Heidi (1937)

A plucky little orphan girl gets dumped abruptly into her gruff, hermit grandfather's care, then later gets retaken and delivered as a companion for an injured girl.

Director:

Allan Dwan

Writers:

Johanna Spyri (by), Walter Ferris (screen play)

Stars:

Shirley Temple, Jean Hersholt, Arthur Treacher

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Shirley Temple	...	Heidi
Jean Hersholt	...	Adolph Kramer / Grandfather
Arthur Treacher	...	Andrews
Helen Westley	...	Blind Anna
Thomas Beck	...	Pastor Schultz
Mary Nash	...	Fraulein Rottenmeier
Sidney Blackmer	...	Herr Sesemann
Pauline Moore	...	Elsa
Mady Christians	...	Dete
Marcia Mae Jones	...	Klara Sesemann
Delmar Watson	...	Peter
Egon Brecher	...	Inn Keeper
Christian Rub	...	Baker
George Humbert	...	Organ Grinder
Sig Ruman	...	Police Captain (as Sig Rumann)

Storyline

Eight-year-old Heidi is orphaned and her selfish maternal Aunt Dete takes her to the mountains to live with Adolph Kramer, her grumpy, old, outcast, survivalist paternal grandfather. Heidi brings her grandfather back into mountain society through her angelic ways, sheer love, and adorable personality. When Aunt Dete steals Heidi away to be the companion of a rich man's invalid daughter, the grandfather is enraged and sets out to get her back. Back in Frankfurt, loved and adored by everyone she touches except the villainous housekeeper, Fraulein Rottenmeier, she thrives but is inwardly very sad and lonely. No matter what anyone tells her, Heidi, with faith, hope, and the stubbornness she inherited from her grandfather, knows that some day she will be reunited with the him and the beloved people of the mountain's little village.

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Plot Keywords:

alps | female protagonist | footprint | horse drawn sleigh | scheming | 

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Taglines:

Shirley's A Little Swiss Miss In The Loveliest Story of Her Career !

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Genres:

Drama | Family | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene in which Heidi is suddenly squirted in the face while milking a goat was planned without Shirley Temple's knowledge. A tube of milk was attached to the goat udder where Temple couldn't see it, and when she was squirted, her surprised reaction was genuine.

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Goofs

When Heidi and her grandfather are sledding, the close-up shots show grandfather's arms around Heidi and he's holding the pointed ends of the sled's upright runner tips. The far-away shots show them in a much larger sled, with grandfather holding reins that are attached to the runner tips, which are several feet in front of them.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dete: [discovering Heidi undressing in the street] Heidi! Put those on!
Heidi: Oh, not everything. I'm so hot!
Dete: Well, keep on your Sunday dress, and your coat. Hurry up.
Heidi: Oh, all right.

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Crazy Credits

Credits are printed into a Heidi storybook. Pages are turned by a hand.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Referenced in Will & Grace: Sons and Lovers (2001)

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Soundtracks

The First Noel
(uncredited)
Traditional 17th century hymn
Sung by many at Christmas

User Reviews

My love of movies began with this one....

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!

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 October 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Heidi

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White (Sepiatone)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1