Heidi

Allan Dwan's popular 1937 family film based on the classic Johanna Spyri novel features Shirley Temple in the title role of the orphan who goes to live with her bitter hermit of a grandfather (Jean Hersholt), and wins him over--only to be spirited away by a cruel aunt (Mady Christians), who sells her as a maid to a family with a wheelchair-bound daughter. (As if that weren't enough, poor Heidi also has to contend with a wicked governess who wants to pawn her off to the gypsies!). All's well that ends well, however, as grandfather and orphan granddaughter are reunited in one of the most stirring sequences in Temple's illustrious child actress career. Presented full frame in both b&w and colorized versions, Heidi boasts one of the worst DVD transfers I've ever seen with an exceptionally fuzzy, even blurry, image on the b&w version, and horrid fluctuating colors on the equally awful colorized version. Wait for a better transfer, as this one is most definitely not recommended. Also newly available on DVD: Dimples and Bright Eyes. (R. Pitman)