Butterflies Are Free

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.

A light drama set in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury area of the early 70's. It is the latter days of the Vietnam War, an innocent time for us here in the 90's prior to the advent of AIDS & gay liberation & Watergate. Young cute and blind Don Baker(Edward Albert) makes a concerted effort at independence from his home and his clinging over-protective mother(Eileen Heckart) by moving into his own apartment. He meets and falls for the girl next door,literally. Goldie Hawn, here in one of her more successful & effortless roles as an extrovert gregarious actress. Young Don must come to terms with his blooming relationship together with his handicap.There is also mothers apparent disapproval of her son's budding affair.(her silence on the matter is thunderous). Enough said.

There are some wonderful scenes in this movie especially those moments between Heckart & Hawn. For her role Heckart deservedly won an oscar that year. Domineering & disapproving she may be but she is not an ogre rather a contrast in femininity to Jill, the other woman in Don's life. The emotional change as she slowly accepts her son's independence gives the film some substance it would not otherwise have. Wonderful scene when mother & girlfriend first meet, in his kitchen, and Jill in her underwear !.The chill in the air is palpable but both characters size up the situation without even a hint of discomfort. The ending was surprising and very apt, a very touching moment between mother & son. Edward Albert does a convincing turn here and his circumstances are clearly the pivotal link for the other two characters coming into conflict. But it does seem superfluous at times in view of Hawn & Heckart's strong performances. A not too serious romance not to be missed by the romantics in all of us.

This film version of Leonard Gershe's Butterflies are Free which ran for 1128 performances on Broadway from 1969 to 1972 transfers the location from Greenwich Village in Manhattan to the hippest areas of San Francisco circa the Seventies. Eileen Heckart and Paul Michael Glaser, later Starsky on Starsky&Hutch retain their original roles.

Replacing Keir Dullea and Blythe Danner in the leads are Edward Albert and Goldie Hawn. This was Edward Albert's film debut and Hawn was following up the Oscar she won for Cactus Flower. Both of them fit their parts perfectly.

But I can hardly see anyone else in the role of Albert's overprotective Mama than Eileen Heckart. Though she's only in the film in the second half, Heckart really dominates the proceedings. So much so she got an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress that year. Heckart also avoids the usual stereotyping as the mom, but she does register real concern for her kid going out in the world.

Edward Albert is her twenty something son who is trying to break free from his mom and is now living in an apartment that has a connecting door to the next apartment which is occupied by free spirited hippie chick, Goldie Hawn. Of course the key here is that Albert is blind, blind from birth. They develop into quite the romance that Heckart tries to break up.

Do love Goldie's fashion sense. See the episode where she takes Albert out of the apartment and clothes shopping. Remember those seventies fashions? Straight off the rack or the body of Barry Williams as Greg Brady.

I really enjoyed the movie, but one thing I noticed and appreciated was the long shots. Modern movies usually are changing angles and context every few seconds; while like a play, this movie will hold a shot for minutes at a time. I think it shows the strength of the actors, while most contemporary movies can mask poor acting with editing. This is especially true towards the end of the movie, in the scene where Don and Jill confront each other's feelings. I was amazed at how Goldie was able to hold the emotion of the scene and keep me drawn in for such an extended period.

I've never been a big Goldie fan, but I had never seen this movie until recently. I have to say this movie changes my opinion and makes we wonder what other films of hers from this period are like.

I have been wanting to see this hard to find flick since I had the chance to play the "Goldy" character in the stage play.

Although the film dates to '72 it really isn't even dated, although in one segment it does reference two out of operation airlines--sign of the times.

The cinematic version retains many of the features one would find in the stage play. I found the experience of watching "Butterflies are Free" so much more rewarding then many more countless modern pictures I've forked out 8 bucks for at the theater.

The character development is fantastic, Goldie Hahn is really classic as a

"reformed hippie" San Fran transplant.

However, I feel the supporting characters really shine with their nuanced

performances. The long camera angles and the sets really allow you to see the interaction between the actors and the talent shines. This film is entertaining and enjoyable without expensive special effects, graphic violence or vulgarity-- just a young Goldie in her cute panties and tiny, svelte figure.