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21 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
A charming and simple film, 24 AUGUSZTUS 2005
8/10
Author: Allen Brown from United Kingdom

I wasn't looking forward to going to this film with my two young daughters. The reviews hadn't all been good.

It starts slow and stays at a similar pace throughout but it is beautifully done. If you were watching it on DVD at home, it may not hold your attention but in the cinema its pure charm is irresistible. Good acting throughout and some amusing set pieces.

My seven-year-old rates it her favourite ever film or TV program and as it has dislodged 'The Incredibles' and 'Arthur' respectively, that is praise indeed. My four-year-old also enjoyed it tremendously.

I'm very glad I saw it and would recommend it to any family. Heidi doesn't get to fight off any aliens or learn ninja skills from her grandfather but stories as good as this have a place for every generation.

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11 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
A perfect translation of the original text, beautiful sets and costumes, 8 OKTÓBER 2005
10/10
Author: stennerj from United Kingdom

I wanted to take my two boys to see Madagascar but the seats all sold out, so we went to see Heidi despite a lot of grumbles! From the opening shots of the Alps we were all captured by the narrative and settings. The costumes by Mike O'Neill show great care and attention to detail, the interiors of the Alpine hut are rough and by no means fit for a chocolate box, and the acting was spot on. Max Von Sydow used his usual consummate acting skills to convey a man hurt by life and other human beings, an exile from love. Emma Bolger, with her Irish lilt was not at all cute, but was simple delight to watch. On only one occasion was I conscious she was reciting lines. Heidi brings the old man to life in a slow and quiet way that was gentle and subtle. When Heidi is taken to Frankfurt, the costumes and interiors are authentic once again. If there is anything to criticise in this film it is the slow pace, but this helps in some ways to give the atmosphere of 19th Century Alpine life. A great Christmas film, and a treat for mums and dads too!

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8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
Delightful Adaptation, 17 AUGUSZTUS 2006
9/10
Author: movingpicturegal from Los Angeles

Well done version of the classic story of the orphaned young girl, Heidi (played by Emma Bolger), sent to live with her hermit grandfather in his cabin away up high in the Swiss Alps. Grandfather is an unwelcoming, gruff old man, but he very soon takes a real shine to sweet little Heidi - and Heidi takes to her new environment like a duck to water. Sadly for both, she is soon swept away by her unkind/greedy aunt to live with a rich Frankfurt household as the playmate of a wheelchair-bound girl named Clara - but lively young Heidi soon adds some spark of life to the whole house, much to the chagrin of the meanie housekeeper, a really nasty woman in black who rules the roost with an iron fist.

I have seen a number of filmed versions of this story, I found this version to be one of the best. All the actors are perfectly cast in this, I really think Max von Sydow is *the* perfect choice for the grandfather in this story and Geraldine Chaplin is suitably despicable in her portrayal of the housekeeper. Emma Bolger is an adorable and charming young actress who gives a very endearing performance, just as she does in her memorable portrayal of Ariel in the film "In America". The mountain scenery in this film is very atmospheric and gorgeously photographed, the orchestral score is really wonderful. An especially lovely and heartfelt family film, full of charm. Recommended.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Definitely a must see. I bought it on DVD because I loved it so much., 4 SZEPTEMBER 2006
9/10
Author: NineLivesBurra from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I loved this movie. I love old movies but seeing this remake I found I also like some remakes. The only thing I had a problem with was the accents.......Max Von Sydow was great as Grandfather and Diana Rigg, excellent as Grandmamma. Jessica Claridge, seems a little typecast after seeing her in Five Children and it but she does a good job as Clara.

Peter Was brilliant, I can't remember who played him but he did the part justice. He was jealous when he should have been and yet the simple goatherd we all grew up loving. He was funny and so unspoilt, and when he kicked the wheelchair, he was all anger and jealousy. His Character is one of the most complex in the book, I feel and he was played brilliantly.

It brought back some lovely memories of things in my childhood I had forgotten.

I would like to see in a few years, Heidi Grows up, if possible with the same actors/actresses playing the same roles.

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3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Nice Try, But Falls Short, 15 FEBRUÁR 2007
Author: cmashieldscapting (cmashieldscapting@hotmail.com) from United States

In this version of "Heidi" one sees a stellar cast, and enough resemblance to the book that it could have been an earnest try, but enough deviations to annoy the true "Heidi" reader. They went to the trouble of casting a girl with beautiful brown hair instead of the ridiculous blond braids too often associated with Heidi, but then don't bother to curl the hair. If they didn't want to have a hairdresser every day, they couldn't give the child a permanent before going on location? They get the exact right color of goats, then get the goats' NAMES wrong! The German names are pretty easy to pronounce, and there are always the English "Little Swan" and "Little Bear," BUT NO! The goats have to be Dusty and Daisy like they live in Wyoming or something! There are also a number of probably well-intended plot deviations, not one of which improves the movie, which is glacially slow paced. It is enough like the book to be tolerable, but not enough like to be enjoyable. Too bad because the acting, costumes, sets, and camera work are great. Foothills, but no mountain peak for this one.

