Butterflies Are Free

Butterflies Are Free

“Butterflies Are Free” is a 1972 Movie based on a 1969 Play of the Same Name.

It stars Edward Albert as Don Baker, Goldie Hawn as Jill Tanner and Eileen Heckart as Mrs. Baker.

Don Baker is a 20 year old Blind Man who moves to San Francisco in the 1970s to live by himself for the first time ever.

His Next-Door Neighbor is 19 year old Jill Tanner who is a Hippie and just moved to San Francisco.

Jill learns Don is Blind (after she thinks he was peeping in on her in her room) and they start discussing their lives.

Don has been sheltered by his Mother his whole life because he is Blind and Jill has been running wild her whole life (including getting married for 6 days when she was 16 years old.)

They eventually start dating and Don’s Mother comes to San Francisco to try and convince him to return home.

His Mother is very Conservative and there’s tension with Jill.

I won’t say how the Film ends (you can watch it and see – no pun intended.)

The Film was one of the first about being Blind and being Independent and not simply locked away in an Institution.

Eileen Heckart died in 2001 at the age of 82.

Edward Albert died in 2006 at the age of 55.

Goldie Hawn turned 80 years old in 2025.