Papillon (1973)
A man plots a desperate escape from a brutal island prison, forging an unlikely bond in a bleak world.
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.
How intense is Papillon?
Papillon has light gore and strong violence. Emotionally it is devastating. The pace is measured, and it is a full-attention watch. Rated PG.
What Papillon feels like
- Tone
- grittysuspensefulbleakepic
- Pace
- Measured
- Best for
- Full attention
- True story
- Yes, based on a book.
Where to stream Papillon
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 15, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is Papillon for you?
Is Papillon scary?
No. Papillon is not a scary watch (scare level 0 of 3).
Is Papillon gory or violent?
Light gore (1 of 3) and strong violence (2 of 3).
Is Papillon sad or heavy?
Yes. Emotional weight 3 of 3. It hits hard; do not plan anything light after.
Is Papillon OK for kids?
It is rated PG, but the intensity tags run warmer than the rating suggests: scare 0, gore 1, violence 2, each out of 3. Know your kid.
How long is Papillon?
Papillon runs 2h 31m.
Where can I stream Papillon?
Papillon is streaming on Kanopy, Plex and Tubi.
Does Papillon have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Bittersweet. It earns its ending, but not everyone gets what they want.
Cast and crew
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