Butterflies are Free (1972) from Tuna

Butterflies Are Free (1972) is an early Goldie Hawn vehicle based on a Broadway play.

Its stage origin is obvious based on the fact that it has a small cast, few sets and locations, and lots of dialogue. It is, however, a very good adaptation. Because of Goldie's talent, they were able to take advantage of the intimate camera, and have Goldie's facial expression and body language carry a lot of the humor.

NUDITY REPORT
none. Hawn is in a bra and panties for much of the film. At 27, she looked absolutely wonderful.
Goldie moves into a San Francisco apartment, next to a blind man, who is on his own for the first time. His rich and overprotective Hillsborough mother has agreed to give him 60 days on his own. Hawn is impressed, but has never committed to anything in her life, and likes to think that she is a free as a butterfly.
This new DVD transfer is very nice, especially for a 1972 film, and is a must for Hawn Fans.  

The Critics Vote

  • no major reviews on line

  • Eileen Heckart, as the boy's mother, won Bet Supporting Actress Oscar.

The People Vote ...

 

 
IMDb guideline: 7.5 usually indicates a level of excellence, about like three and a half stars from the critics. 6.0 usually indicates lukewarm watchability, about like two and a half stars from the critics. The fives are generally not worthwhile unless they are really your kind of material, about like two stars from the critics. Films under five are generally awful even if you like that kind of film, equivalent to about one and a half stars from the critics or less, depending on just how far below five the rating is.

My own guideline: A means the movie is so good it will appeal to you even if you hate the genre. B means the movie is not good enough to win you over if you hate the genre, but is good enough to do so if you have an open mind about this type of film. C means it will only appeal to genre addicts, and has no crossover appeal. D means you'll hate it even if you like the genre. E means that you'll hate it even if you love the genre. F means that the film is not only unappealing across-the-board, but technically inept as well.

Based on this description, this film is a C+.

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