| Papillon
|
|
Movie Poster
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| Country
|
 United States
 France
|
| Directed by
|
Franklin J. Schaffner
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| Release Date
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December 16, 1973
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| Language
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English
French
Spanish
|
| Studio
|
Les Films Corona
General Production Company
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| Distributor
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Allied Artists (USA)
Columbia Pictures (International)
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|
|
Papillon is a 1973 feature film adaptation of the autobiographical novel written by Henri Charrière. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, the film stars Steve McQueen as Charrière, nicknamed Papillon, a safecracker who is sentenced to a French penal colony for a murder he says he didn't commit and befriends Dega (Dustin Hoffman), a counterfeiter who agrees to pay if the two can find a way to escape the colony.
The film would later be remade as a 2018 feature starring Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek.
The following weapons were used in the film Papillon:
Handguns
Colt Official Police
What appears to be a Colt Official Police revolver is pulled by the South American Police on the beach when confronting Papillon and Dega.
Colt Official Police with 4" Barrel - .38 Special
As the South American Police escort the captured Antonio (
Gregory Sierra), they encounter the landed trio. After asking for their documents, the commanding officer fires his revolver to stop them from moving on.
A blurry view of the revolver as the policeman turns around.
Submachine Guns
Erma EMP
The Gendarmes are armed with Spanish copies of the Erma EMP when escorting the prisoners through the streets at the start of the movie. This is accurate; the French Gendarmerie acquired several thousand Spanish EMP submachine guns after the Spanish Civil War. Another reason for the appearance of this submachine gun is that these town scenes were filmed in Madrid.
La Coruña M41/44 - 9x23mm Largo
Gendarmes hold their Erma EMPs while guiding soldiers walking backwards.
Another view of the
Gendarmes when escorting the prisoners through the streets of Saint-Martin-de-Ré.
Rifles
Berthier Mle. 1907/15
Berthier Mle. 1907/15s are used by French Soldiers and Penal Colony guards as well as Papillon (Steve McQueen), Dega (Dustin Hoffman), Maturette (Robert Deman) and Breton (John Quade). During the First World War Berthier rifles were chosen for colonial troops, instead of the Lebel 1886 (rifles erroneously credited before on this page), so the film is historically correct as it is set in 1930.
Fusil Berthier Modèle 1907/15 - 8x50mmR Lebel
At the opening of the movie in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, French army escort the prisoners to the harbor.
After arriving at the port of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Dega and Papillon witness a guard chambering his rifle as a prisoner a prisoner, who has lost all hope, goes into the water.
Another guard at the Kilo 40 labor camp aims his rifle directly over the heads of the prisoners at a crocodile.
Papillon (
Steve McQueen) performs a brass check after hearing a loud croaking.
In contrast to Papillon, Maturette works the bolt handle of his rifle and thus ejects a round already chambered; the cartridge is visible flying in front of Dega's face.
Maturette aims his Berthier at an incoming stranger.
Lebel Mle. 1886
At least, one French soldier at the movie's beginning has a Lebel Mle 1886.
Fusil Lebel Modèle 1886-M93 - 8x50mmR Lebel
The Lebel is seen to the left; right next to the drum.
Winchester Model 1892
One of the Guiana colonists is seen with a Winchester Model 1892.
Winchester Model 1892 - .32WCF
During a meeting with the Butterfly Trader (Don Hanmer), the colonist came out from the darkness and holds Papillon at gunpoint his Winchester.
Another view of the Winchester on the right.
Mauser Puška vz. 24
The South American Police use what appears to be vz. 24 Czech Mauser rifles.
Puška vzor 24 - 7.92x57mm Mauser
Two police officers start pursuing Papillon. Unfortunately, the rifle is blurred due to the fast motion, but the straight-bolt handle, grasping groove, tangent-leaf sight, and under-mounted sling swivels are visible.
A behind the scenes picture offers a detailed view of the Mauser.
Papillon is detained and taken to two other police officers with Mauser rifles.
After a short tussle the policemen injure Papillon's feet with the butts of their rifles. This short scene reveals the Mauser 98-style action.
Other
Marlin Model 1917
The French prison ship is equipped with two machine guns which appear to be the Marlin Model 1917.
Marlin Model 1917 - .30-06 Springfield
The machine gun is seen mounted on the railing to the right.
12 Gauge Double Barrel Shotgun
A colonist manhunter (Richard Farnsworth) and Masked Breton (John Quade), the man with the tattooed face, are armed with 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotguns when he confronts the escapees.
Savage/Stevens 311A Shotgun - 12 Gauge
Masked Breton makes the escapees an offer.
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