Papillon 1973

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: McQueen works hard and al most manages to triumph over his star presence, while Hoffman submerges himself eccentrically and amusingly in his coward's role. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: A big, brave, stouthearted, sometimes romantic, sometimes silly melodrama with the kind of visual sweep you don't often find in movies anymore. Read more

Don Druker, Chicago Reader: Director Franklin J. Schaffner has succeeded in making a two-and-a-half-hour film that seems like six. Read more

Michael Booth, Denver Post: A rousing drama of endurance, opportunism and friendship under fire. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: An expensive, exhaustive, 150-mintue odyssey that doesn't so much conclude as cross the finish line and collapse. Read more

Chris Petit, Time Out: With Schaffner unable to find the necessary perspective to prevent the film from becoming unevenly episodic, it ends up looking as if it were tacked together by at least three different directors. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: The script is very good within its limitations, but there is insufficient identification with the main characters. Read more