HEIDI

US, 1937, 88 minutes, Black and white.
Shirley Temple, Jean Hersholt, Arthur Treacher, Helen Westley, Pauline Moore, Mary Nash, Thomas Beck, Sidney
Blackmer, Mady Christians, Sig Rumann, Marcia Mae Jones.
Directed by Allan Dwan.

Written by Johanna Spyri, Heidi has been filmed many times. In the 30s it was considered an ideal vehicle for everybody's favourite little girl, Shirley Temple. It was a great success.

The screenplay has been written to focus on the talents of Shirley Temple - her cuteness, her straightforwardness, her zest for life, her talent for singing and dancing as well as comedy and sentiment. She is supported by Jean Hersholt as her crusty grandfather who, of course, is quickly charmed by Heidi. Arthur Treacher repeats his English butler role. Helen Westley is the kindly blind Anna.

The film is cheerful, attractive sets of Europe re-created in the Fox studios, an attractive score with a sentimental theme, a fantasy sequence for Shirley to sing and dance. Alan Dwan showed his directing hand in a wide range of films for many decades.

1. An entertaining version of Heidi? A Shirley Temple vehicle? Popular in its time? The response of the Depression and post-Depression audience?

2. Production values: black and white photography, European style sets, costumes and decor? The song-and-dance sequence? Fantasy? The musical score?

3. The popularity of the story - of a little girl, relationship with her grandfather and changing him, taken away by the cruel aunt, dominated by the cruel teacher, the friendship with the Heidi changing her life while longing for her grandfather, the dangers, the happy resolution? Fairytale material?

4. Shirley Temple as Heidi - her verve, vitality? With her aunt, reluctant to go, the bad stories about her grandfather, greeting him, taking him for granted and charming him (while fearing he was going to cut her head off)? Making herself at home, the meal, singing? Following her grandfather? The story of the Prodigal Son and his reading it to her? Going to church? His happiness with her, her enjoying the life in the mountains? Her aunt taking her away on her birthday? The meeting with Clara, their friendship, her helping Clara to walk on Day for her father? her dislike of the Fraulein? The jokes at her expense? The monkey in the house and on the chandelier etc.? Friendship with the butler? The yearning to go home? her aunt's abandoning her? The return of Clara's father? The Fraulein taking her away in the night, her escaping, about to be sold to the gypsies, the police station, meeting her grandfather, the happy resolution in the mountains? Heidi as an attractive and delightful character?

5. The portrait of the grandfather? Old and crusty people not liking him, calling him, a heathen? His reaction to his granddaughter? The Prodigal Son story and his regretting his treatment of his opinion? The use of the lost sheep as the scripture reading as he brought Heidi to church? The friendship of the townsfolk, their calling him neighbour? His discovery of Heidi's going, Chasing her, getting the money to walk to Frankfurt, his search for her, narrowly missing her, chasing her, the police arresting him, his escape from the prison, his being taken again, the happy resolution?

6. Clara and her needs, her wealth, being pampered by her father, the Fraulein and her control of her, over protectiveness? her delight in Heidi's presence, sharing, especially with the monkey? Christmas and the presents? Walking for her father? The happy resolution?

7. The Fraulein and her severity, table manners, snobbery, control over Clara, her plans for position and money, Heidi's aunt telling her the truth, her anger at Clara's walking, being dismissed, taking Heidi in the night and trying to sell her to the gypsies, her comeuppance? (And the comic style of her falling over, tripping, a witch character?)

8. The villagers and their friendship, Peter, blind Anna, the comments on the grandfather, the reconciliation, the birthday party? The pastor and his fiancee - and Heidi saying they should be married?

9. The sketch of the butler, friendly, the comic touch? The contrast with Heidi's aunt and her abandoning her?

10. The popular ingredients? A children's film - and their delight? The treatment of children's themes for entertainment as well as message?