For a novel published almost 180 years ago, Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights,” the soul-crushing story of the obsessive love between Catherine and Heathcliff, remains a literary and pop culture standard, remade and retold 35 times, in film, TV movie, and series adaptations. Even the Kate Bush song “Wuthering Heights,” from her 1978 “The Kick Inside” album, has additional versions recorded by Pat Benatar and Cécile McLorin Salvant.
“Loosely inspired” by the Bronte novel (hence the intentional quotation marks), Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Emerald (“Promising Young Woman”) Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” (Warner Brothers) would likely make all the Bronte sisters blush. Setting the bleak tone from the start (with a town-square hanging), we are introduced to the young Cathy (Charlotte Mellington), of landed gentry (the withering titular house), and her companion Nelly (Vy Nguyen). Cathy lives with her boozing and gambling widower father (Martin Clunes). One day, she is surprised by the presence of another young person, rescued from the street by her father, whom she names Heathcliff (Owen Cooper). Cathy and Heathcliff grow up together, with the often-abused boy constantly reminded that he is not their family.
Years later, Cathy (Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi), as well as Nelly (Hong Chau), have blossomed into young adults. Cathy and Heathcliff are close but somehow manage to tamp down the growing attraction they share. When a much wealthier family, the Lintons, headed by eligible bachelor Edgar (Shazad Latif), and his ward Isabella (Alison Oliver) move in nearby, it drastically changes Cathy and Heathcliff’s relationship.
It becomes increasingly apparent that, regardless of her feelings for Heathcliff, the only way that Cathy can escape her Wuthering Heights fate is to accept Edgar’s marriage proposal. Following a proper courtship, she consents. Despite having promised Cathy years earlier that he would always be with her, a devastated Heathcliff rides off on horseback, into the sunset, and stays away for five years.
When he returns, a significantly changed man, the ensuing chaos Heathcliff creates in Cathy’s life, marriage, and especially friendship with Nelly, is devastating. But nothing, short of death, could possibly save these star-crossed lovers.
As austere as the windy-whipped, fog-choked moors by which they are surrounded, “‘Wuthering Heights’,” does provide some needed comic relief in the form of Isabella. To Oliver’s credit, she steals every single scene in which she appears. It doesn’t matter whether Isabella is fawning over Cathy, destroying the doll she made in Cathy’s likeness, or becoming Heathcliff’s tortured submissive, Oliver rises to the occasion whenever she’s on screen. Elordi, and his hairy, muscular chest are a decent distraction, but not enough to make it worth sitting through two hours and fifteen minutes of Margot Robbie’s scenery chewing (sorry, Margot). The blame falls squarely on Fennell’s shoulders, for whom the third time was definitely not the charm.
Rating: C
