Butterflies Are Free (1972)

75% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
74% of users liked it
(3,371 ratings)

Leonard Gershe based his play Butterflies are Free on a real-life blind attorney. The film version stars Edward Albert as Don Baker, a self-reliant, sightless young man who becomes the object of affection for kooky Jill (Goldie Hawn). Spending most of the film in nothing but her underwear, Jill… More Leonard Gershe based his play Butterflies are Free on a real-life blind attorney. The film version stars Edward Albert as Don Baker, a self-reliant, sightless young man who becomes the object of affection for kooky Jill (Goldie Hawn). Spending most of the film in nothing but her underwear, Jill makes love to Don, then tries to help him break free from the smothering influence of his mother, a children's-story writer (Eileen Heckart). The situation grows tense when Jill's boyfriend (Paul Michael Glaser) enters the scene. Eileen Heckart won an Academy Award for her performance. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 49 min.
Directed By: Milton Katselas
Genres: Drama, Romance, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1972 Wide
On DVD: Apr 23, 2002

Critic Reviews

Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy
An interesting film about love, blindness and the inherent bias in both.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Poorly directed, the movie betrays its theatrical origins, but the acting of the two women, Goldie Hawn as the free spirit and Eileen Heckart as the overly protective mother, fighting over the love of a blind youngster, is good.
Gabriel Shanks, Mixed Reviews
Charming and engaging, the best work of Goldie Hawn's career
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Watch this one if you've ever wondered how Goldie Hawn became a star.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Byron B

Here's an obscure one. An early Goldie Hawn movie (I think she is underestimated). Edward Albert plays an inspiring young blind man. I like it because it was originally a stage play and it was surprisingly modern and still relevant. I share the sentiments of the young… More
Here's an obscure one. An early Goldie Hawn movie (I think she is underestimated). Edward Albert plays an inspiring young blind man. I like it because it was originally a stage play and it was surprisingly modern and still relevant. I share the sentiments of the young characters wanting their funeral to be a celebration. A good little romantic comedy.
Sunil J

A sweet romance that's quite entertaining and fun.
Dimitris S

Witty and unpredictable but the whole storyline won't crypt its conservative and almost liberal views from another era.The universal "quality" of the play isn't remembered for its general causes of freedom rather Eckhart on a subtle performance and a noisy-juicy… More
Witty and unpredictable but the whole storyline won't crypt its conservative and almost liberal views from another era.The universal "quality" of the play isn't remembered for its general causes of freedom rather Eckhart on a subtle performance and a noisy-juicy Goldie Hawn.If you exclude the typical ending,it's a feel-good movie and not a pompous "relationship movie" like Closer by Nichols.