Wuthering Heights (1992)

Director:

Peter Kosminsky

Writers:

Emily Brontë (novel) and
Anne Devlin (writer)

Release Date:

16 October 1992 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A passion. An obsession. A love that destroyed everyone it touched.

Plot:

Heathcliff is Cathy Earnshaw's foster brother; more than that, he is her other half. When forces within and without tear them apart...

Plot Keywords:

Moors | Period Piece | England | Remake | British

Cast

Juliette Binoche	...	Cathy Linton / Catherine Earnshaw
Ralph Fiennes	...	Heathcliff
Janet McTeer	...	Ellen Dean
Sophie Ward	...	Isabella Linton
Simon Shepherd	...	Edgar Linton
Jeremy Northam	...	Hindley Earnshaw
Jason Riddington	...	Hareton Earnshaw
Simon Ward	...	Mr. Linton
Dick Sullivan	...	Parson
Robert Demeger	...	Joseph
Paul Geoffrey	...	Mr. Lockwood
John Woodvine	...	Mr. Earnshaw
Jennifer Daniel	...	Mrs. Linton
Janine Wood	...	Frances Earnshaw
Jonathan Firth	...	Linton Heathcliff

Also Known As:

Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Spain:13 | UK:U | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Aysgarth Falls, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Ralph Fiennes insisted on keeping a scene from the book in which Heathcliff bangs his head against a tree, pining for Cathy. He did it so sedulously, that he drew blood.

Quotes:

Cathy Linton: If I've done wrong I'm dying for it.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: Kamp Krusty (#4.1)" (1992)

Quite faithful version, but somewhat stiff and lacking in emotion

SPOILERS Much has been made of this version of Emily Bronte's novel being the first cinematic version to be really faithful to her book. For once, we see the story continue after Cathy's death, and Heathcliff is shown to be truly villainous. More importantly ,this version gets across the fact that BOTH Heathcliff and Cathy are mean, selfish people who destroy themselves, each other and don't seem bothered about destroying others too. Ralph Fiennes is almost Bronte's character on screen, and skillfully maintains a bit of sympathy for Heathcliff even when he is committing the most dreadful of acts. Visually the film, filmed for once in Yorkshire, is terrific- bleak in an almost beautiful way, and a few scenes, such as the hand of Cathy's ghost in the window, are indeed excellently done.

However the film is seriously flawed by it's odd lack of emotion. There is a stiff, 'Merchant Ivory' feel to the film, completely wrong with a story as full of powerful, destructive emotions such as this. Only one scene, when Heathcliff cradles Cathy's body in her grave, really has any real power. Heathcliff's end and reunion with Cathy should be tearjerking, but is hardly moving at all. The attempt to include more of Bronte's plot is not too successful either, because many important scenes are rushed to keep the running time low. And there are some odd changes which do not work. What is the point of having Emily Bronte at the start and at the end, especially when Lockwood still narrates the main story? Why do Heathcliff and Cathy appear to have a sexual relationship, and right near the beginning? Why have Heathcliff beat up his wife? Yes, he mistreated her but having him as a wife batterer makes no sense, is he not bad enough already?

Still a reasonably worthy attempt than, but, in terms of cinema, the 1939 version is far superior.