• Trending
    • Certified Fresh & Verified Hot
    • TV Premier dates
    • New horror Movies
    • Best Movies of All Time
  • Movies
    • Movies In Theaters
    • Movies at Home
  • TV Shows
    • New TV
    • Most Popular TV
  • News
    • What to Watch
    • Guides
    • RT News
    • Awards
  • Games
    • Find Your Next Horror Watch
  • Video
  • Showtimes
  • Fanstore
  • About Rotten Tomatoes
  • Critics
  • Download the App Now
  • Logout
Rotten Tomatoes
Suggestions will appear as you start typing. Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App New News Showtimes

Butterflies Are Free

Play trailer Poster for Butterflies Are Free PG,  1972,  1h 49m,  Comedy/ Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Stream Now Watchlist 69% 13 Reviews Tomatometer 80% 2,500+ Ratings 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 Stream Now

Where to Watch

Butterflies Are Free

Stream

Rent Butterflies Are Free on Fandango, or buy it on Fandango.

Critics Reviews

View More
Variety Staff Variety Aug 8, 2008
Hawn, funny and touching, is a delight throughout and Heckart gets a film role that enables her to display versatility. Go to Full Review
Time Out Jun 24, 2006
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. Go to Full Review
Vincent Canby New York Times May 9, 2005
Leonard Gershe's Broadway comedy recycled as a movie with the density of Jell-o. Go to Full Review
Dick Lochte Los Angeles Free Press Jan 7, 2020
A perfect example of schmaltz so cunningly and attractively created that it will move even the stoniest soul. Go to Full Review
TV Guide May 9, 2017
2.5/5
Although the emotional conflicts are a bit too neatly settled at the story's conclusion, Albert, Hawn, and Heckart make it all seem believable. Go to Full Review
Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight Aug 15, 2011
3/4
An interesting film about love, blindness and the inherent bias in both. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Jan 27, 2019 The best romance movie ever made!
Kylo S Jul 9, 2018 Witty and charming. Interesting characters.
Finn R Apr 9, 2018 Adapted from a play by Leonard Gershe centering on a young blind man's, (Edward Albert) Don Baker's independence away from his overbearing mother, Eileen Heckart to live with energetic Jill Tanner (Goldie Hawn). See more
Luke W Mar 31, 2017 Heart-warming movie about a blind guy whose next door neighbor just happens to be a gorgeous blonde girl played by Goldie Hawn. I really like this movie. A bit wordy but still one of my favorite romance stories. See more
George G Apr 30, 2009 Nearly perfect romantic drama/comedy. Powerful in its simplicity and still as relevant today as it was in 1972.
Read all reviews
Butterflies Are Free

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

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 Grass Is Greener 90% 64% The Grass Is Greener Watchlist Death of a Salesman 100% 75% Death of a Salesman Watchlist Places in the Heart 90% 83% Places in the Heart Watchlist The Barkleys of Broadway 55% 70% The Barkleys of Broadway Watchlist A Little Romance 72% 85% A Little Romance Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All
View All

Butterflies Are Free

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
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings