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Films Set On Devil's Island
The French penal colony on Devil's Island was in operation from 1852–1946. Large numbers of mostly Hollywood films sere either set on the island or featured characters both real (Alfred Dreyfus and Émile Zola) and fictional (The Phantom of the Opera) who had escaped from it. The French Government took a dim view of these films and banned several of them. To avoid the usual French protests on films depicting Devil's Island, the producers of the 1935 film ''King of the Damned'' gave all locations Spanish names and set the film in the Caribbean.p.91 Slide, Anthony ''Banned in the USA: British films in the United States and Their Censorship, 1933-1960'' I.B.Tauris, 1998 Films set on Devil's Island *''Condemned'' (1929) *''The Devil-Doll'' (1936) *''The Life of Émile Zola'' (1937) *''Mysterious Mr. Moto'' (1938) *''Devil's Island'' (1939) *'' Strange Cargo'' (1940) *''Passage to Marseille'' (1944) *''The Return of Monte Cristo'' (1946) *'' We're No Angels'' (1955) *''Hell on Devil's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Penal Colony
A penal colony or exile colony is a settlement used to exile prisoners and separate them from the general population by placing them in a remote location, often an island or distant colonial territory. Although the term can be used to refer to a correctional facility located in a remote location, it is more commonly used to refer to communities of prisoners overseen by wardens or governors having absolute authority. Historically penal colonies have often been used for penal labour in an economically underdeveloped part of a state's (usually colonial) territories, and on a far larger scale than a prison farm. British Empire With the passage of the Transportation Act 1717, the British government initiated the penal transportation of indentured servants to Britain's colonies in the Americas. British merchants would be in charge of transporting the convicts across the Atlantic, where in the colonies their indentures would be auctioned off to planters. Many of the indentured ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
We're No Angels (1955 Film)
''We're No Angels'' is a 1955 Christmas comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Joan Bennett, Basil Rathbone, Leo G. Carroll, and Gloria Talbott. Shot in both VistaVision and Technicolor, the film was a Paramount Pictures release. The screenplay was written by Ranald MacDougall, based on the play '' My Three Angels'' by Samuel and Bella Spewack, which itself was based upon the French play ''La Cuisine Des Anges'' by Albert Husson. Mary Grant designed the film's costumes. The film is set on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 1895. Plot Three convicts – Joseph, Albert and Jules – escape from prison on Devil's Island in French Guiana just before Christmas and arrive at the nearby French colonial town of Cayenne on Christmas Eve. Joseph is a thief; the other two are murderers. They go to a store managed by Felix Ducotel. The store is in a very poor financial position as it is the only one to give supplies on credit. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
An Officer And A Spy (film)
''An Officer and a Spy'' (french: J'Accuse, link=no) is a 2019 historical drama film directed by Roman Polanski about the Dreyfus affair, with a screenplay by Polanski and Robert Harris based on Harris's 2013 novel of the same name. The name J'Accuse has its origins in Émile Zola's bold article in ''l'Aurore'' in January 1898 in which the famous author accused many persons of France of continuing to support the increasingly blatantly erroneous accusations against Dreyfus. The film had its premiere at the 76th Venice International Film Festival on 30 August 2019, winning the Grand Jury Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize. It received twelve nominations for the 45th César Awards, the most nominations of any eligible film, and eventually won the awards for Best Adaptation, Best Costume Design, and Best Director. The film was also nominated in four categories at the 32nd European Film Awards, including for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenwriter, ultimately win ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Papillon (2017 Film)
''Papillon'' is a 2017 drama film directed by Michael Noer and also the last film by Red Granite Pictures. It tells the story of French convict Henri Charrière (Charlie Hunnam), nicknamed ''Papillon'' ("butterfly"), who was falsely imprisoned in 1933 in the notorious Devil's Island penal colony and escaped in 1941 with the help of another convict, counterfeiter Louis Dega (Rami Malek). The film's screenplay is based on Charrière's autobiographies '' Papillon'' and '' Banco'', as well as the former's 1973 film adaptation, which was written by Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr. and starred Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. ''Papillon'' premiered on September 9, 2017, in the Special Presentations section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. Plot Henri "Papillon" Charrière, a safecracker from the Parisian underworld, is framed for murder. Though he has an alibi from his lover, Nenette, Papillon is convicted and condemned to the notorious Devil's Island penal co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prisoner Of Honor
