Heidi (miniseries)

Last updated

Heidi
Heidi VHS cover artwork.png
Home video cover
Based on Heidi
1880 children's book
by Johanna Spyri
Written byJeanne Rosenberg
Directed byMichael Rhodes
Starring Noley Thornton
Jason Robards
Jane Seymour
Jane Hazlegrove
Ben Brazier
Lexi Randall
Music by Lee Holdridge
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes2
Production
Executive producerBill McCutchen
Producers Frank Agrama
Daniele Lorenzano
Cinematography Denis C. Lewiston
EditorRandy Jon Morgan
Running time193 minutes
Production companies Harmony Gold
Bill McCutchen Productions
Silvio Berlusconi Communications
Original release
Network The Disney Channel
ReleaseJuly 18 (1993-07-18) 
July 19, 1993 (1993-07-19)

Heidi is a 1993 American two-part, three-hour television miniseries based on the classic Swiss 1881 novel of the same name by Johanna Spyri, which has sold over 50 million copies [1] and has been adapted for film and television nearly 20 times. Heidi originally aired on the Disney Channel on July 18 and 19, 1993, and stars Noley Thornton in the title role.

Contents

Plot

At the beginning of part one of the miniseries, John and Adelheid are killed in a tree accident following an argument with John's father, Tobias. Their infant daughter, Heidi, survives the accident. Eight years later, Heidi is being raised by her cousin Dete in Switzerland following the death of her parents. Dete soon becomes selfish and unwilling to incur the costs of raising Heidi. Dete decides to take Heidi to live in the Alps with her grandfather. Still distraught over the death of his son, he initially resents Heidi's presence. However, as the story progresses, Heidi's innocence and charm break through her grandfather's tough exterior, and she also makes friends with a young goat herder named Peter. Later, Heidi's charmed life falls apart. Dete comes to take her away from her grandfather, placing her with a wealthy family in Frankfurt. She is enlisted as a companion for Klara, a wheelchair-using girl who is considered an invalid by her family. Heidi manages to spread her joyous disposition in this environment as well.

In part two, three months have passed and Heidi continues to live in Frankfurt. However, she becomes very homesick. After finding Heidi sleepwalking one night, the Doctor tells Herr Sesemann that Heidi needs to be sent back to the Alps, otherwise, she will become much worse. Reluctant for her friend to leave and become lonely again, Klara agrees to let Heidi return to the Alps, in return for that Heidi promises to come back to Frankfurt after a month once she feels better. Heidi returns to the Alps and regains her energy back. During her return, she sends a letter to Klara with two requests: to come to the mountains and visit her, as well as for the doctor to check on Grandmother. Honouring her requests, Klara sends the doctor to check up on Grandmother. However, due to her age, the doctor is unable to care for her. Before dying, Grandmother asks to Heidi to promise to remember her and to look inside of herself. Later, Klara comes to visit Heidi while Peter gives both girls the cold shoulder and pushes Klara's wheelchair which causes it to break. While visiting the Lady of the Mountain, Heidi tries to convince Klara that they should both live their own lives after remembering Grandmother's final words to her and that they will always be friends. Klara becomes upset, calls Heidi a liar and confesses that she hates her. Walking away, Heidi nearly falls off a cliff, but is rescued by Peter and Klara. Returning, Klara takes Heidi's words to heart and finds the strength to walk again. The children then part ways. Heidi convinces Peter to go to school and continues her life with her grandfather, telling him she loves him and she's finally home.

Cast

Production

The series was shot in both Salzburg and Tirol in Austria. The Church is the St. Nikolauskirche, Bichl, Matrei, Osttirol. [2]

Release

Heidi aired on the Disney Channel in two parts on July 18 and 19, 1993.

Reception

Reviews of the series were generally positive, with praise for the performance of Noley Thornton as Heidi. [3] [4] A review in the Chicago Tribune describes Thornton's work as an "outstanding performance as the girl who has the innate ability to change people's lives." [5] Gary Marsh, vice president of original programming for the Disney Channel, says that Thornton did not play the typical happy, carefree role of Heidi. "She is not the happy-go-lucky, carefree waif played by Shirley Temple, who frolics through life making everybody happy. She's an orphan in a desperate search for a permanent home."

The Philadelphia Inquirer lauded the miniseries for its lavish production when compared to previous adaptations. Lee Winfrey wrote "the new Heidi is an elaborate and elegant production." [6]

Accolades

These factors led to the show being nominated for best miniseries or TV Film in the 51st Golden Globe Awards. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Heidi</i> Swiss novel by Johanna Spyri

Heidi is a work of children's fiction published between 1880 and 1881 by Swiss author Johanna Spyri, originally published in two parts as Heidi: Her Years of Wandering and Learning and Heidi: How She Used What She Learned. It is a novel about the events in the life of a 5-year-old girl in her paternal grandfather's care in the Swiss Alps. It was written as a book "for children and those who love children".

<i>Heidi, Girl of the Alps</i> 1974 Japanese animated TV series

Heidi, Girl of the Alps is an anime television series produced by Zuiyo Eizo and is based on the novel Heidi's Years of Wandering and Learning by Johanna Spyri (1880). It was directed by Isao Takahata and features contributions by numerous other anime filmmakers, including Yoichi Kotabe, Toyoo Ashida, Yoshiyuki Tomino, and Hayao Miyazaki.

<i>Heidis Song</i> 1982 film by Robert Taylor

Heidi's Song is a 1982 American animated musical film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and based on the 1881 novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri. The film was directed by Robert Taylor from a screenplay by Taylor, Joseph Barbera and Jameson Brewer, and stars Margery Gray as the title character, alongside the voices of Lorne Greene and Sammy Davis Jr. It is one of only four films Hanna-Barbera ever made that did not feature their trademark characters.

