Perhaps the farthest thing possible from a 'feel good movie', Papillon pairs Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman as two prisoners sentenced to the abysmal confines of a prison island off French Guyana in the 1920s. Spurred by circumstances and mutual benefit, Papillon (McQueen) befriends Dega (Hoffman) as they both cope with imprisonment, isolation, brutality, and the ever-present temptation of escaping.

While not the greatest prison movie, and at times even emotionally draining for the audience, Papillon still ranks in the canon of prison movie classics. The film's production values are outstanding, and the recreation of the Penetencier de St. Laurent prison inspires genuine dread in the viewer. McQueen and Hoffman make an odd duo, but both deliver solid performances.