Heidi1937Heidi
1937
Orphaned Heidi is left with her gruff, reclusive grandfather in the Swiss Alps and slowly warms his heart. Then her aunt takes her to Frankfurt to be a companion to Klara, a girl in a wheelchair, in a house run by the stern Fräulein Rottenmeier.
The default: films the whole family can watch together; any scary or intense moments for the littlest viewers are flagged in the Context Notes.
Why it’s here
A cheerful child softens a bitter old man and helps a lonely invalid find hope. Shirley Temple's version treasures grandparents, mountain beauty, and simple goodness.
Context notes
For parents, before you press play.
Heidi's aunt deceives her and takes her away from her grandfather, and Fräulein Rottenmeier is cruel and scheming; both are shown as wrong and defeated. Grandfather lifts a big knife in a moment that looks menacing but turns out harmless, which might briefly scare little ones.
Heidi (1937)
Discussion questions
When the credits end, go around the room. Each person gives the film a score out of ten and says why.
- Why was Grandfather so grumpy at first? What changed him?
- How did Heidi help Klara?
- Why was Fräulein Rottenmeier so unkind?
- Where would you rather live, on the mountain or in Frankfurt?
Content advisory
Common Sense Media 6+: comic pratfalls; a brief menacing-looking moment with a knife; pipe smoking.
Best edition
The disc comes first.
Heidi (1937)
DVD · June 6, 2017
Edition link coming soon.
Listing on Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)Coming later
Where to stream
Streaming services are not listed yet. When they are, this note stays secondary to the disc.