Wuthering Heights (1970) – Nostalgia Central

This 1970 version took a little artistic licence in bringing Emily Bronte’s novel to the screen, as two exciting new personalities, Anna Calder-Marshall and Timothy Dalton, brought Cathy and Heathcliff’s tumultuous, tragic love story to life.

We see Heathcliff as a ragged young orphan boy (Jonathan Brewster) brought to Wuthering Heights farmhouse on the Yorkshire moors by Mr Earnshaw (Harry Andrews). The child immediately creates explosive emotions in his wife, Mrs Earnshaw (Rosalie Crutchley), his son Hindley (Mark Wilding), and his daughter Cathy (Gillian Hayes).

As the children grow, their feelings strengthen — Hindley (now played by Julian Glover) still hates Heathcliff, yet Cathy has grown to love him.

The elder Earnshaws die, and Hindley takes over as master — making life at the farmhouse hell for Heathcliff, who is treated worse than a servant.

Although Cathy loves Heathcliff, she realises their future together is non-existent and decides to marry the wealthy son of a neighbouring magistrate.

Degraded, unkempt and with nothing further to keep him at Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff runs off — to return some years later, mature, affluent and prepared to pay back all the wrongs done to him in the past.

First on Hindley, then on Cathy, now married to Edgar Linton (Ian Ogilvy) and pregnant. But the overwhelming love Cathy and Heathcliff – who has married Isabella Linton (Hilary Dwyer) –  bear for each other is still too strong and incites tragedy.

The competent cast captures the atmosphere of tragic foreboding maintained throughout.

Particularly agreeable, supplying just a little light relief from the sombre proceedings, is the performance given by Judy Cornwell in the small role of Nellie, the sympathetic maid.

The climactic ending is far removed from the original story (the film leaves out the latter part of the novel entirely), but nevertheless is a fitting conclusion.

American International Pictures (AIP) initially announced a sequel, Return to Wuthering Heights, to cover the missing sections of the original, but it was never made (almost certainly because this film proved a critical and box-office disaster).

TRIVIA NOTE
It was this particular film of Wuthering Heights that inspired singer Kate Bush to write her famous song

Cathy Earnshaw
Anna Calder-Marshall
Heathcliff
Timothy Dalton
Mr Earnshaw
Harry Andrews
Mrs Linton
Pamela Brown
Nellie
Judy Cornwell
Mr Linton
James Cossins
Mrs Earnshaw
Rosalie Crutchley
Isabella
Hilary Dwyer
Hindley Earnshaw
Julian Glover
Doctor Kenneth
Hugh Griffith
Frances
Morag Hood
Edgar Linton
Ian Ogilvy
Mr Shielders
Peter Sallis
Joseph
Aubrey Woods
Servant Girl
Wendy Allnutt
Mr Green
Dudley Foster
Hareton Earnshaw
Keith Buckley
Young Hindley
Mark Wilding
Young Heathcliff
Jonathan Brewster
Young Cathy
Gillian Hayes
Young Nellie
Libby Granger

Director
Robert Fuest

Video