COURAGE MOUNTAIN

US, 1989, 98 minutes, Colour.
Juliette Caton, Charlie Sheen, Leslie Caron, Laura Betti, Jan Rubes.
Directed by Christopher Leitch.

Courage Mountain is a Heidi story - but designed for older children and for family audiences. It contrasts with Shirley Temple's version of Heidi in the '30s and some of the subsequent films which were designed more for much younger audiences.

Juliette Caton (the Angel of Light in The Last Temptation of Christ) is a strong and attractive Heidi. Charlie Sheen seems rather out of place and time as a young Swiss soldier. However, Leslie Caron enjoys herself as a fashionable headmistress. Yorgo Voyagis and Laura Betti are sinister as the managers of an orphanage. Jan Rubes is good as Grandfather.

The setting is 1915, World War One has broken out. Heidi goes to a finishing school, encounters the girls and their friendships and jealousies, the support of the headmistress. When the orphanage is occupied by troops, they are transferred to a sinister, Dickensian orphanage. Heidi and some of the girls escape and have adventures as they make their way back to Switzerland pursued by the orphanage director. Peter, the young soldier, comes to the rescue.

The film is played entertainingly - for family audiences. The mountain scenery is that of Austria.

1.Entertaining family film? The tradition of Heidi stories? Heidi as a young teenager, education, return to Switzerland?

2.The Austrian locations, the mountains, the Italian cities, mansions? Period and setting? World War One, battle sequences? Musical score?

3.The title, Switzerland, Heidi's mountain, the crossing of the mountain by the children and the dangers? Courage?

4.Audience familiarity with Heidi from the traditional stories? In Switzerland, looked after by her grandfather, her work on the farm? Going to the school, her hesitation? Friendship with Peter? The locals? The decision to go? The train ride, meeting the orphans at the station, the sinister director of the orphanage? The headmistress? The school, meeting the girls, their criticisms, rivalries in class, comments on her dress? The music? Her playing her pan-pipes, given her by Peter? The support of the headmistress? Not so much feeling an outsider? Her letters to her grandfather telling him that all was well? The occupation, the children having to leave, going to the orphanage, hard work, the sinister couple in charge? Being starved? The decision to run away, the pursuit, getting lifts, the dangers? Ursula and the clashes, Ursula finally telling the truth, joining in the escape? The mountains, meeting Peter, the fire, the director, Peter's fight with him? The return to her grandfather and the headmistress? A plucky and vigorous heroine?

5.Grandfather, his story to the headmistress, unwilling to have Heidi, her rejuvenating his love for life and his faith in God? Missing her, the happy return?

6.The headmistress, her French background, English education, fussy manner? Style and manners? With the girls, the exercise and dancing lessons? Her eccentricities? The bath? Helping Heidi? The occupation, the directors of the orphanage? The military? Searching for the children, going to Heidi's grandfather, the return?

7.Peter, the friendship with Heidi, playing, his going to the army, his work and training? The return, search for Heidi with the grandfather, going up the mountain, finding the children? The fight with the director? Hanging on the cliff, the rescue? The happy ending with Heidi?

8.The children, orphans, their background, manners, dresses, the question of the bath and their dresses, the music, Italian and Swiss history? The friendships, the escape, the little children at the orphanage? The dangers, the rides, the battlefield, the tanks? The mountains, the fire, surviving?

9.The director of the orphanage and his associate, her dominance of him? His eyeing the girls in a sinister way? Taking over the girls, the running of the orphanage, the meal table, starving the children, pursuing the girls, the directress and her ordering him to kill them in an accident? The fight and his death?

10.The background of World War One, the occupation of the school, the troops, the battles?

11.An entertaining combination of stories, adventures, growing up? The European and World War One settings?