Review

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

Director
William Wyler
Year
1939
Rating
4 stars
Reviewed by
Gon Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
Review date
Monday, February 18, 2002

A gypsy orphan is found in Liverpool and brought home by Mr. Earnshaw (Cecil Kellaway). The child is christened Heathcliff and treated like part of the family, which earns him the love of his foster sister Cathy and the hatred of his foster brother Hindley. When Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley decides that Heathcliff will be one more servant, which enrages the kid. Only his great love for Cathy keeps him there, little knowing that, eventually, destiny will force him to change the way of his life and of everyone around as well.

Loving adaptation of the famous Emily Brontë novel of doomed love, this one is undoubtedly the most characteristic and prettiest of all, featuring astonishing photography by Gregg Toland and a gorgeous score by Alfred Newman. The cast is perfect, with Laurence Olivier a good-looking but deadly passionate Heathcliff, Merle Oberon his worldly soul mate Cathy. David Niven is perfectly cast as Edgar, the suffering neighbor. His innocent sister, Isabella, is portrayed to perfection by Geraldine Fitzgerald.

Gothic and dramatic, this Hollywood classic centers in the story of Heathcliff and Cathy and completely eliminates the existence of their children from the novel. However, the film is perfectly written, interpreting Heathcliff as a suffering soul rather than a revengeful one. The only other drastic change from the novel is the fate of Isabella, which in a way improves the impact of her character in the movie. Heathcliff’s fate is unforgettable, as are most scenes he shares with Cathy.

Ghostly, moody, beautiful.

“Haunt me, then! Haunt your murderer! Take any form! Drive me mad! I cannot live without my life! I cannot die without my soul!”

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Comments

Get your permanent avatar at Gravatar.com Morris wrote at 6/22/2002:

I know my fellow pal Groucho is a "Wuthering Heights" expert, but the only direct contact I've had with the classic story is throughout this movie, which, I must say, is brilliant. I love the passion of the story, the passion of the characters, the drama of the characters, and above all the photograpy. Those shots in the mountains are breathtaking. A true classic!

Get your permanent avatar at Gravatar.com Groucho wrote at 6/22/2002:

I'm flattered, bro.

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