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Wuthering Heights (1970)

Rate: 5
Viewed: 5/25

Wuth70
5/25: I read the book by Emily Brontë but didn't care for it and thought of it as an ordinary story of hate.

Then, I saw Wuthering Heights with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon and found it to be a joke, showing little in common with the book, especially in tone. While watching the 1970 version, I felt relief as it's much closer to the book with the right person for the role of Heathcliff although the ending involving Hindley is totally incorrect.

However, the longer the film goes on, the more dull it is. It's how I felt while reading the book, rarely capturing my attention. People come and go, and some of them die. Heathcliff is never satisfied, and his anger eventually consumes everybody. The odd passage of time is accurate because that's how it happened in the book.

As Heathcliff, Timothy Dalton is a good choice and has the looks, but the power isn't quite there. I think Oliver Reed would've done a better job because of his larger-than-life personality. He can also be super mean as opposed to Laurence Olivier who was too nice. On the other hand, Anna Calder-Marshall is hopeless and not bitchy enough as Catherine. The passion between her and Timothy Dalton isn't convincing. At least, the moors of Yorkshire, England, are shown a lot whereas it was faked in the other film.

All in all, if I have to recommend which version to go with for Wuthering Heights, it's this one by far.