Heidi (1968 film)

Heidi is a 1968 NBC madeforTV film version of the original 1880 novel of the same name which debuted on November 17, 1968. 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.

The film also added a subplot in which Heidis grandfather, a church organist in this version, has long been unable to play because of a family tragedy, which is shown to be his daughters marriage to Sessemanns brother and her subsequent death. At the very end of the film, he regains his confidence, mounts the steps to the organ, and begins to play.Another difference between the book and the film occurs during Claras attempts at walking after Sessemann has accepted the Grandfathers invitation for Clara to visit Heidi in his home. In the novel, Sessemanns kindly and strongwilled mother teaches Heidi to read and to pray she visits the girls on the Alp. Her character is cut completely from the film. In the novel, Peter becomes jealous of Heidis attentions to Clara and deliberately destroys Claras wheelchair so that the crippled girl will have to return home the chain of events resulting from that destruction ends in Claras taking her first successful steps on the Alp while leaning on Peter and Heidi. In the film, Frulein Rottenmeier and Herr Sessemann visit the girls, and Grandfather deliberately leaves Clara alone on the mountains, knowing that she actually can walk but has been afraid to try. Clara struggles to get out of her wheelchair, knocking it over and falling down in the process. As she tries to get up, she sees her father, Herr Sessemann, looking at her encouragingly, and haltingly walks towards him. The film ends with a significant glance between Fraulein Rottenmeier and Herr Sessemann, a glance which promises a future for them together. ........

Source: Wikipedia