GREAT 1937 movie with Shirley at age 9. Excellent production which took advantage of the Alpine setting with fine cinematography actually filmed at Lake Arrowhead, California.
The plot is interesting with Shirley being an orphan and going through family relationships in the Alps Switzerland and Frankfurt, Germany. She does get to dance, including the fun Wooden Shoes piece, but also serious acting when she gets in a struggle with her noxious caregiver.

There are a variety of dramatic sequences, including snow sleigh chase with the police, the grandfather's religious redemption, and more. Darryl Zanuck's production keeps the film rolling and going.

I'm not familiar with the underlying story, etc. so the fact that the film diverges plotwise, or whatever, from original story doesn't affect my enjoyment of what I consider one of Shirley's finest early 'child' movies.

I'm seriously trying to cut this picture some slack, but, being an adult (in this day and age), I found that there was very little here for me to enjoy about "Heidi" (which is now close to 80 years old).

For me, this film's sentimentality was so over-bearing at times that it quickly began to grate on my nerves. And Shirley Temple's cuteness (in a halo of ringlets) was so forced that this childish appeal of hers wore out its welcome sooner than was expected.

To be honest - I really can't imagine this picture entertaining today's jaded youngsters whose contemporary movies are saturated by over-the-top violence and slick, CGI visual effects.

I'd say that, unless you're a total nostalgic (to the extreme), then you're not very likely to be satisfactorily entertained by such a picture as this one, in the long run.

Yes. Of course, I do realize that this movie is now 80 years old (and, yes, times were definitely different back then) - But, hey, from my point of view - I thought it was actually pretty sad to see how Hollywood had typecast young actress Shirley Temple to the point where, at the age of 9 (in Heidi), she was still playing the exact same, cookie-cutter character that she had been continually playing since the age of 4.

(Of course, Temple would continue to play this exact same character for yet another 4 years, until she started to develop breasts and make demands that her studio cast her in more demanding and age-appropriate roles)

For the most part - (From an adult's perspective) - I found this 1937 picture (whose story was set in 1880) to be far too overly sentimental for its own good and way too heavy-handed when it came to its emphasis on the "religious" angle of its story.

Yes. There were some OK moments in this picture - But, from where I was sitting, I just could not warm up to Shirley Temple's recycled-to-death screen-persona of chubby cheeks, golden ringlets and plucky demeanour, ad nauseam.

I checked out Ballard's disc. Couldn't watch of the film, which froze during the table manners scene. (Scene 13 on the scene selection screen.)

"Heidi" was made in 1937 with the irresistible Shirley Temple. Based on the children's novel which is also a classic, generations of young people have fallen in love with Heidi. Now the movie has been made many times, but the 1939 Shirley Temple version remains far and away the best interpretation. Along with such movies as "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm", Shirley Temple was as a big a star as anyone in Hollywood. The reason is simple, she was amazingly talented. She could sing, dance, and of course act. She never seems to be anyone else but herself. She was cute, bright eyed, and had an irresistible charm about her. Jean Hersholt should be mentioned as her grandfather, who Heidi comes to live with. He is great as a gruff but heart of gold grandfather. I hope you read the book to your children and see this wonderful movie. They are great companions and have been for many generations. Please leave your comments on the movie right here on the KCLS web site.

My favorite Shirley Temple film of all time! Her free spirit reminds me of myself.

the version of heidi that i watched was not done well at all. it was very boring and there were many awkward pauses. i couldve produced it better.the main part wasnt even that cute or talented.