Letter to the Editor

"Papillon" a breath of fresh reality air

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

To the editor:

Snakes, swamps, crocodiles, intrigue, adventure. Another "Indiana Jones" movie? Perhaps ... but with one caveat -- this was a real adventuure. It is the story of Henri Charriere, also known as "Papillon" (French for butterfly, the name given him because of the large butterfly tattooed on his chest.) The movie "Papillon" takes place on Devil's Island in Frence Guiana, where France sent her most dangerous prisoners during the early part of the 20th century.

Supposedly inescapable, the island's reputation was broken when Papillon escaped by floating on a sack of coconuts and drifted on ocean currents to nearby Venezuela.

I was recently perusing the bargain table in the movie section of Barnes & Noble bookstore and came across a copy of the move. I had all but forgotten the story but seeing the movie opened up a flood of memories. We have all had those unforgettable moments, the "flashbulb memories" where we remember important events in our lives, where we were, when it happened, what we were wearing, etc.

It was 1970 and I was sitting in the lobby of the Hotel Tamanaco in Caracas, Venezuela where I resided. A large, smiling man was making his way across the lobby, followed by a small posse of curious onlookers. Dressed in an unbuttoned, flowered, Hawaiian-type shirt which permitted a view of the butterfly prominently tattooed on his chest, he seemed to revel in the attention. I inquired as to who he was and was told that he was the infamous "Papillon," the only prisoner to have ever escaped Devil's Island in the French penal colony in Guiana. An autobiography, aptly titled "Papillon" had just come out, and I rushed to the hotel bookstore to secure a copy and had him autograph it for me. Needless to say, it is one of my prized possessions.

I encourage everyone to acquire this movie and book and enjoy a real adventure. The movie stars Steve McQueen as Papillon and Dustin Hoffman as his good friend, Dega. I assure it will mesmerize and intrigue you. In a world full of so-called "reality" shows about everything from pit bulls to tow trucks to pawn shops, "Papillon" is indeed a breath of fresh reality air. It is an escape adventure you will never forget. Papillon did regain his freedom and lived out the remainder of his life as a free man in Venezuela, where he eventually married and owned a restaurant.

Bonnie (Beal) Hendrix
Gosnell