20 – Wuthering Heights (1992)

Wuthering Heights REVIEW

4.5/5 stars

Director - Peter Kosminsky

Cast - Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Janet McTeer, Jeremy Northam, Jason Riddington, Jonathan Firth, Simon Shephard

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Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights has been adapted for the screen a few times. Actors from Laurence Olivier to Tom Hardy to Timothy Dalton have taken on the role of Heathcliff; a character who is at the top of the pile when it comes to dark, brooding, tragically romantic figures. Ralph Fiennes plays the role in this film, and he is in my opinion the best Heathcliff yet.

The film itself it done very well on the technical side. The cinematography is perfectly suited to the rough and wild love story, and we get some breath-taking views of the moors. The music is haunting and tragic, perfectly fitting both the images and storyline.

The lead actress, Juliette Binoche (who plays a double role in this movie, of mother and, later on, daughter) is very good, making a great pairing with Fiennes. She perfectly distinguishes between her two characters, yet still reminds us why Heathcliff would be haunted by their similarities. Supporting actors do well, Jeremy Northam and Janet McTeer being the standouts.

The reason some would be turned away by the movie is the melancholy and melodramatic story line. If done the wrong way we would have a train wreck of a movie, but here it is given just the right touch. We believe the characters have such hatred or love for each other, and the performances help as well. The ending is haunting and heart breaking.

OVERALL

This is a great romance in the Old Hollywood tradition. It really is emotionally engaging, and though some may feel it goes over the top in some areas, it still holds the viewers attention. Recommended to anyone with a fairly open mind.

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TRAILER

“Wuthering Heights” on other websites:

IMDB —– Rotten Tomatoes —– Wikipedia

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