Based on a true story, the movie tells the story of Henri Charriere, also known as Papillon, which is French for 'butterfly', because he sports a large tattoo of a butterfly. Papillon, a petty criminal, is wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to life in the French penal colony in Guyana. 1973 drama starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.