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I loved it!, 8 JÚLIUS 2009
9/10
Author: rebschucks from Carbondale, IL

Of the versions I've seen (1937/1968/1982 animation) this is the only one that really gets the story right! For starters, instead of the typical blonde we now tend to typecast Heidi in, we get the little brown-haired girl that Spyri depicted in her book. She wears simple clothes, not the traditional Swedish outfit, because they recognize that she was poor, and those clothes are only worn on special occasions anyways. The movie doesn't try to stray away from the original story with overt dramatic subplots, it simply depicts the story as it was originally told, and as the book is a very simple story, that's very hard to pull off in a movie. I was so glad that they didn't write out more minor characters like Tinette, Grandmamma or the Doctor. They just enrich the story so much and were played beautifully.

Only real critiques: They changed Schwanli and Bearli's names, and changed the name of the Alm Uncle to Uncle Alp. Also the Irish Accent of Emma Bolger could get a little distracting, and Fraulien Rottenmeier and Aunte Dete were a little crueler towards Heidi than I remember... but considering all that was included I was very satisfied. Makes me want to read the book all over again!

Definitely not a story for those who crave a lot of action and drama. But if you absolutely loved the book as a child, this is a great companion piece.

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1 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Superbly adapted from the classic novel. I loved it !, 29 OKTÓBER 2006
10/10
Author: durkinportraits from United States

Overall this is our favorite version of Heidi in film. We purchased it and extra copies of the novel for gifts. Our family watched this movie anticipating the same cutesy antics and departures from the novel as before but were surprised to find this one quite close to the book. It is a bit more somber than the book in my view but this adds a real 19th century feel anyway. Emma Bolger plays Heidi with enough childlike charm, her shining eyes and sweet grin helped me forgive a few tiny flaws in her young acting. Max Von Sydow plays Grandfather immaculately with the right amount of grumpiness and compassion. The best performance I think is Del Synott as Sebastian the butler! The only thing I wish the director would have done differently is to spend more time on Heidi's enjoyment in the pastures. I recommend watching this movie then going back to the read the book once again if it has been awhile. It is a truly heartwarming story.

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2 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Decent story telling version, 20 OKTÓBER 2006
7/10
Author: mtr0118 from Brandon, Florida

As soon as I seen this picture, I remembered an animated older version of Joanna Spryii's story of the Swiss orphan girl Heidi. Even though the 1937 Shirley Temple Version still stands out for a stellar performance, this version is very decent and adaptable when it comes to touching drama. The choice for Heidi's grandpa could of not been better portrayed by Sweedish screen legend Max Von Sydow. He brings a lot of respect to the character in difference with the portrayal Jason Robards Jr. did in the 1995 Disney version. Though Robards did fairly good, at times I laughed when others considered him a monstrous old bum. Von Sydow is too meek for that type of comment. His aura and decades of experience may have saved this film. Good thing he portrayed Christ back in 1965 in The Greatest Story Ever Told.

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6 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :-
Earnest and well-meaning, but kind of flat nonetheless. Better suited for kids, and for TV, 21 AUGUSZTUS 2005
6/10
Author: bopdog from Cardiff, Wales

I went to this movie on a whim, in a fit of nostalgia. I remembered reading the book 'Heidi' as a little kid. And I had fond memories of the old black and white movie, with Shirley Temple. This newest version, with the inimitable Max von Sydow, is earnest, and basically well-meaning. It is true to the book as well. I remembered from all those years ago the passage in the book where the grandfather serves his newly arrived granddaughter roasted goat cheese. Sure enough, in this movie, as soon as she shows up at his mountain place, he roasts up a batch of cheese for her.

The satisfaction of seeing a few little details like that aside, this is really kind of a lackluster production. Maybe I overestimated the appeal of a revisit back to my childhood? Maybe it is such a children's story that it could have, for me as an adult, no appeal any longer. Whatever the reason, this production felt more like a 'visual aid' to the book, as shown in a third-grade classroom, than a proper movie. Its production values and dramatic sweep felt more like a TV movie, and one from the 1980s or 1970s, at that.

Nothing is missing. The scenery, the costumes, and the actors are all fine. But dang--- nothing about it drew me in, and I was bored out of my mind. I had to slip out after 45 minutes of it. Maybe kids will like it?

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