Cinephile No. 1,385 “Wuthering Heights”
Recommendation: 3/5 Stars
Plot: “A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.” -IMDB
Review: Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights” was required reading at my small-town high school in Southwest Oklahoma. Before seeing this movie, the only thing I could remember about the book was that it didn’t make a lasting impression on me. Over the last twenty-five years, the main characters and plot points have been forgotten and replaced by stories with more personal staying power.
I approached this version of “Wuthering Heights,” which I now understand is loosely based on the original novel, with fresh eyes. I hoped the director, Emerald Fennell, might give us a modern twist on the classic story. And boy, do we get a new take, in some fantastically wild ways.
Starring Margot Robbie as Catherine and Jacob Eldori as Heathcliff, this new interpretation begins in a haunting home slowly being robbed of its beauty and luster. Both inside and out, it is defined by an environment of aggression. Wuthering Heights, the home of Catherine, and her adopted brother (for lack of a better word, Heathcliff), is a volatile home filled with violence, abuse, drunkenness, and poverty thanks to a father who drinks and gambles too much.
As Catherine and Heathcliff morph into adults before our eyes, we see a pair who find safety and security in each other’s presence. Personally, I found this first act of the story gripping and powerful. Unfortunately, it is in act two and three where any love I had for this film begins to wane.
Catherine must escape Wuthering Heights. She longs for it. As a woman in the late 1700’s, the easiest path before her is to marry about her class and escape into the arms of a loving and wealthy husband. When the right guy comes along in the form of Edgar (Shazad Latif), Catherine jumps at the opportunity to leave the misery of Wuthering Heights behind. But before walking away toward her new life, she is sexually awakened. The source of this awakening? It is none other than Heathcliff. Cue the dramatic music!
At first, Catherine chooses the safety and security of Edgar, but by doing so she denies the wishes of heart, beginning the next chapter of her life with a lie; a lie which sends Heathcliff far from the Yorkshire Moors. With nothing to satiate her love for two men, but her obscene wealth, meticulously crafted clothes, and the finest foods to comfort her, she turns the page on what might have been with Heathcliff. She also gives us the foundation for every romance novel, soap opera, and tortured love story that will come after the release of this book.
As this book transitions into its third act, we come to the great challenge before our main characters, and the crux of what I found frustrating about this film. If you have interacted with any of the stories inspired by “Wuthering Heights,” you know the formula, and you know what comes next. Heathcliff returns! Cue the dramatic music again!
Heathcliff returns to the Yorkshire Moors tortured, wealthy, and well-traveled. With time, distance, and a personal purchase of Wuthering Heights, he has evolved into someone Catherine could love. And she fully embraces this idea with a modern affair that would have made Emile Bronte blush.
In their affair, we get some of the steamiest moments of this film, but I also came to an understanding. Catherine and Heathcliff are not good people. Rather, they are exhausting, petulant children solely focused on their own needs and desires. They are completely oblivious to others. As their torrid affair morphs into a tale of revenge and the unearthing of long-held secrets, I found myself exhausted by both characters. I found myself longing for them to lose.
“Wuthering Heights” features stunning set and costume design. It takes some liberties and big swings with its modern interpretation of the classic novel. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi give their all to this story. The cinematography and direction breathe new life into a world many of us have not thought about since high school. Yet, I found its story frustrating, kept at a distance, and without a singular character worthy of admiration. This might have been the goal of Bronte. It might have been the goal of this batch of filmmakers, but for me it is an emotionally dead film that is best left to the shelves of your local bookstore.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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