User Reviews

The story of Heidi is kind of hard to present to film-goers. As a book it's wonderful and engaging, but it's just not movie material. Thus we get versions like this, with kidnapping and gypsies and an evil witch of a Fraulein Rottenmeier who wants to keep Klara sick and bring Heidi down.

But how can you not love Shirley Temple? She just takes any movie and makes it golden! And we also have the heart of the story: a little girl who teaches a grumpy old man to open up his heart again. And those two things by themselves help the movie to shine.

A wonderful classic, especially for young viewers, but also good for the young at heart!

"Heidi" is a childhood classic. It was only natural that Darryl F. Zanuck should choose to have his number one star play the title role in what has become a classic Shirley Temple film. Watching it, one has to be aware of just why this girl was one of the most famous of all the child stars. She has more charisma than the law allows!

While not completely faithful to the book, it is adapted to make it suitable to fit Shirley Temple's growing expertise as a child actress--and for good measure, a song sequence is included--"My Little Dutch Shoes"--to keep Shirley's fans happy. Jean Hersholt makes a perfect Grandfather, living in the Alps and at first resistant to Shirley's charm, stern and strict in behavior. Of course his heart soon melts and soon he's even attending church again. When Heidi is kidnapped, we see her in a rich man's household. Here she helps the crippled Klara to walk again and brightens up a gloomy household. In the end, of course, she is reunited with her grandfather for a teary reunion.

Perfect entertainment for youngsters who will probably fall under Temple's spell by the time the movie is over. Mary Nash is a standout as Fraulein Rottenmeier--although even meaner to Shirley in "The Little Princess". Too bad this one wasn't filmed in color. There is a colorized version available on video but I'm not partial to the colorization of black and white films. The colors are often distorted and unreal.

Little orphaned HEIDI is abandoned at the Alpine home of her stern Grandfather - only the beginning in a series of remarkable changes in both their lives.

Shirley Temple had one of her greatest triumphs as the diminutive heroine of Johanna Spyri's classic children's novel. So well does she fill the role - eyes bright, tremendous smile & bouncing curls - that it is difficult to imagine any other young American actress of the era playing the part.

Some might grumble at the various incongruities - the jumble of accents, the Dutch musical number - but that is beside the point. This was meant to be quality family entertainment and to earn Fox Studios a great deal of money. The film was a success on both scores.

Director Allan Dwan ensured that the book's high points were included in the film & Fox gave HEIDI very good production values - note especially the scenes of village life in Dorfli - and a fine supporting cast: gentle Jean Hersholt, perfect as the old Grandfather, gruff & lovable; droll Arthur Treacher, his comic English butler is definitely not in the original book, but he is hilarious nonetheless; Marcia Mae Jones as crippled Klara; Sidney Blackmer as her wealthy father; Sig Ruman as a police captain and elderly Helen Westley as the blind Grandmother.

There are often she dragons in Shirley Temple films, bitter women who try to thwart the innocent joys of the Mighty Moppet and end up either converted or punished. HEIDI boasts two villainesses, Mady Christians as hardhearted Aunt Dete & imperious Mary Nash as the strangely evil Fräulein Rottenmeier. So well do these ladies play their parts that they are able to grab some of the attention of the audience away from Miss Temple.

Movie mavens should recognize Greta Meyer as a Dorfli villager & Frank Reicher as a Frankfurt police lieutenant, both uncredited.

An unloving aunt deposits cute orphan Shirley Temple (as Heidi) with crusty old grandfather Jean Hersholt (as Adolph Kramer) in the Swiss Alps. People in the small town are concerned about Ms. Temple upbringing, because Mr. Hersholt has become a bitter hermit; he doesn't talk to townsfolk anymore, and has stopped going to church. Not to worry. Hersholt's heart melts as Ms. Temple sings and saunters around the house. She is impossible not to love. Thanks to Temple, Hersholt rediscovers his faith in Jesus Christ (who appears on a bookmark). Temple brings Hersholt to Church, leading the congregation to sing a beautiful hymn.

