☰
Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Butterflies Are Free

Play trailer Poster for Butterflies Are Free PG 1972 1h 49m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
69% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
In early 1970s San Francisco, blind aspiring singer-songwriter Don Baker (Edward Albert) is living away from his overprotective mother (Eileen Heckart) for the first time. Free-spirited actress Jill Tanner (Goldie Hawn) moves into the apartment next door, and they bond over music and literature, but when Don's mother makes an unexpected visit, she clashes with the headstrong Jill, assuming that she'll get bored and leave Don, just as his last girlfriend did.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Butterflies Are Free

Critics Reviews

View More (13)
Variety Staff Variety Hawn, funny and touching, is a delight throughout and Heckart gets a film role that enables her to display versatility. Aug 8, 2008 Full Review Time Out A piece of (barely) stage-adapted nonsense, scripted by Leonard Gershe from his own play, about blind-boy-meets-emotionally-immature girl and how his mum brings them together. With some funny lines from Goldie Hawn and little else. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Vincent Canby New York Times Leonard Gershe's Broadway comedy recycled as a movie with the density of Jell-o. May 9, 2005 Full Review Dick Lochte Los Angeles Free Press A perfect example of schmaltz so cunningly and attractively created that it will move even the stoniest soul. Jan 7, 2020 Full Review TV Guide Although the emotional conflicts are a bit too neatly settled at the story's conclusion, Albert, Hawn, and Heckart make it all seem believable. Rated: 2.5/5 May 9, 2017 Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight An interesting film about love, blindness and the inherent bias in both. Rated: 3/4 Aug 15, 2011 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More (98)
Spencer M One of my favorite movies of all-time. Great performances and hilarious dialogue. Eileen Heckart is amazing. She rightfully deserved an Academy Award. Great street scenes of late '60s and early '70s San Francisco, too. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/19/22 Full Review Audience Member The popular play makes its way to the big screen starring Goldee Hawn, Eileen Heckart, and Edward Albert Taking place in 1970s San Francisco, blind aspiring singer-songwriter Don Baker lives away from his overprotective mother for the first time Free-spirited actress Jill Tanner moves into the apartment next door, and they bond over music and literature, but when Don's mother makes an unexpected visit, she clashes with the headstrong Jill, assuming that she'll get bored and leave Don, just as his last girlfriend did Another film based on a stage play so expect a lot of dialogue exchange between the two leads in just one environment the whole way through Poor direction aside the two leads are a dime a dozen learning to get on the same page in the big city An interesting film about love, blindness and the inherent bias in both Heckart also shines as an overbearing mother not accepting her son's hopes and dreams and worrying he won't make it on his own Everyone here though grows to be better like butterflies; going through their own metamorphosis to truly become who they are and want to be Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/06/22 Full Review delysid d corny but nice old movie Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/15/22 Full Review s r Saw it on TCM. It was a feel good romance about two neighbor youngsters in NYC where one is blind and the other and aspiring actress. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review steve d I didn't buy Hawn's performance and the script is all over the place. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member The best romance movie ever made! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Butterflies Are Free

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Milton Katselas

Director

Goldie Hawn

Jill Tanner

Edward Albert

Don Baker

Eileen Heckart

Mrs. Baker

Michael Warren

Roy Stratton

Paul Michael Glaser

Ralph

More Like This

View All
The Sugarland Express 87% 66% The Sugarland Express Watchlist TRAILER for The Sugarland Express Minnie and Moskowitz 82% 85% Minnie and Moskowitz Watchlist Pete 'n' Tillie 67% 70% Pete 'n' Tillie Watchlist Claudine 67% 91% Claudine Watchlist Kotch 75% 67% Kotch Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Butterflies Are Free

Butterflies Are Free (1972) Butterflies Are Free (1972) Butterflies Are Free (1972) Butterflies Are Free (1972) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis In early 1970s San Francisco, blind aspiring singer-songwriter Don Baker (Edward Albert) is living away from his overprotective mother (Eileen Heckart) for the first time. Free-spirited actress Jill Tanner (Goldie Hawn) moves into the apartment next door, and they bond over music and literature, but when Don's mother makes an unexpected visit, she clashes with the headstrong Jill, assuming that she'll get bored and leave Don, just as his last girlfriend did.
Director
Milton Katselas
Producer
M.J. Frankovich
Screenwriter
Leonard Gershe
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Frankovich Productions
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 6, 1972, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 27, 2010
Runtime
1h 49m
Most Popular at Home Now