Wuthering Heights (TV 1998)

Gipsy boy Heathcliffe is adopted by a god-fearing landowner in northern England and grows up as the soul-mate of the daughter, Cathy Earnshaw. When father dies, stern son Hindley returns ... See full summary »

Director:

David Skynner

Writers:

Emily Brontë (novel), Neil McKay

Stars:

Robert Cavanah, Peter Davison, Orla Brady

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Cavanah	...	Heathcliff
Peter Davison	...	Joseph Lockwood
Orla Brady	...	Cathy
Tom Georgeson	...	Joseph
Matthew Macfadyen	...	Hareton Earnshaw
Sarah Smart	...	Catherine Linton
Kadie Savage	...	Young Cathy
Ken Kitson	...	Mr. Earnshaw
Kevin Knapman	...	Young Hindley (as Kevin Jones)
Terry Clynes	...	Young Heathcliff
Polly Hemingway	...	Nelly Dean
Ian Shaw	...	Hindley
Catherine Chesire	...	Frances
Flora Montgomery	...	Isabella
David Maybrick	...	Gaddick

Storyline

Gipsy boy Heathcliffe is adopted by a god-fearing landowner in northern England and grows up as the soul-mate of the daughter, Cathy Earnshaw. When father dies, stern son Hindley returns and bans Heathcliffe to the stables; when they spy upon their upper class neighbors, Edgar Linton sends the dogs upon them and chases Heath but starts an affair -love comes only from him- with her. When Hindley's socialite wife Frances dies in childbirth, he is completely embittered, becomes a drunk unable to care for his son Hareton and has to sell Wuthering Hights- to Heathcliffe. After a misunderstanding Cathy marries Linton, Heath retorts by a loveless match with his sister. Even Cathy's death doesn't stop the cycle of spite, grief and harm so it poisons the next generation's lives as well while she keeps haunting Heathcliffe...

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

Two hearts that beat as one

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

PBS [us]

Country:

UK

Release Date:

18 October 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cumbres borrascosas

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Weekend Television (LWT), WGBH

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of Cumbres borrascosas (1979)

User Reviews

ALMOST the book, and certainly a very good adaptation

Out of the four versions of Wuthering Heights available on DVD {1939, 1971 and 1992 being the others}, this is the closest to the book. It's far from being a perfect adaptation, the definitive version is still to come. Of course the 1939 version is artistically far superior to any of the others, but it's the least faithful adaptation. Both this version and the 1971 version stopped virtually half way through the story. The 1993 one did attempt to tell the whole story, but was somewhat stuffy and lacking in the intense emotion required. This TV movie, shown in two parts, is far more successful in telling the whole story, and certainly does not lack for emotion.

There are a few changes {maybe one day we will be able to see Heathcliff and Cathy first meet the Lintons as children rather than adults} and the first part of the story is rushed. There is the odd unnecessary touch, such as seeing Heathcliff semi-rape his wife. Generally,though,it's pretty faithful, does most of the great scenes in the book well and even adds a few details from the book that were not in the other mentioned versions at at all, such as Heathcliff tying up Isabelle's dog, or Heathcliff throwing a knife at her. Orla Brady is as close to the Cathy from the book as one can get, and while Robert Cavanagh is visually not an ideal Heathcliff, he really shows the evil of the character like few others.

Despite all this, this modestly produced version still manages to have a great deal of the required emotion, and despite Heathcliff's nastiness the filmmakers still manage to make one almost feel his pain and torment. The ending is beautifully done, aided by some very John Barry-like music.

It's not the perfect adaptation, but it will certainly do. However, a message for the next person to film Wuthering Heights- make it a lot LONGER!