Never read the novel, so I am only reviewing this movie. The message of the story seems to be that if one chooses money, wealth and comfort over "true" romantic love, (a clear binary choice) then misery and discontent is sure to follow. It's debatable as to whether many people make such a clear binary choice when choosing a romantic partner. Regardless, the 2 primary characters in this movie fail to make a case for either choice, because they clearly suffer from some type of pathological neurosis. Cathy has a type of split personality, where she flips from being nice and enchanted by Heathcliff, to being totally cold and repulsed by his lack of status. None of it comes across as natural, realistic or convincing except in the sense that she's just as insane as Heathcliff, who clearly can't get over a childhood grudge, can't let go of a childhood fantasy and will do anything to exact his revenge. Even, Isabella, Heathcliff's well bred wife, isn't immune to their insanity. She's sucked into it and becomes just as irrational, obsessed and dejected as they have become. It's all over the top, way over the top, crazy melodrama. At no point, can you root for the characters, because as stated, they are clearly irrational and borderline insane. Take a look at some of their closeups. Heathcliff will give a look of pathological menace, while Cathy(Oberon) will emote a look of sheer anxiety and terror, as if the world is going to explode. I can't find anything to like about this movie regardless of how many awards it won or was nominated for.
Review of Wuthering Heights