''Prisoner of Honor'' is a 1991 British made-for-television drama film directed by Ken Russell and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Oliver Reed and Peter Firth. It was made by Warner Bros. Television and distributed by HBO, and centers on the famous Dreyfus Affair. Richard Dreyfuss co-produced the film with Judith James, from a screenplay by Ron Hutchinson. Synopsis The film documents the events that saw a French Captain, Alfred Dreyfus, sent to Devil's Island for espionage near the end of the 19th century. Colonel Georges Picquart (Richard Dreyfuss) is given the job of justifying Dreyfus' sentence. Instead, he discovers that Dreyfus (Kenneth Colley), a Jew, was merely a convenient scapegoat for the actions of the true culprit, a member of the French General staff. His attempt to right the wrong sees his military career ended and the famous French author, Émile Zola (Martin Friend), found guilty of libel for publishing his 1898 open letter ''J'Accuse…!''. Cast Production Ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Papillon (1973 Film)
''Papillon'' is a 1973 epic historical drama prison film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. The screenplay by Dalton Trumbo and Lorenzo Semple Jr. was based on the 1969 autobiography by the French convict Henri Charrière. The film stars Steve McQueen as Charrière ("Papillon") and Dustin Hoffman as Louis Dega. Because it was filmed at remote locations, the film was quite expensive for the time ($12 million), but it earned more than twice that in its first year of release. The film's title is French for "Butterfly," referring to Charrière's tattoo and nickname. Plot Henri Charrière (Steve McQueen), is a safecracker nicknamed "Papillon" because of the butterfly tattoo on his chest. In 1933 France, he is "wrongly" convicted of murdering a pimp and is sentenced to life imprisonment within the penal system in French Guiana. En route, he meets a fellow convict, Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman), an infamous forger and embezzler who is convinced that his wife will secure his release. Pap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I Escaped From Devil's Island
''I Escaped from Devil's Island'' is a 1973 exploitation film about an escape attempt from Devil's Island. Roger Corman and Gene Corman produced this grim adventure saga which was made to cash in on the release of '' Papillon''. Plot summary Prison life on Devil's Island is no picnic so fellow prisoners Le Bras (Jim Brown) and Davert (Christopher George) escape. Along their escape route, they encounter submissive native women and a colony of lepers. Cast * Jim Brown as Le Bras * Christopher George as Davert (as Chris George) * Richard Ely as Joe "Jo-Jo" (as Rick Ely) * James Luisi as Dazzas * Paul Richards as Major Marteau * Richard Rust as Sergeant Zamorra * Bob Harris as The Barber (as Roland 'Bob' Harris) * Jan Merlin as Rosenquist * Robert Phillips as Blassier * Stephen Whittaker as Leper Count * Eduardo Rosas López as Sergeant Brescano * Jonathan Dodge as Lieutenant Duplis * Quintín Bulnes as Sergeant Grizzoni * Gabriella Rios as Indian Girl * Ana De Sade as Bedalia P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Women Of Devil's Island
''Women of Devil's Island'' ( it, Le prigioniere dell'isola del diavolo, french: L'île aux filles perdues) is a 1962 Italian-French adventure-drama film written and directed by Domenico Paolella and starring Guy Madison and Michèle Mercier. Plot In the late 18th century, a group of French female convicts - among them streetwalkers, murderers, and revolutionaries - are shipped to Devil's Island penal colony. They join the other female convicts already on the island and are forced by the cruel Lefèvre and his abusive guards to pan gold for the French king Louis XVI of France and his Austrian queen Marie Antoinette. Lefèvre hopes for a promotion, but a new prison governor arrives with a letter from the king and takes command, also putting in place a more humane prison regiment for the women. In reality, the letter is a fake. He is the revolutionary Henri Vallière and in league with the pirates, who in a daring coup help him steal the gold and overturn Lefèvre's rule. Cast ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terror Of The Bloodhunters
''Terror of the Bloodhunters'' is a 1962 independently made American black-and-white low budget jungle survival horror film, produced, directed, written, and edited by Jerry Warren, that stars Robert Clarke, Dorothy Haney, and Steve Conte. The film was released in the U.S. May 3, 1962 as a double feature with Warren's '' Invasion of the Animal People''.Warren, Bill (1986). ''Keep Watching The Skies Volume 2''. McFarland & Co., Inc. . Page 749 Premise The daughter (Dorothy Haney) of the Devil's Island commandant takes off with two escaped French prisoners (Robert Clarke and Steve Conte) through the treacherous jungles of French Guiana. They must survive not only dangerous wild animals and disease, but the prison guards who are searching for them, as well as a ferocious South American tribe of headhunters. Cast *Robert Clarke as Steve Duval *Dorothy Haney as Marlene *Robert Christopher as Whorf * William White as Dione *Steve Conte as Cabot *Niles Andrus as Commandant *Herbert ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I Accuse!
