Heidi

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.

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

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!

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.

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!