Then, Temple's nasty aunt returns from Germany. She takes her niece away from Hersholt, having "sold" her as a companion for crippled young Marcia Mae Jones (as Klara Sesemann). Temple is placed in the care of reliably nasty Mary Nash (as Fräulein Rottenmeier, a name Mel Brooks most surely treasured). Temple befriends Ms. Jones, and inspires her to try to walk again. Of course, Hersholt is devastated. He asks God for help in finding Temple, and Temple prays hard, too… This interpretation of Johanna Spyri's novel "Heidi" makes its protagonist almost Christ-like, and omits much. But, Temple is at her best throughout.

****** Heidi (10/15/37) Allan Dwan ~ Shirley Temple, Jean Hersholt, Mary Nash, Marcia Mae Jones

Some people have said this is Shirley Temple's best film. It's not my favorite but I admit it is very, very good....and it has some of the most touching, wonderful moments of any of her films. In fact, there were several times in the first part of this film that produced tears in my eyes. Of course, I am an old sentimentalist. Nonetheless, this is wonderful stuff.

The only reason I don't rank this among my favorite Temple films is the mean old lady, "Fraulein Rottenmeier," played by Mary Nash, has too big a role in the second half of the movie making for a number of unpleasant scenes. I had gotten so involved with the story that I couldn't stand to see this mean woman so nasty to "Heidi" (Temple). Also, there was only one song-and-dance number and that's not enough for Shirley Temple movie.

The other characters were fine. Arthur Treacher provides good humor; Jean Hersholt is great as the gruff-then-loving grandfather and Marcia Mae Jones is nice as the young invalid.

This is a true classic story and ends with perhaps the most gorgeous and sweetest smile I've ever seen on Shirley's face.

I did not know the story of Heidi and thought it would be boring. This movie proved me wrong. Although the descriptions of her grandfather as "mean", "grouchy" or "crotchety" seem more than a bit exaggerated.

I have some problems with the film -- first and foremost that the goal seems to be presenting Shirley Temple as adorable. Did the character of Heidi need to be so precious? What if she was a plain, average child? The point should be about the relationship between the grandfather and Heidi. Taking the focus off of them and putting it on her is a serious mistake.

All in all, I was greatly entertained and for 1937 the film is of great quality. Whether or not it should be called a classic depends on your definition.

One of my top 40 favorite films, of all time. Can watch this movie over and over again. My Grandson will watch the entire movie with me, and he is just four years old. From the moment Heidi arrives on the mountain to live with her Grandfather, the film captures ones imagination. The spirit of Heidi, the bond she develops with her Grandfather. Her finding a bed in the straw with the coverlet, milking the goat, carrying a load of firewood on her back, and my Grandson's favorite scene, sledding down the snow covered mountain on a sled, all show the child's perfect life with her Grandfather. When disrupted by her mean-spirited Aunt, and taken to live in the city, Heidi is instantly a favorite of Clara, the Butler and Clara's father. Once again, heart warming scenes capture the spirit of the girl. The monkey shines, the school lessons, the manners taught, all paint a vivid picture. None the less, Heidi and the Grandfather can not be kept apart, and each fights a mighty battle to be rejoined. Don't miss this fabulous film, a favorite around the holidays, when Heidi sings "Silent Night", I challenge you to keep a tear from your eye. Beautiful film.

In the Alps, 8 year old orphan Heidi (Shirley Temple) is left by her aunt Dete for her reclusive grandfather (Jean Hersholt) in his mountain cabin. He had forbidden his son's marriage and had ostracized his son's family. He reluctantly takes in the precocious girl who slowly wins him over. Grandfather refuses to send Heidi to school despite threats from the local preacher. Again, her innocence wins him over and they come down the mountain to go to church. Aunt Dete steals her away and sells her to be a companion to wheelchair bound Klara from the wealthy Sesemann family in Frankfurt. Klara's mother is dead and her father is often away. Her household is controlled by the strict Fräulein Rottenmeier who sees Heidi as a threat to her power.

