Henri Charriere
Forum
Hi,
On our website you will find some pictures of Papillon
http://www.jecs.nl/~papillon
>>By Koos (Friday, 23 May 2003 16:07)
One of the best book,which I read 15 years ago and recently again.Pity,there is no other writer to get more stories and compare about same people at the same place,same period.And luck,Papillon was uniquie!!!
btusek@yahoo.com
>>By Bor (Wednesday, 4 Jun 2003 20:39)
I read Papillon in 1977, never having heard anything about him before. Years later I saw the film, and was terribly disappointed in it. Banco was O.K. I didn't know that he had died in 1973 when I initially read the book.I am in search of
1. Photos
2. Testimonials and witness accounts,
3. Information about the Guajira children,
4. Diary material from Madame Juliette Prioullet. the wife
of Royale's warden at the 2nd solitary event.
5. Any other corroborative evidence.
This story has had the deepest and most lasting impression on me. My interest is strictly personal.
Edward
>>By Edward S. Moore (Wednesday, 4 Jun 2003 21:44)
I misspelled Juliette's last name...
>>By Edward S. Moore (Thursday, 12 Jun 2003 17:32)
HI!! I HAVE JUST STARTED THE BOOK & I CANT PUT IT DOWN!!!
THE STORIES SEEM UNBELIEVABLE!!
WHAT A GREAT MAN TO ENDURE ALL THAT TORTURE WITHOUT ANY BITTERNESS WHATSOEVER...
I WISH WE ALL HAD THE STRENGHT AND THE WILL POWER AS PAPILLON!!!!!!!
>>By OMI DESAI (Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003 22:12)
IF A CAT HAS 9 LIVES-PAPI HAD 10!!!
WE SALUTE MADIBA,BUT WE DEFINATELY TAKE A
BOW TO PAPI!!
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY NEVER DID BELONG TO THE FRENCH & NEVER WILL!!
REST IN PEACE PAPI!
>>By A.S.DESAI (Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003 22:21)
I think on the PAL version of the dvd there is a 'making of' the movie.... i think that henri might have been involved....and i wonder if there is an interview with him on the dvd...?
Loved the book!
>>By SJB (Friday, 20 Jun 2003 10:59)
Yes, theres an interview with Henri on the DVD, called 'the magnificent rebel' . It's short - 10 mins- but nice to watch.
Koos
>>By Koos (Saturday, 21 Jun 2003 08:13)
What a man,what a book..Are there any accounts of his life after freedom?..I'd love to know what he got up to after getting he got it.. R.I.P. Papi...You deserve the rest
Gnash
>>By gnash (Sunday, 22 Jun 2003 16:46)
Gnash. Banco is the name of the sequel to Papillon, I am reading it again now, and it too is worth the reading. There appear to be many records, public and otherwise, with which to check stories and followup leads.
>>By E.S.Moore (Monday, 23 Jun 2003 23:22)
Last year the History Channel did a series of programmes on famous escapes. One of which was devoted exclusively to Papillon. It featured film footage of Charriere (including some brief old interview clips). The programme was generally a celebration of his story although it did make some attempt to objectively investigate the facts - it featured a french historian who had trawled through prison documents and interviewed people who may have known Charriere and had then written a book questioning the veracity of the story. (Can't remember what the book was called but think it may only have been published in French anyway).
The programme was aired several times so anyone who has cable and is interested may still catch it. There was also a couple of programmes last year about Devil's Island - one on the History Channel and an even better one on the BBC which included home movie footage of life in and around the penal colony at roughly the time that Charriere must have been there. Perhaps this is available somewhere for anyone who really wants to see it.
>>By Jay Patel (Tuesday, 24 Jun 2003 11:05)
terrific
need more info
quranquran@yahoo.com
>>By imran (Saturday, 28 Jun 2003 16:43)
Imran,
The History Channel doc about Charriere was under the title "Escape" (produced by FilmRoos Inc.) The name of the historian questioning the reliability of Papillon (one of a growing number it seems) is Gerard de Villiers and his book is called "Papillon Epingle" (published by Borboleta Cravada). This book seems to be available in French only.
