Wuthering Heights
Gipsy boy Heathcliffe is adopted by a god-fearing landowner in northern England and grows up as the soul-mate of the daughter, Cathy Earnshaw. When father dies, stern son Hindley returns and bans Heathcliffe to the stables; when they spy upon their upper class neighbors, Edgar Linton sends the dogs upon them and chases Heath but starts an affair -love comes only from him- with her. When Hindley's socialite wife Frances dies in childbirth, he is completely embittered, becomes a drunk unable to care for his son Hareton and has to sell Wuthering Hights- to Heathcliffe. After a misunderstanding Cathy marries Linton, Heath retorts by a loveless match with his sister. Even Cathy's death doesn't stop the cycle of spite, grief and harm so it poisons the next generation's lives as well while she keeps haunting Heathcliffe
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- Cast:
- Peter Davison , Orla Brady , Matthew Macfadyen , Sarah Smart , Tom Georgeson , Flora Montgomery , Crispin Bonham-Carter
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Reviews
Excellent, Without a doubt!!
everything you have heard about this movie is true.
It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.
This 1998 version of "Wuthering Heights" here depicts the emotional intensity, violence, and cruelty of the novel. Never a "sweet romance," it depicts the quite understandable actions of two "soulmates" and the destruction they wreak around them--a drama that somehow ends perfectly in another romance that promises to be as rich and soulful, if more temperate.As Cathy, Orla Brady has the beauty, brashness, and vitality of the original, if not as much of the desire to dominate others. As Heathcliff, Robert Cavanaugh has intensity, intelligence, and physicality, if not the "otherness" of appearance that the book describes. Together, Brady and Cavanaugh show the primal need for each other that is so essential to the book.Like all other film adaptations, this film suffers from the needs of practical aspects of film-making. The essential parts of the story happen when Cathy and Heathcliff are about ages 8-9, 12-13, and 15-16. As in most films, most of these events are played by actors much older than are credible for the events portrayed. It makes no sense for a mature Heathcliff to stay at Wuthering Heights, but it does for a boy of 12 or 13. Why would Cathy value the attentions of a wealthy neighbor? Because she is only 15 and wants to become part of the elite in a stratified society.Maybe someday the film industry will find a way to show people growing and evolving--then one can finally have a perfect film version of "Wuthering Heights." But as it stands, the bleak, yet beautiful landscape, the characters' isolation, and the depth and complexity of each main character are admirably presented. If only the film could be longer! Melanie Matson, 6-11-10
A wonderful, faithful adaptation, the 1998 version of Wuthering Heights captures all the romance, brutality and passion of the novel. Orla Brady is stunning as Cathy and truly captures the character, particularly towards the end of the story. Robert Cavanah is also wonderful as Heathcliff, the story's complex (and challenging to play, I'm sure) antihero. The rest of the performances are emotionally charged as well, and no one seems to fall short. One of the great things about this story is how real and complex its characters are. No one is totally angelic or demonic, -good people are driven to do terrible things, and the worst of people love more passionately than all the others. It is a dark, beautiful story, filled with romance and suffering. For fans of the novel, this is the most faithful adaptation I have found, and for those of you who have not read the book, it is a beautiful, moving film.
I find that this 1998 Masterpiece theater TV version follows the novel of the same name pretty faithfully. One who has never read the novel may find the action moving too quickly, so that the flow of the movie may seem slightly abrupt or choppy. However, the movie is only 2 hours long, which is probably why they had to cut out parts of the book and take some liberties with ages and certain details. That does not detract too much from the enjoyment of this movie, which despite its choppiness, has excellent acting, beautiful cinematography (the landscapes are breathtaking), and a wonderfully wrought out, bitter plot which focuses on three generations of two families who are intimately interlocked with each other. Heathcliff definitely comes off as the cruel, embittered man he is in the book, and it's great to see a TV movie capture the personalities of all the characters so well. Highly recommended movie.
Emily Bronte would have been proud of this version of Wuthering Heights.While it is rather rushed,it makes up for it by sticking to the nature of the story.It still bears resemblance to the book. Orla Brady was a superb Cathy.She looked and acted just the way she should.Robert Cavangh did not really look like a good Heathcliff,but his acting was good and I suppose that is what mattered.POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEADThe part where Cathy and Heathcliff were children was rushed.They were still children when Cathy stayed at the Lintons and so were Edgar and Isabella,but here they were all adults.Also Nelly was an adult all through the film,but she was supposed to be a child.I think what they should have done was have 2 young actors for Cathy,Nelly and Heathcliff and young actors for Edgar and Isabella.I also think that the Christmas bit was not how it should have been.Anyway,this is a very accurate version and sticks to the nature of the story.I think if it did not it would have been awful. This is a superb version.