The point of the story is that Heidi's utter charm and absolute innocence can win over the gruffest of mountain man. That's Shirley Temple or at least, that's her cinematic persona. So the child actor fits the role perfectly. Sure it's trite but there is a charm to the try-hard Temple in a try-hard role. It's easy to see how the adorable pint-size actress could win over the world.

Heidi as a book was a childhood favourite and still is a timeless classic. This version with Shirley Temple was also a favourite as a child and is still a delight, whether you've read the book or not. It is true that it is not the truest to the book, with some darker elements that didn't feel shoe-horned and far from traumatising, but that really doesn't matter, you can still love the book and also love the film. There could have been more of the relationship between Heidi and her grandfather(but it is still really touching) and the musical number In Our Little Wooden Shoes while catchy, well-staged and cute didn't add a whole lot to the story, in fact really it was irrelevant. Everything else is fine, and I found it superior to the 1993 Noley Thornton version(which was still good), it doesn't feel over-dramatic even with the added darker parts, the characters are far more truthfully and sympathetically written with much more of a character journey with the grandfather and there's more heart. Heidi is a lovely film to look at, being crisply and lovingly filmed, scenery that makes you wish you were right there and the costumes give a genuine sense of time and place(they look good too, yes even Heidi's poor clothes). The music is whimsical and sparkling, the dialogue has a very good balance of funny and meaningful and the story essentially has every bit the charm, heart-warming sentiment and emotion that the book has, the ending is well and truly sweet and not tacky. The sled chase, any scene with Fraulein Rottenmeier and the monkey are standout scenes. Heidi is briskly directed with enough time for the story to resonate and for the actors to really go for it. Jean Hersholt plays grumpy and heartfelt beautifully, while reclusive there is a real sense that he cares for Heidi and she for him. Mary Nash is the very meaning of beastly- living aptly up to her character's name- and absolutely relishes it, while Arthur Treacher is hilarious as the butler Andrews and Marcia Mae Jones is an affecting Klara. But it's Shirley Temple's film, she's adorable and while she manages to be charming and have wonderful comic timing she is equally good at displaying an emotional side, her acting in the scene in the police station(another memorable scene) is just heart-breaking. While she is the main attraction of the film, the other characters and actors are just as believable to not make Heidi too much of a Shirley Temple show. All in all, delightful and a Shirley Temple classic, one of her best possibly. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This film involves a young orphan named "Heidi" (Shirley Temple) who is living with her "Aunt Dete" (Mady Christians) in Maienfeld, Switzerland. Not really caring that much for her, when Dete is offered a new job she decides to give Heidi to her grandfather "Adolph Kramer" (Jen Hersholt) who has a volatile temperament and lives alone up in the Alps. At first, her grandfather doesn't want to be bothered but he soon begins to love Heidi more than anything in the world because of her cheerful attitude and honest nature. Unfortunately, a couple of years late, while he is out doing chores, Dete comes along and takes her away in order to essentially sell Heidi to a wealthy family who needs a young playmate for their crippled young daughter "Klara Sesemann" (Marcia Mae Jones). Howling in pain and rage, Adolph immediately sets out to find Heidi and bring her back at all costs. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a splendid, little movie which probably ranks among the best of the Shirley Temple films ever produced. It does, however, deviate somewhat from the original story but even so it was quite enjoyable and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Above average.

