Butterflies Are Free (1972)

Director:

Milton Katselas

Writers:

Leonard Gershe (play)
Leonard Gershe (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 September 1972 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Take some time to smell the flowers.

Plot:

A blind man moves into his own apartment against the wishes of his overprotective mother, and befriends the freethinking young woman next door.

Plot Keywords:

Blind Man | Commitment | Overprotective Mother | Actress | Neighbor

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Goldie Hawn	...	Jill Tanner
Edward Albert	...	Don Baker
Eileen Heckart	...	Mrs. Baker
Paul Michael Glaser	...	Ralph (as Michael Glaser)
Michael Warren	...	Roy Stratton

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Frankovich Productions

Trivia:

In the original play, Jill's last name was Benson.

Quotes:

Don Baker: [phone rings] I'm fine, thank you. How are you? It's warm here. How is it in Hillsborough? Well, it's warm here too.
[picks up phone]
Don Baker: Hello, Mother.
Mrs. Baker: [on the other end] How did you know?
Don Baker: When you call, the phone doesn't ring. It says 'M is for the million things she gave me. O is for... ' I forgot what O is for.
Mrs. Baker: You seem to have forgotten a lot of things lately. How are you feeling?
Don Baker: I'm fine, thank you. How are you?
Mrs. Baker: Very well. How's the weather?
Don Baker: It's warm here. How is it in Hillsborough?
Mrs. Baker: Warm.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Soundtrack:

Take Me Home, Country Roads

Surprising

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.