By the way, Charriere was not the only prisoner to escape from Devil's Island and write a book about it. "Dry Guillotine" (first pub 1938) tells the story of Rene Belbenoit who escaped and later became a consultant on Hollywood movies about the French convicts such as "Passage to Marseille" starring Humphrey Bogart. His story appears to be just as remarkable and more historically accurate than Charriere's, although not as well written.
Hope this is of some help.
Jay.
>>By Jay Patel (Thursday, 3 Jul 2003 12:39)
I will start with a quote from Papillon's book:
"We have too much technological progress, life is too hectic, and our
society has only one goal: to invent still more technological marvels
to make life even easier and better. The craving for every new
scientific discovery breeds a hunger for greater comfort and the
constant struggle to achieve it. All that kills the soul, kills
compassion, understanding, nobility." --Henri Charriere (Papillon)
His entire life makes me glad that the human spirit is not willing to just stop and take what someone else deems correct. This man was more alive than most people I have ever met. He is truly my hero.
>>By Xander Cross (Friday, 18 Jul 2003 05:31)
i thought the book was brilliant would love to see the interveiw with papillon
>>By jerry (Thursday, 24 Jul 2003 15:28)
I remember seeing the film when i was a kid, Steve McQueen playing the man whose spirit refused to be broken.
I then read the book many years later and was deeply moved by it. I was going through what i thought at the time as hard times, they were nothing compared to Henri's struggles of course and his story helped pull me through them. They seem so trivial now.
Ive read many books about strong willed people and amazing life stories but none have affected me like Papillon.
It made me think again of the butterfly as an image of freedom and i got a tattoo of one myself, on my chest.
For the rest of my life, ill be reminded of the story and whatever life throws at me, ill get through it. I still cant find the right words to explain to people who havent heard about Henri Charriere why i had the tattoo done. I dont think his story can be explained quickly.
I only found this website today and was amazed and happy that others feel the same.
None of us should have ever heard of Henri Charriere, he should have died on some far off island years ago, just another broken human being, broken and destroyed by his fate.
But we are talking about him now because he refused to accept it. Its a fitting legacy to him that Papillon continues to change peoples lives.
>>By dave (Sunday, 27 Jul 2003 17:24)
Some new pictures and info about Henri Charrière on our renewed website (in English)
http://www.jecs.nl/~papillon
>>By Koos (Monday, 1 Mar 2004 07:34)
At seven years of age, en route for a family holiday to visit french relatives in marseilles i chose the book Papillon for my journey's reading. Mum said i wouldn't understand it......istill have that original first copy from 1970 and must have read it 20 odd times.
I believe the story to be true but don't care if some of it were to be more fiction. The book has had a profound influence on my life and lead to a love affair with the people and places of France.
Papillon's adventures awoke a spirit of adventure within me and consequentially i have lived the life (so far) of an "experience junky".
Henri's tales are greater than mine tho.
As regards the other written accounts of penal servitude....Rene Balbenoit's accounts are equally shocking. maybe not as well written but surely the more information (on any subject) the more qualified you are, to give an opinion.
Except for the acting, i feel the film was a let down and certainly won't bother watching it again....the book conjures images that a film never can.....
>>By charliecheese (Friday, 3 Dec 2004 13:13)
This is for Mike and Suhita, this is my understanding or how it was told to me.
Henri did meet his children and he spent time with them. One of his daughters married and settled in Argentina, she had three children of her own. The oldest remembered spending much time with his grandfather (Henri) who shared the stories of his bank robbing days and such with him. Henri wore a wool dress coat with hat in the colder months and had one fashioned for his grandson so when they would go out together they would look alike. The oldest grandchild left South America and traveled to the United States in 1990, he still resides there today. Shortly after arriving in the United States he met an American woman, they remained together for a few years and had a son, who also still lives in the United States. When the child was three years old, Henri's Grandson's parents traveled to the United States to meet their grandchild and the mother. Henri's daughter bestowed upon the woman a ring given to her by her father, Henri Charriere, a family heirloom, a gold ring fashioned in the shape of a butterfly with a blue sapphire diamond in the middle. To this day she still has it. She was from an Irish descended family and had never spoke any other language other than English until she had meet Henri's grandson, who I might say was very gifted intelligently and he spoke four languages fluently. Maybe it was the first words he repeated over and over to her " ti amo con toda mi vida" ' bois sos linda" , that inspired her to learn a second language.
>>By catalinda (Saturday, 29 Jun 2013 07:37)
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