Bîrlădeanu Adrian

Cls. a IX-a B

Wuthering Heights

“Wuthering Heights” is a novel written by Emily Bronte in the nineteenth

century. Three movies have been made on this book: one in 1939(which will be
examined in this review), one in 1992 and another one in 2009.

The 1939 movie was directed by William Wyler and the cast contained some of
the greatest names of cinematography, such as Merle Oberon (Catherine),
Laurence Olivier (Heathcliff), David Niven (Edgar Lyndon) and was produced by
Samuel Goldwyn Company.

The 1939 movie is quite similar with the book, but there some differences that
appear from the very beginning. To start with, Ellen, the narrator of
Catherine’s tale, according to the book, lived at Grange. However, the movie
presents her as a resident of Wuthering Heights. Also, Catherine’s daughter
and Hindley’s son never appear in the movie. In the beginning, when the first
narrator entered Heathcliff’s house, instead of being served by Catherine’s
daughter, he was probably served by Isabelle who, in the book, by that time,
had already died.

It is also worth mentioning that the movie presented the image of a house
where Heathcliff was the supreme leader, where everyone listened to him. He
treated everyone just as they were dogs. Also, in the voice of his wife, when
she said she would bring some tea, fear could be read. The dehumanization of
Heathcliff was due to the pain suffered when Catherine died.

Ellen, the story and the characters are linked to Wuthering Heights and that
was the reason for which the discussion about Catherine’s life had to take
place there, where all the linking elements with the past (Ellen and the house)
could be present.

As for the subject, it is the same both in the movie, and in the book: the
fascination for a prosperous, honorable, aristocratic life under the protection
of Edgar Lyndon, and the passion for the mysterious side of Heathcliff that
inspires force, power, that make him look as a demon. And demons have
Bîrlădeanu Adrian
Cls. a IX-a B

always fascinated people. She chose Edgar. However, her love for Heathcliff
would ultimately bring her death.

There is also a contradiction in the movie. Heathcliff, who seems a very

powerful, proud person, gave up at his pride just so that he could remain with
Catherine, even though that meant being a humble servant.

Regarding the plot, the book’s and movie’s are quite similar, but there are
some major differences, too. There are two temporal plans the plan in which
the narrator is the visitor, which in the movie differs much from that of the
book, and the plan in which the narrator is Ellen. While in the book the first
one ends with the friendship of Catherine’s daughter with Hindley’s son, in the
movie it ends with Heathcliff’s death.

The second temporal plan in the movie is more similar to that of the book than
the first one. Everything respects the plot of the book until the second return
of Heathcliff, when, according to the book, he finds Hindley with a son. Also,
the movie doesn’t present much of Hindley’s struggles and fears and focuses
more on Heathcliff’s passion for Catherine and, on a minor plan, on Isabelle’s
love for Heathcliff.

Both the movie and the book end by returning to the first temporal level.
However, the movie, unlike the book, ends with Heathcliff’s death.

The message, both of the movie, and of the book, is that, in order to be happy
in life, one must also listen to his heart.