The tale of "Heidi" is such a groaner that it manages to defeat any little, bright-eyed young actress who stars in it, yet they keep trying. Here, it's Shirley Temple's turn at the waterworks playing a spunky young orphan living with her kindly grandpa in a Swiss village, kidnapped by a scheming relative and taken off to live with a rich, unpleasant brood in Germany. Was there ever a more contemptible or manipulative kids' story than this? Treacly hokum is mixed with melodramatic hysteria, with enough story contrivances to fill up several pictures. Kids seem to get caught up in it; adults may go a little batty. *1/2 from ****

These are one of the best movies I like for the rest of my life since I was little. In that movie, Heidi (who was played by Shirley Temple) lived with her grandfather then has been kidnapped by her nasty Aunt Dete then been threatened by that stupid Frauline Rottenmeier. It has really great scenes that takes place in the Alps of Germany and then Frankfurt. Since when I saw that movie, I thought it wouldn't be interesting but, now it is. By the way, the video of the movie is now in a colorized version.

This, along with several other Shirley Temple vehicles, has been an Italian TV perennial for years – particularly over the Christmas period – but I never bothered with it, despite the involvement of director Dwan. Just a couple of weeks ago, it turned up again and I even recorded it – despite being both dubbed and colorized! However, since I managed to find it on DVD, I opted to watch HEIDI 'as intended'. Incidentally, not only have I recently acquired – or watched – a number of the director's later efforts, but I've even watched a later TV adaptation of the Johanna Spyri novel.

As it turned out, the film is an utterly professional (and typically handsome) Darryl F. Zanuck production but I think that the story was tailored far too much to suit the ebullient child star's usual formula: not only do we get Arthur Treacher (receiving unwarranted third billing!) as a typically bemused butler, but Temple is made to act as cupid between the new parson and the local schoolmarm; besides, we're treated to a totally irrelevant fantasy song-and-dance number, two separate antagonists in the shape of her aunt and jealous governess – not to mention the apparently requisite corny final close-up!

Among the differences I noticed from the 1968 version (which is probably more faithful to the source material) is the fact that Temple befriends the invalid child immediately and even gets to be the one who cures her psychosomatic ailment! Besides, the incidents which climax the later version i.e. Grandfather's religious redemption and Clara's 'cure' itself occur earlier here, whereas the highlight of the film is taken up by a sleigh-chase in the snow with the Police pursuing the hysterical Grandfather! The overly made-up Jean Hersholt is fine as the latter, while the supporting cast also includes Mary Nash as the overbearing Governess, Sidney Blackmer as Clara's father (whose role is much reduced here) and Sig Rumann in a bit part as a police official. All in all, then, I found the 1968 TV adaptation to be the superior effort.

As my grandmother will tell you, when I was little I loved this movie. It basically started my love of movies, especially old ones. It also was why I idolized Shirley Temple when I was little.

What's not to love about this movie? Although it is slightly cheesy, it's an incredibly sweet movie that, today, never fails to make me cry! It also has its funny points. I always loved the part where Heidi and Klara steal the organ grinder's monkey. The choas it causes in the house is incredible!

One of Temple's biggest hits for 20th Century Fox, this version of Johanna Spyri's much-filmed children's classic might provide suitable entertainment for young children but will prove far too saccharine-sweet for any adult whose critical facilities aren't compromised by watching the film through rose-coloured spectacles…

The little moppet plays the eponymous heroine, a spunky little madam with an infectious grin and an abundance of curls, who is foisted upon her grumpy Santa-look-alike Grandpa (Jean Hersholt) by her wicked Aunt Dete (Mady Christians) who has found work in Frankfurt. Of course, it's not long before Heidi has melted grumpy old Grandpa's heart, which is the cue for the wicked Aunt to snatch Heidi back and whisk her to Frankfurt to be companion to Klara (Marcia Mae Jones) the crippled daughter of her employer…

Nine-year-old Temple is cute as a button in this one, and has enough screen presence to carry even mediocre material. The story is decent enough, and the production values are good, but the heavy doses of sentimentality injected into the plot at regular intervals really get too much to stomach after a while and are wholly unnecessary. If you can overcome that however, the story does offer a fair measure of suspense as it reaches its inevitably happy ending, and any film with not one but two wicked witches has to be awarded points for originality. Arthur Treacher is also worth catching as an outwardly stiff butler who is really a big softie on the inside. It was a role he would repeat with Temple in the inferior The Little Princess a couple years later.

