Wuthering Heights

Emily Bront('s famous 1847 novel of doomed love and cruel revenge has been filmed innumerable times, with the most famous version doubtlessly being William Wyler's gorgeous 1939 Hollywood movie starring the incomparable Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier. Although beautifully done, Wyler's film only covered the first half of the book; by contrast, this 1998 British production may well be the most faithful of all the adaptations. At slightly less than two hours, this version necessarily alters some details and suffers from some omissions, but it also encompasses Bront('s whole multigenerational narrative arc. Handsomely filmed in atmospheric locations with an authentic feel, and accompanied by a suitably lush background score, this Wuthering Heights unfortunately lacks a cast that would bring the story fully alive--which is most apparent in the lead performances of Robert Cavanah and Orla Brady as the star-crossed lovers: he projects Heathcliff's surliness and despair but little of his charisma, while she works strenuously but doesn't quite convey the depth of Cathy's passion. More workmanlike than enthralling, this is a solid, relatively complete version of Bront('s classic, but for capturing the spirit of the novel, the Oberon-Olivier pairing remains unmatched. Presented with a decent DVD transfer, but no extras, this is recommended, overall. (F. Swietek)