By Ian Kane
G | 1h 45m | Drama, Family | 1968
There’s something timeless about cinema’s love affair with the grumpy-old-man-with-a-tragic-past formula. Films like “A Man Called Ove” (2016) and “My Sailor, My Love” (2023) show just how reliably audiences enjoy watching a hardened soul get coaxed back into caring about life, one small act of kindness at a time.
Combine that with the “plucky youngster finding their way” storyline so often seen in classics like “The Little Princess” (1939) or “Oliver Twist” (1968), and you’ve got a potent mix. Shirley Temple starred in both “The Little Princess” and a 1937 musical version of “Heidi.”
(L–R) Fraulein Rottenmeier (Jean Simmons) meets Heidi (Jennifer Edwards) and her aunt Dete (Miriam Spoerri), in “Heidi.” GJW+
NBC’s 1968 television adaptation of “Heidi” leaned into both tropes. The result was a double dose of heartstring-tugging narrative set against the postcard-perfect Swiss Alps. The film became famous for more than its earnest storytelling because it literally interrupted sports history.
NBC cut away from a New York Jets versus Oakland Raiders game to air “Heidi.” This caused fans to miss the Raiders’ last-minute comeback, sparking outrage and what would forever be known as “The Heidi Game.” Few family films can claim to have changed how networks schedule football broadcasts, but this one can.
Heidi (Jennifer Edwards) with her grandfather (Michael Redgrave), in “Heidi.” GJW+
The production itself was no shoestring operation. The film enjoyed a theatrical release in Europe, lush mountain cinematography, and a John Williams score that wrapped everything in a cozy aural glow, never overwhelming the story’s charm. It stood shoulder to shoulder with the prestige TV experiments of the late 1960s.
From Mountain Air to City Stairs
Heidi (Jennifer Edwards) is sent to live with her grumpy grandfather (Michael Redgrave) in the Alps; it’s a situation that sounds like punishment until you catch a glimpse of those sweeping mountain views. Grandfather would rather be left alone with his goats and his silence, but Heidi isn’t exactly a sit-quietly-and-knit type.
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Before long, she’s racing up hills, befriending Peter the goatherd (John Moulder-Brown), and nudging the old man to remember that he used to be the region’s best organ maker. His refusal to touch music since the loss of his daughter is one of the most poignant threads in the story. Heidi’s singing a song her mother once loved becomes the spark that begins to coax him back toward life, faith, and music.
Klara Sessemann (Zuleika Robson) and Fraulein Rottenmeier (Jean Simmons) have their own healing to do, in “Heidi.” GJW+
The story soon whisks Heidi away from her alpine paradise to the polished world of her uncle Herr Sessemann (Maximilian Schell) in Frankfurt. This version conveniently skips the meddling Aunt Dete (Miriam Spoerri) altogether by making Heidi his niece outright, sidestepping the servant-versus-relative drama.
Once in the city, Heidi must contend with the prim and proper housekeeper, Fraulein Rottenmeier, and a prickly friendship with Klara (Zuleika Robson), who is as bratty as she is bedridden. A charming romance between Herr Sessemann and Fraulein Rottenmeier adds an unexpectedly warm subplot, while Father Richter (Walter Slezak) gently prods Grandfather back toward community life.
The Version Where Everyone’s a Little Nicer
This 1968 take is technically a remake of the Shirley Temple version, but it’s surprisingly confident in doing its own thing. The most striking change is with Fraulein Rottenmeier. She’s no longer a severe, scheming matron but a charmingly human governess played with intensity by Simmons, who seems far too graceful to bear a name that once symbolized tyranny.
Edwards, daughter of filmmaker Blake Edwards, plays Heidi with just the right amount of spunk and spark. She’s a normal little girl rather than a picture-perfect doll. She’s more relatable than Shirley Temple’s famous 1937 version, which still holds a nostalgic charm for many.
Edwards takes on the title role of Heidi with wide-eyed earnestness, playing opposite Redgrave as the prickly grandfather who slowly softens. Add in Klara Sessemann (the lonely girl in a wheelchair), her loving father Richard, and Klara’s nanny, Fraulein Rottenmeier, and you have a story that’s equal parts hardship, growth, and pastoral charm. Father Richter and Peter round out a cast that feels grounded and likable.
“Heidi” offers a straightforward, family-friendly viewing experience. This is the kind of film that entertains kids, charms parents, and makes everyone feel just a little better about humanity.
“Heidi” is available on GJW+
‘Heidi’ Director: Delbert Mann Starring: Jennifer Edwards, Michael Redgrave, Maximilian Schell MPAA Rating: G Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes Release Date: Nov. 17, 1968 Rated: 4 stars out of 5
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