Watch the black-and-white version if you get the chance, because the colourised version is an absolute horror (when are they anything else?). Everybody's lips and tongue are the same colour as their skin

Yes, another very good Shirley Temple movie. I must say I love all Shirley movies, I don't have a "favorite" one(except for the very first movie of hers I saw, which is very close to my heart), but Heidi is a great movie and I think everybody must see it.

Heidi's an orphaned girl who lived with her aunt for six years. Then the aunt got a job and she had to live with her grandfather, a very unsociable man, who have a terrible humor and hates everyone. He lives in the mountains. Later, the aunt comes back to take Heidi to the big city to be the playmate of a girl that can't walk.

I think this is one of the greatest(if it's not the best)Shirley's acting performances. In that movie she shows that she's not just a cute little girl that can tap dance and smile! She shows she's a good actress. A very good actress. I just think that only one sing-and-dance number's not enough for a Shirley Temple movie -- but the only sing-and-dance number in that film is great("In our little Wooden shoes").

That story was adored by me when I was a kid. I saw an animated version, the 1970's movie version and I read the book. When I became a Shirley Temple fan and noticed that she'd played Heidi, I said "WOW! Shirley played Heidi!" and after I saw that movie I absolutely 'fell in love' with Shirley.There are some parts of the film that make me cry, like the Christmas scene and the ending scene(apart from Shirley's cute smile of course!).

Anyway, a very good movie. Enjoyable, happy, and with the great Child-Star Shirley Temple starring in it. Anyone who wants to watch this film with the kids but think they won't like because it's black-and-white, just try. I'm sure they'll get into the story and that they'll love it!

Overall I enjoyed this film back in the day. However I did miss the ending of a really good football game because this movie came on.

It is so hard to pick a favorite Shirley Temple flick. All of hers are great. However, the most moving ones to me are "The Little Princess," and this one: "Heidi." Little Miss Everything is usually known for making everyone happy. She is still a charming little girl. Heidi and her aunt go on a trek together. Even though most think that her grandfather is cruel, Heidi knows what's true. It is so perfect for Christmas. The family can gather in the living room to watch, whenever it's on or someone like me watches it on video. I enjoy these heartwarmers. "Heidi" is definitely one of them.

As for the movie itself, Heidi teaches you to believe in everything. She helps Klara with that. That is a valuable lesson.

A funny part of this film is that Heidi receives a music box with her grandfather's house inside it. She has fond memories of him.

This is a Children's classic brought to the big screen by producer Daryl F. Zanuck and Shirley Trmple plays the star...Heidi, who is an orphan deposited on her hermit-like grandfather who lives in the hills of Germany in isolation. After concerns from the village parson about whether the grandfather is a fit parent for the little girl are assuaged, her unfeeling aunt shows up and kidnaps her to Frankfurt where she tries to use Heidi to no avail. Once Heidi is no longer useful to her, her aunt abandons her in the household of a crippled girl. Meanwhile, her grandfather hears to Frankfurt to find Heidi.

There is only one song and dance number in this film...but it is absolutely delightful and it has Shirley all dressed up as a little Dutch girl (to my joy) with klompen and everything!

This film is worth seeing for the Dutch number alone in my opinion, and a must see for Shirley Temple fans.

This is one of my favorite movies of all times. Love of family, love of friends, interesting locations and people all make this a great family movie. And to boot, it's one of Shirley's best, which puts it at the top. Put your sophistication and thinking hat away, and sit back and enjoy the emotions this film evokes.

The ABSOLUTE WORST version of HEIDI ever made! Shirley Temple is nauseating as always and couldn't act if her life depended on it!!!!! This film has almost nothing to do with the Johanna Spyri classic! I'm certain she never had a thought that Heidi's aunt would kidnap her or the governess would try to sell her to gypsies! Utter nonsense! If I could give this 0 stars I would!