Butterflies Are Free (1972)

Strong and Moving!

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Goldie Hawn received much attention as a dancing bikini-girl in "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" TV show (1968), the one with all of the parody and flying jokes. Goldie was covered with funny slogans written in body paint. She would often flub her lines and giggle in a dizzy way. Voila, a star is born! The "laugh-In" girl made some interesting pictures and did quite well on the big screen. At the very beginning of "Butterflies Are Free," the viewer gets the impression that Don Baker (Edward Albert) is a peeping Tom. Before long we understand that he is blind. Don had moved into his apartment building against the advice of his mother. Nearly the entire first hour of the movie is essentially a two-person play – with much dialog and little music – as neighbors Jill Danner (Goldie Hawn) and Don Baker (Edward Albert) get to know each other. Practically the entire setting occurs in Don's apartment (except when they go shopping for clothing). Goldie, as usual, is a delight to behold, with all of her zany expressions and sayings. She looks fine in her bikini, er, underwear, and comes across well as a freewheeling ex-hippy who falls for philosopher-neighbor Don. More than halfway through the movie, we have a three-person act, as Don's domineering mother, Mrs. Baker, (Eileen Heckart) walks uninvited into the apartment while Jill and Don are hanging out in their underwear. It is apparent that Jill will not be a big hit with Mom. She does not believe that the giddy Jill is right for her son, who has already had a failed relationship. Furthermore, she disapproves of Don's neighborhood, and still wants her son to move back into her house. Mrs. Baker takes Jill out to lunch to discourage her from seeing Don, but to no avail. Then Ralph, a playwright, enters Jill's life; she gets the part of a nude in his latest play, and the waif is excited.How will it all pan out with Don and Jill? No spoilers are given here. While it's not a "brainy" film it certainly is a charming and enjoyable romance feature. It's not too dated except that it does not contain the vulgarity of many recent films. Eckert and Albert won awards, the former the Oscar, and the latter the Golden Globe. The Golden Globe also nominated Goldie for Best Actress. Pleasant.

I bumped into this movie, a Goldie Hawn feature that I hadn't heard of. It turned out to bit of a gem. Clearly, written for the stage rather than the big stage, it did translate into a watchable couple of hours although I still consider that the stage is probably the most suitable home for this piece. The acting was terrific. Hawn was quirky, charming, frustrating, not to mention sexy. Such a confused and immature character, yet you couldn't help but like her. You wanted to sympathise with Edward Albert as the blind neighbour and yet, he didn't want people to sympathise with him. He displayed admirable courage and yet a fragility that could break at any second despite his noble. independence. Eileen Heckart won an Oscar for the mother. She was frustrating to start with and then her love and determination to look after her son shone through and you ended up being so full of admiration for her. Lots of talking and yet you get drawn in from an early stage so that you really, genuinely care. Don't let this butterfly pass you by.

I just finished watching this movie. I woke up this morning believing I saw this movie years ago, and decided to give it a chance to see if it jogged any memories. Turns out I did see it years ago but now with me being much older, it held much greater significance for me. This film was not dated at all and it would be relative to almost any period in time. The issues dealt with in the movie are the same issues that people deal with all the time, except of course for the role brilliantly played by Edward Albert in which he plays a blind man. One of the beautiful aspects of this film is that the script tries, and succeeds at eliminating the stereotypes and limitations of the handicap to instead focus on the real emotional ups and downs of the human soul. Absolutetly brilliant film.

I randomly put this movie on today, and I was pleasantly surprised. So much that I took the time to register and write the only review of a movie I've ever written. The movie feels more like a play, with a majority of the movie occurring in one space. The bulk of the movie is dialog, the main character Donny is blind. The movie is about his struggle for independence from his enabling mother and his interaction with his newfound roommate, Jill. I found all the actors delivery to be exceptional, and the interactions dynamic and entertaining. Most of the movie is conversations between the characters with quick replies and wit worthy of note. There's not much going on in the film outside of a simple plot, but the movie touches on some very serious, emotional moments as well as humorous. I think Donny's character is played excellently, and the other roles very convincing as well. Overall I found the movie to be really well done, entertaining and not at all bland, although it is definitely more like a play than a movie, so it might take a little more creativity and thought to make it as appealing, but that's what I enjoy anyway. Very impressed, haven't enjoyed a movie that much in a while. And it's 34 years old.