''I Accuse!'' is a British 1958 CinemaScope biographical drama film directed by and starring José Ferrer. The film is based on the true story of the Dreyfus affair, in which a Jewish captain in the French Army was falsely accused of treason. Plot synopsis In 1894 Alfred Dreyfus (José Ferrer), a Jewish captain in the French Army, is falsely accused of treason. He is sentenced to life imprisonment on Devil's Island. Major Ferdinand Walsin-Esterhazy, an infantry officer of Hungarian descent, helps in the investigation. When he is found to be the real spy, the French Army tries to hide the truth by exonerating the traitor in a mock trial. Émile Zola, the famous French author, writes an open letter to the prime minister of France entitled ''I Accuse!'', which reveals the truth behind the cover up. The letter is published in the newspaper, causing a firestorm around the world, leading to a re-examination of the entire Dreyfus case. Eventually, Esterhazy makes a full confession, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hell On Devil's Island
''Hell on Devil's Island'' is a 1957 American adventure film directed by Christian Nyby and written by Steven Ritch. The film stars Helmut Dantine, William Talman, Donna Martell, Jean Willes, Rex Ingram and Robert Cornthwaite. The film was released in August 1957, by 20th Century Fox. Plot In the French Guinea prison known as Devil's Island, the ruthless commandant Bayard savagely beats Paul Rigaud and other convicts. The island's new governor, Renault, is determined to put an end to such brutality. Efforts by the evil Bayard and his seductive accomplice Suzanne, a cafe owner, fail to keep Rigaud confined and he is released. He meets up with former cellmate Lulu and is approached by Governor Renault, who has discovered Rigaud was a newspaper editor who was imprisoned unjustly for his published opinions. Renault requests that Rigaud help him expose the prison's cruel punishments, with help from the governor's daughter, Giselle. Suzanne agrees to betray Bayard, only to be sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Return Of Monte Cristo (1946 Film)
''The Return of Monte Cristo'' is a 1946 swashbuckler film which is a sequel to ''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (1934) and ''The Son of Monte Cristo'' (1940). Plot The grandson of the Count of Monte Cristo is falsely accused of a crime and imprisoned on Devil's Island. He escapes and seeks revenge against those responsible for his imprisonment. Cast * Louis Hayward as Dantes * George Macready as Henri de la Rouche * Barbara Britton as Angela Picard * Una O'Connor as Miss Beedle * Henry Stephenson as Prof. Duval * Steven Geray as Bombelles * Ray Collins as Emil Blanchard * Ludwig Donath as Judge Lafitte * Ivan Triesault as Major Chavet * Ethan Laidlaw as Cab Driver (uncredited) Production Edward Small made the film in collaboration with Columbia Studios, using an old commitment he had with Louis Hayward. Hayward was paid $35,000. Reception Reviews were positive. Edward Small announced plans to star Louis Hayward in ''The Treasure of Monte Cristo'' but no film resulted. (Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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