)

Papillon is the true story of Henri Charriere, a criminal who's falsely accused of murder and sentenced to life in prison. The name Papillon is French for "butterfly" which he has a tattoo of on his chest. He is sent to the French penal colony in French Guiana, South America. There he becomes friends with another inmate, a counterfeiter named Louis Dega, and with his help plans to make an escape. But escaping isn't easy when he keeps getting captured and put into solitary confinement. However Papillon does not give up, because freedom is all that he wants. An amazing, unforgettable film that doesn't glamorize prison; it shows the harsh and brutal conditions of what penitentiary life is like. McQueen and Hoffman are both fantastic. Starring Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Don Gordon, Bill Mumy, Anthony Zerbe, William Smithers, Val Avery 8/10