Wuthering Heights  – The highs and lows of true love but probably not as any (or many) of us know it!

This story is the only one told in book form by Emily Bronte from the creatively famous Bronte household where the family were  based in a parsonage in Haworth Yorkshire. Having visited there I can reflect that it is on the edge of misty moors at the top of a cobbled street lined with shops pubs and tea rooms and a mere several paces away from the Church.  Not to spoil it for those who wish to visit I will not digress from this review and get on with commenting on the latest film which is a mould breaker in several ways!

Heathcliff  is played by Jacob Elordi who is currently a favourite in a long list – to play the next James Bond.  He morphs from being a raggle taggle urchin with little social grace though with a big heart, into an endearing but almost frightening  and powerful sidekick to his beloved Cathy during their time together. He oozes sex appeal throughout the story if one may use these two words in the current climate, and the two actors seem to have chemistry, with Margot Robbie  making the story a true “bodice ripper”. Of course there is some eroticism peppered throughout the film as the longtime love affair between the two engulfs and devours us as the plot unfolds.

The intense gothic portrayal of their love affair explores themes of social class, social alienation and revenge and the scenery is mostly depicted as dark and brooding, melancholy and relentlessly misty and challenging though there are some scenes where this is not the norm. The erotic and love scenes seem to fit the theme with Cathy portrayed as a  beautiful but highly flawed character.

In the book, Heathcliff is described as a “dark skinned gypsy” but in this particular take on the story, he is dark haired, dark eyed and though white skinned he has a continental aspect to his handsomeness. 

As we now have longer films one must not take time to nap as the story builds to its own particular crescendo and as the book has been criticised, it is relentlessly negative though so powerful that one comes out of the cinema mostly feeling refreshed. How can this be?  Well in this particular version the acting alone is refreshingly way out of what one might have come to expect in some movies and true genius is at work with all the flawed characterisations. They are all so likeable and that includes Linton who takes Cathy as his wife and is so patient with her misdeeds with the indulgent love of Heathcliff.

Like many very interesting novels there is, as yet no sequel and it would have to be about Heathcliff .  It is the same with The Great Gatsby only the other way round! If you’re wondering what I mean just watch or read both and you will see!

Jacob Elordi – Heathcliff,  Margot Robbie  – Catherine Earnshaw,  Martin Clunes – Catherines Father. Mr Earnshaw. Director – Emerald Ferrell, Author of the book Emily Bronte – first published in the pen name of Ellis Bell in 1847. Other stars include Hon Chau – Nelly, Shazad Latif – Edgar Linton, and Alison Oliver – Isabella Linton, amongst the rest of the very talented cast. 

Enough and ENJOY!

Penny Nair Price