Papillon
Jul 07, 2013
(Franklin J. Schaffner, USA, 1976, 35mm, 151 min)
Introduced by City Councilman Bruce Harrell
Some have questioned the reliability of Henri Charriere's best-selling memoir of his miserable life on (and eventual escape from) the French penal colony, Devil's Island. But in the context of the mayoral campaign, Papillon is a bold selection by sitting city council member Bruce Harrell: the film offers a tale of suffering, endurance, and serial escape attempts, in which Steve McQueen is at his best in the title role, and Dustin Hoffman is amusingly rat-like as his best friend, Louis Dega.
Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton, Planet of the Apes) and accompanied by Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-nominated score, the closing title sequence is one of the most dramatically powerful in the history of cinema.
>> This screening is part of our Mayoral Movies series, which features a collection of films selected and introduced by candidates for Seattle mayor. Get a series pass and see all of the Mayoral Movies at a deep discount! $20/Film Forum Members, $30/General Admission