<i>Heidi</i> (1937 film) 1937 film by Allan Dwan

Heidi is a 1937 American musical drama film directed by Allan Dwan and written by Julien Josephson and Walter Ferris, loosely based on Johanna Spyri's 1880 children's book of the same name. The film stars Shirley Temple as the titular orphan, who is taken from her grandfather to live as a companion to Klara, a spoiled, disabled girl. It was a success and Temple enjoyed her third consecutive year as number one box office draw.

<i>Heidi</i> (1968 film) 1968 American TV film by Delbert Mann

Heidi is a 1968 American made-for-TV film version of the 1880 novel of the same name by Johanna Spyri which debuted on November 17, 1968 on NBC. It starred actress Jennifer Edwards, stepdaughter of Julie Andrews and daughter of Blake Edwards, in the title role, alongside Maximilian Schell, Jean Simmons, and Michael Redgrave. The score was composed by John Williams. The film was sponsored by Timex.

Noley Thornton is a former television and film actress who was active in U.S. media from 1990 through 1998.

<i>Courage Mountain</i> 1990 film

Courage Mountain is a 1990 adventure drama film and serves as a sequel to Johanna Spyri's 1881 novel Heidi. It was directed by Christopher Leitch and stars Charlie Sheen, Leslie Caron, Juliette Caton and Jan Rubeš. The film is set during the outbreak of World War I with Heidi as a teenager, despite the fact that the original novel was first published in 1881.

Heidi's Children is a 1939 novel, the second of four sequel novels to Johanna Spyri's original Heidi series, written by Spyri's French and English translator, Charles Tritten. It was originally published in French by Flammarion in Paris in 1939, and in New York by Grosset & Dunlap in 1939.

Karl Lieffen, born Karel František Lifka, was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films on screen and television between 1949 and 1998.

Heidi 4 Paws is a feature-length children's film that retells the classic story of Heidi using dogs in all the acting roles. Heidi 4 Paws was syndicated to public television stations in the United States through American Public Television and WTTW Chicago in November/December 2008.

<i>Heidi</i> (2005 live-action film) 2005 British film

Heidi is a 2005 British family film directed by Paul Marcus. It is based on the iconic 1881 novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri, and stars Irish child actress Emma Bolger in the title role, alongside Max Von Sydow and Diana Rigg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clara (given name)</span> Name list

Clara or Klara is a female given name. It is the feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus which meant "clear, bright, famous". Various early male Christian saints were named Clarus; the feminine form became popular after the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi, one of the followers of Saint Francis, who renounced her privileged background and founded the order of Poor Clares.

<i>Heidi and Peter</i> 1955 Swiss film

Heidi and Peter is a 1955 Swiss family drama film directed by Franz Schnyder and starring Heinrich Gretler, Elsbeth Sigmund and Thomas Klameth. It was a sequel to the 1952 film Heidi, which was itself an adaptation of the 1880 novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri. It was the first Swiss film made in colour and was one of the biggest grossing films in Switzerland for the year.

<i>Heidi</i> (1952 film) 1952 Swiss film

Heidi is a 1952 Swiss family drama film directed by Luigi Comencini and starring Elsbeth Sigmund, Heinrich Gretler and Thomas Klameth. It is based on the 1880 novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri. It was followed by a 1955 sequel Heidi and Peter.

<i>Do Phool</i> (1958 film) 1958 Indian film

Do Phool is a 1958 Indian Hindi-language family drama film directed by A. R. Kardar. Adapted from the 1881 children's novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri, it has Baby Naaz in the role of Poornima (Heidi). The film was produced by Akhtar Sultana Kadar, with dialogues written by Krishan Chander. The music director was Vasant Desai, and the lyrics were written by Hasrat Jaipuri. The film starred Romi, Baby Naaz, Vijaya Choudhary, Bipin Gupta, Ulhas, David, Agha, and Jeevan.

<i>Heidi</i> (1965 film) 1965 Austrian film

Heidi is a 1965 Austrian family film directed by Werner Jacobs and starring Eva Maria Singhammer, Michaela May and Jan Koester. It is an adaptation of Johanna Spyri's 1880 novel of the same title.

<i>Heidi</i> (2015 film) 2015 film

Heidi is a 2015 Swiss family film directed by Alain Gsponer and based on the 1881 novel of the same name by Johanna Spyri. It stars Anuk Steffen in the title role, alongside Bruno Ganz, Katharina Schüttler, Quirin Agrippi, Isabelle Ottmann and Anna Schinz.

<i>Heidi</i> (2015 TV series) 2015 Swiss-German TV series

Heidi is a computer animated children's television series, based indirectly on the 1881 novel Heidi by Johanna Spyri. The original 2007 television series was a Swiss-French-Italian-Australian co-production in 27 episodes of 26 minutes.

<i>The Stranger</i> (British TV series) 2020 British mystery thriller miniseries

The Stranger is an eight-part British mystery thriller miniseries written primarily by Danny Brocklehurst and based on the 2015 Harlan Coben novel of the same title. The miniseries premiered on Netflix on 30 January 2020. It stars Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, and Hannah John-Kamen. It was filmed in and around Manchester and Stockport.

Adelheid Duvanel was a Swiss writer and painter. Her earlier work appeared under one of two simple pseudonyms, "Judith" or "Judith January".

References

  1. Hutchison, Geoffrey. "Switzerland-Heidi". ABC. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  2. DVD Review on DVDizzy
  3. EW.com
  4. TV REVIEWS: This 'Heidi' Is a Drama for All Ages - Los Angeles Times
  5. Mangan, Jennifer (July 14, 1993). "'Heidi' Complex". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  6. Winfrey, Lee (July 18, 1993). "Heidi Beguiles Again". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  7. Golden Globes