Heidi (1968)

Where's Heidi's personality?

Anyone who has read the book will look forward to a bright, inquisitive, chatty and charming little girl. I was very disappointed with this portrayal of that character. She didn't talk much, she didn't seem to have much personality at all. As far as following the story line, I understand they always have to make some adjustments for Hollywood, so I won't pass too harsh a judgement there. But when the main character of the story is bland, I just have to whine. Luckily there are other versions. I'll try another. September 24, 2007

Quite delightful

Fine acting, wonderful scenery, and a very pleasant approach to the classic tale make this quite an enjoyable film. Though the character of Fraulein Rottenmeir is a far cry from Johanna Spyri's, as is her relationship with Herr Sessemann, this change may be appealing for those who wish to share the film with children, who might be troubled by the original.

My reason for witholding a top rating is that, as a lifelong fan of Johanna Spyri's "Heidi," I noticed that some of the key themes in the original are missing. Heidi's simple faith, and her faith's being strengthened despite the time of dreadful homesickness and mistreatment by the governess in Frankfurt, do not come through clearly. The plot has been revised so that Herr Sessemann is an uncle, Fraulein Rottenmeir a lovely lady, and Klara (in the book, a gentle sort crippled by over protectiveness) a bit of a brat. Heidi remains in Frankfurt because she feels she owes it to Klara, who tends to move her legs when Heidi angers her.

All told, nonetheless, this is a very well acted film with a great deal of charm. October 8, 2005

The little girl who changed the face of televised football

Trivia from the IMDB: This was the TV adaptation of "Heidi" that, through no fault of its own, became embroiled in a U.S. broadcasting brouhaha known to this day as the "Heidi game." On Sunday, 17 Nov 1968, the NBC television network was scheduled to begin airing "Heidi" at 7pm Eastern Standard Time, following coverage of an American Football League game between the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders.

The game ran long; however, with the Jets leading the Raiders, 32-to-29, NBC broke away to begin "Heidi" on schedule. During the remaining minute of play (which was extended by penalties and timeouts), Oakland managed to score two touchdowns, and ended up beating New York, 43-to-32.

Outraged football fans inundated NBC switchboards. The network expressed regret, saying it had intended to stay with the football game until it ended, and blaming a series of miscommunications for the gaffe. A result of this fiasco is that NFL television contracts require games to be televised in their entirety. This game is now immortalized as the "Heidi game." November 16, 2004

Only part of the film!

This version of Heidi was my absolute favorite movie as a child. I have the VHS version and decided to upgrade to the DVD. I couldn't believe it when I started watching it that the first part of the film is not even included. We don't see how Heidi got to her grandfathers, met Peter or his grandmother. I don't know if it is somehow a mistake on just my movie or if they are all missing the first scenes. The quality of the rest of the film was fine and just as good as I remembered. But, if you want to see the whole film, get the VHS. March 14, 2004

lovely film; poor DVD quality

Very enjoyable movie marred by washed out color. The Alps are breathtaking, but you wouldn't know it from this DVD.

So, I give the movie itself 4 stars, and the DVD 1 star. September 28, 2003

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