Butterflies Are Free

Play trailer

Butterflies Are Free

PG

Released Jul 6, 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

Buy Now

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

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

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Milton Katselas

Director

Goldie Hawn

Jill Tanner

Edward Albert

Don Baker

Eileen Heckart

Mrs. Baker

Michael Warren

Roy Stratton

Paul Michael Glaser

Ralph

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

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%

68%

Kotch

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rank Goldie Hawn’s 10 Best Movies

View more photos

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
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