Wuthering Heights

1939
Approved
1h 44m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

20K

YOUR RATING

The story of unfortunate lovers Heathcliff and Cathy who, despite a deep affection for one another, are forced by circumstance and prejudice to live their apart...

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Drama Romance

A servant in the house of Wuthering Heights tells a traveler the unfortunate tale of lovers Cathy and Heathcliff.A servant in the house of Wuthering Heights tells a traveler the unfortunate tale of lovers Cathy and Heathcliff.A servant in the house of Wuthering Heights tells a traveler the unfortunate tale of lovers Cathy and Heathcliff.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

20K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 1 Oscar
- 7 wins & 7 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 1:53

Wuthering Heights (1939)

Photos47

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Storyline

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Trivia
Laurence Olivier found himself becoming increasingly annoyed with director William Wyler's exhausting style of filmmaking. After yet another take, he is said to have exclaimed, "For God's sake, I did it sitting down. I did it with a smile. I did it with a smirk. I did it scratching my ear. I did it with my back to the camera. How do you want me to do it?" Wyler's retort was, "I want it better." However, Olivier later said these multiple takes helped him learn to succeed as a movie actor.

Goofs
Though the social situations, and even the soundtrack, are consistent with the novel's timeframe of 1770-1801, the Colonial/Napoleonic era, the costumes are an odd mix of mid-Victorian and American Civil War.

Quotes
Heathcliff: Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest so long as I live on! I killed you. Haunt me, then! Haunt your murderer! I know that ghosts have wandered on the Earth. Be with me always. Take any form, drive me mad, only do not leave me in this dark alone where I cannot find you. I cannot live without my life! I cannot die without my soul.

Crazy credits
Opening credits prologue: On the barren Yorkshire moors in England, a hundred years ago, stood a house as bleak and desolate as the wastes around it. Only a stranger lost in a storm would have dared to knock at the door of Wuthering Heights.

Alternate versions
There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA Srl: "CIME TEMPESTOSE (1939) + ORGOGLIO E PREGIUDIZIO (1940)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.

Connections
Featured in AFI Life Achievement Award: AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to William Wyler (1976)

Soundtracks
Piano Sonata in A major, K.331: Rondo alla Turca
(1778) (uncredited)
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Played by Alice Ehlers on harpsichord

User reviews175

Review

Featured review

8/10

Very moving film

I have not read the Emily Bronte novel on which this film is based so obviously I cannot comment on the effectiveness of it as an adaptation (I understand that almost the entire second half of the book was excised). However, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Oberon and especially Olivier, one of my favorites, are very convincing and moving as the doomed lovers Cathy and Heathcliff (according to my friend, Heathcliff is written as being much more likeable in the film than in the book). The supporting cast was also very good. Wuthering Heights just deals very poignantly with the effect that birth and status have on people's lives. Yet another winner from Wyler. My score 9/10.