Overrated

Memorable, crazy movie

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

This is yet another film I ought to have watched or, at least, acquired well before now; given its subject matter of a blind young man (a debuting Edward Albert) falling for a free-spirited girl (Goldie Hawn) and meeting opposition from his possessive mother (Oscar winner Eileen Heckart), I expected melodrama of the worst kind – but the approach, which veered more towards character-driven romantic comedy, proved far less oppressive than it certainly could have been! On his first film, too, was director Katselas – who had a rather brief career, following this with 40 CARATS (1973; which, again, I own but have yet to check out), which reunited him with Albert and screenwriter Leonard Gershe.Though the "Leslie Halliwell Film Guide" gives it no stars at all, which probably had more to do with my overlooking the movie all this time than anything else, it has received a number of accolades: apart from two other Oscar nominations for Best Cinematography and Sound (a vital element in view of the physical impairment concerned), it was also up for a number of major awards – albeit in the Musical/Comedy slot – at the Golden Globes (but, surprisingly, Heckart did not even make the Supporting Actress shortlist this time around!): film, actor, actress and the song "Carry Me", while Albert did emerge the winner in the "Most Promising Newcomer" category; Gershe, then, was a WGA nominee for adapting his own play to the screen. Interestingly, the male lead being the son of veteran character actor Eddie Albert, it should be noted that the latter was himself Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated that same year for THE HEARTBREAK KID (1972; which also lies in my "To Watch" pile)! Another odd coincidence between father and son is the fact that, when the 99 year-old old man was going through his final illness, the younger one – who, by then, was caring for his parent on a full-time basis – learnt of his own terminal ailment and would pass away only a year later (at age 55!)! Anyway, the central triumvirate of characters virtually duplicate those of the recently-viewed A PATCH OF BLUE (1965), only here the blind person is male; we also have pretty much the same lack of sentimentality in dealing with such a sensitive subject – with the afflicted party longing for both independence (which he gets by surprisingly famously unless objects are displaced from the way he left them!) and love (though already disillusioned when we first meet him). Hawn is typically kooky (upon noticing Albert looking at her half-dressed, but without being aware of his predicament, she takes a leaf out of Luis Bunuel's TRISTANA {1970} and angrily flashes him!) and, at least initially, superficial – since she, an aspiring stage actress, has no qualms about moving out of the condominium and in with her director, played by Paul Michael Glaser (of "Starsky & Hutch"), after having led the blind man on! Perhaps allowing for the fact that Albert's character cannot see her, she spends a good deal of her time in his adjoining flat in her underwear; in fact, when Heckart turns up unexpectedly, the young couple had just spent their first night together (he eventually suggests – at Hawn's implication – that she change her morose expression, lest others take her for a lesbian)! Albert has managed to learn to play the guitar to accompany his lyric writing and adequate singing voice (at one point, he covers John Denver's popular "Take Me Home, Country Roads"!); this artistic bent (which also explains the myriad literate references throughout, the title – also utilized in a song – deriving from Dickens) was inherited from his mother: to alleviate her son's loneliness growing up, used to write children's books in which the protagonist was a blind superhero named Donnie Dark!! The confined setting (only briefly opening up for Albert's change of clothing under Hawn's guidance and, then, her tete-a'-tete with Heckart – which inevitably ends in a row), considerable length (109 minutes) and talky nature do not necessarily work against the film, thanks to the characterizations being so finely-tuned to their social background (conventionally-bred Heckart's apprehension about Hawn's lack of commitment – who, at 19, is already a divorcée' – is proved right, at least for a short while) and liberated era (Albert's apartment had served as a hippie commune, while Hawn's all-important theatrical engagement involves copious nudity).

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.

The romantic comedy Butterflies Are Free is directed by Milton Katselas and stars Goldie Hawn, Edward Albert, and Eileen Heckart. The film takes place in modern day San Francisco, almost completely in one apartment.The film starts out with Jill Tanner (Hawn) in her apartment and seeing a young man, Don Baker (Albert), staring at her. She flashes him to show her annoyance at his stare and then walks away. A few moments later he hears Don on the phone with his mother (Heckart) and finds out that Don has a month left to stay in the apartment alone to see if it is a good fit for him. Jill puts the radio on loudly so that she is unable to hear the rest of his conversation. Don asks her to turn down the radio and then she invites herself over to his apartment for coffee. There she discovers that Don is actually blind and begins to be so interested in him she becomes attracted to him. The rest of the film is about the relationship between the two and how the mother tries to split them apart.The screenplay for this film I thought was really excellent. It takes place almost entirely in Don's apartment yet it remains constantly interesting. All the characters were very likable and the dialogue was some of the best I have ever heard in a romantic comedy. It is rare that I laugh during a film but the wit from this one made me multiple times. The character of the mother was extremely strong and believable as was the rest of the characters. I liked the ending a lot and all the twists and turns, just a very well made screenplay.The direction was very good for this film. Katselas was able to get fine performances from his entire cast and kept the film interesting. It is hard to make a film that is in an apartment this entertaining. I really think he was able to get some great shots of Albert acting blind, for most of it I though he actually was. Unfortunately Katselas never became a big name director, but I will always remember him for this film.The acting by the whole cast was superb. Goldie Hawn was just adorable as Jill and I can see why any person could fall in love with her. I never understood why Goldie Hawn was such a big superstar but this film showed me why. Edward Albert was excellent as Don, as I said earlier I actually thought he was blind. He was able to deliver his witty dialogue brilliantly as well. Eileen Heckart earned an Oscar and it was well deserved because I was extremely attached to her as the mother, especially towards the end. She conveyed the worry every mother feels for her child and she did so brilliantly.Overall I give this film an 8/10 and I would recommend it to anybody who likes a smart romantic comedy with fine performances.

I agree with some of the other comments, it's obvious this was written as a stage play, because the film plays the same way. If you're able to get past the dated aspect of the accoutrements (it's replete with late 60s early 70s time-stamping), which you should be able to do considering how good the dialogue is, it's really a terrific piece of work. All roles are extremely well-written and well acted. Very real, in the truest sense.The dialogue is extremely witty, yet equally natural, and scarcely any filler is present. The premise itself is weighty and important. A blind man fighting for independence from his overprotective mother, whom we later learn did everything she did, including the children's stories she wrote, out of maternal love and desire to help him.The character Jill helps the mother to see that she has "overdone her job" and it's now time to let her work (her son) takes on a life of its own. She realizes this to such a degree that when Jill walks out on her son, and in an emotional moment of turmoil he relents his desire for freedom and concedes to go home with his mother, she doesn't let him. She finally really gets it.This work abounds with powerful human moments. It never feels forced, preachy, or artificial. Just powerful. It's a story wherein the three principal characters all grow and learn. What else is there in life?