Heidi's Song
(1982) color animated 94 minutes
Voices: Lorne Greene (Grandfather), Sammy Davis Jr. (Head Ratte), Margery Gray
(Heidi), Pamelyn Ferdin (Clara), Fritz Feld (Sebastian)
Plot Outline: A young girl named Heidi is brought to the mountains by her Aunt Dete. Dete gives the child to her grandfather, who wants nothing to do with her. Soon, however, Grandfather takes a shine to the mischievous child, and the two become fast friends. Heidi also makes friends with all of the animals of the area, including Hooty, an owl, Groofus, an old terrier, and Spritz, a lazy little donkey. Heidi also likes Peter, a goatherd about her own age. One day, Grandfather chops down a tree, which falls on him, injuring him badly.
***
This pleasant if predictable animated feature version of HEIDI is extremely likable, despite a few missteps, and is chock-full of catchy songs to boot.
The songs (including "I'm Good at Making Friends", "It's a Beautiful,
Christmassy Day", "Heidi, It's You", "An Armful of Sunshine", "She's a
Nothing", "An Unkind Word", "Prince Charming" and others), seem heavily influenced by Maury Law's tunes for the Rankin/Bass holiday specials. There is also a good deal of dancing, even marching, which reminds one of Hanna-Barbera's earlier big-screen effort, CHARLOTTE'S WEB.
Musically speaking, Sammy Davis Jr. steals the show as Head Ratte (the "head rat"), with a jazzy song about the obligations of being a rodent, a splashy number complete with psychedelic graphics.
In HEIDI'S SONG, literary accuracy is thrown to the wind, as Heidi is played as a shapely, flirty teenage blonde, as opposed to the innocent tot she is supposed to be. Lorne Greene voices the Grandfather in grand, hammy style.
A highlight of the film is hearing the inimitable voice of Pamelyn Ferdin as the crippled child, Clara. Her golden, bell-like tongue conjures the very spirit of joy. (And when Clara emphatically declares, "Oh, I love animals!", the proclamation seems prophetic, as Ms. Ferdin has become a most dedicated animal-rights activist.)
The film boasts colorful, attractive backgrounds. The drawn characters are fairly standard-issue, although there is a certain "anime" quality in some of the character design; perhaps associate producer Iwao Takamoto had an influence here.
After Grandfather scares her to death with tales of evil wind demons lurking outside, Heidi falls asleep and has a marvelous, surreal dream in which the spirits of the night call on her to frolic with them. This little set piece shows Hanna-Barbera animation at its apex, and one wishes they had ventured more into straight-out fantasy. Later, Rottenmeier sings an insult nightmare to Heidi, and this is used as another showcase for wild and fluid graphics, which border on the psychedelic.
Animals feature prominently throughout the film. Spritz the donkey is Heidi's sidekick in the mountains. When she is forced to travel to Frankfurt, a little owl named Hooty becomes Heidi's guardian angel, hovering over her like a healing spirit. Several scenes depict an eagle trying to attack a kind creature. And of course, the evil Fraulein Rottenmeier has a snickering dachshund, for what post-Scooby Doo H-B creation could be without? And of course, the organ grinder's monkey comes in through the window on cue, and dances. Rottenmeier attacks, and the monkey creates some cliché cardboard havoc.
The weak spot in this feature, as in all Hanna-Barbera product, is the prevalence of frequent, belabored comic skits. This trend started in full force with SCOOBY DOO, which is when most observers feel that the H-B studio went to the dogs (ahem). Some time is also wasted in a silly romantic subplot between a local youth and Clara's maid.
Still, HEIDI'S SONG is an affable and attractive diversion, and doesn't stray as far off from the spirit of Spyri's book as one might imagine.
Video/DVD availability: VHS, DVD (Paramount Home Video)
On Heidi's first night with her grandfather, she dreams of wind demons.
Grandfather scolds Heidi for venturing outside on a frightful night.
The scrappy little mountain girl is not at all what Clara, Fraulein Rottenmeier and Sebastian had expected.
Fraulein Rottenmeier and Sebastian hear ghosts in the night!
Hanna-Barbera Productions / Paramount Pictures
Story: Johanna Spyri (from her book)
Screenplay: Joseph Hanna, Jameson Brewer
Songs: Sammy Cahn, Burton Lane
Music: Hoyt S. Curtin
Cinematography: Jerry Mills
Produced by Joseph Hanna, William Barbera
Directed by Joseph Taylor
This gives Heidi an excuse to reverse roles, and become caretaker to the reluctant patient. Too soon, Aunt Dete returns to take Heidi with her to the city of Frankfurt, where a crippled rich child, Clara, is seeking a companion. Grandfather protests, but can do nothing. The animals are all saddened by Heidi's involuntary departure. In Frankfurt, Heidi meets her new friend Clara, a sweet girl with bad legs. She also meets the caretakers of the estate, Fraulein Rottenmeier and Sebastian. Heidi hates them, and the feeling is mutual. Clara and Heidi, however, get along famously. One day, an organ grinder's monkey comes in through a window and dances for them. Fraulein Rottenmeier enters the room, and the poor monkey creates havoc trying to escape the old witch. Heidi goes out to fetch the lonely Clara a kitten. She comes back with a whole gaggle of them, and the two girls spend considerable energy hiding them from the hired help. Rottenmeier eventually finds the kittens, and orders them destroyed. Heidi is punished by being thrown into a dungeon, where an army of rats threatens her. Heidi is rescued from the evil rats by Peter and the animals, who take her, and Clara, back to the mountains. Rottenmeier and Sebastian escape their employer in the night. Back on the mountain, an eagle attacks one of Clara's cats, and Clara falls from her chair. As she kills the eagle in order to save her dear pet, Clara finds the strength to walk again. Clara's father arrives just in time to see the miracle, and allows Clara to stay with her new friend. Heidi, Clara and Peter run off, in search of new adventure.
