Set in the Swiss Alps during the 19th Century the orphaned girl Heidi is sent to live with her grandfather Adolph Kramer a rather bad tempered hermit. Although the old man at first refuses to speak to the girl he soon grows to love her and with the help of her animal friends they are accepted into the local community. Heidi's greedy aunt suddenly returns and kidnaps the girl selling her to the evil Madame Rottenmaier (Geraldine Chaplin) to be a companion to the invalid girl in her