Movie Monday: Heidi

Like The Sound of Music, Shirley Temple’s Heidi is a scenic, classic film that all young families can watch together at home.  Talented, curly-headed Shirley Temple is adorable in her little dirndl dress, playing the Swiss orphan girl living with her grandfather in the Alps.  Never mind that the 1937 movie was filmed in Big Bear Lake, California, not the Alps, there’s culture to be gleaned from Heidi, her lederhosen-wearing grandfather, and the young goatherd, Peter.  Watch the trailer here to bring back your own childhood television memories.

If you prefer, there's a 1968 TV adaption of Heidi with Maximilian Schell.  You can watch the whole movie on Hulu here.

There's also a Walt Disney classic television drama, with a little more authentic scenery.  It was filmed in Salzburg, Austria, and the Tyrolean Alps.  This 1993 feature stars Jason Robards, Jane Seymour, and Patricia Neal.

And finally, if your family prefers more current films, there's a 1995 Heidi DVD with contemporary-paced action and stunning mountain scenery, although it was filmed in Slovenia and Wales, not the Alps.  Watch the trailer here.

The story of Heidi is timeless, no matter which film production, and a lovely introduction to alpine life for even the youngest of children.  Enjoy!