Watch the Novel

Length: 100 mins

Director: William Wyler

Producer: Samuel Goldwyn

Main Actors: Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon, David Niven, Flora Robson

Locations: A farmhouse at least but a little too Gothic and too spacious.

Characters: Heathcliff too handsome and well spoken ― he was supposed to be far less attractive than Edgar; Isabella is as dark as Catherine when she is supposed to be a contrasting blonde; Edgar also dark-haired; Ellen too old; Joseph too pleasant; few Yorkshire accents.

"I am Heathcliff" Speech:

Coverage: Single generation

Film Locations: Janss Conejo Ranch, Thousand Oaks, California, USA

My Rating:
I'm sorry, this may be a great love story and wonderful film in itself but, as an adaptation of Wuthering Heights, it is very poor. The accuracy is dreadful (the titles even say "Emily Bronté" rather than "Brontë" for heavens sake!), the characters are almost unrecognisable and the setting a century and a half out. Enjoy it as a romance but if you watch it as a portrayal of the book, you will be disappointed.

Length: 100 mins

Director: Robert Fuest

Producer: Samuel Arkoff and James Nicholson

Main Actors: Timothy Dalton, Anna Calder-Marshall, Judy Cornwell, Julian Glover, Ian Ogilvy

Locations: Wuthering Heights is accurately shown as a large farmhouse, very close to the book (although the main room is still single-storeyed.

Characters: Generally good with Ellen shown as a teenager when Heathcliff arrives, a rare accuracy in Wuthering Heights adaptations. Frances is a little too sturdy and Isabella is not blonde.

"I am Heathcliff" Speech:

Coverage: Single generation

Film Locations: Unidentified farmhouse in West Yorkshire (Wuthering Heights); Weston Hall, Otley, West Yorkshire (Thrushcross Grange); Brimham Rocks, Summerbridge, North Yorkshire (Penistone Crags)

My Rating:
The fact that it only covers the single generation rather than the whole story, and the poor coverage of the important speeches, reduces the rating for this version. There is no Lockwood and consequently no ghost at the window, an iconic moment.

Length: 255 mins

Director: Peter Hammond

Producer: Jonathan Powell

Main Actors: Ken Hutchison, Kay Adshead, John Duttine, Cathryn Harrison, Andrew Burleigh

Locations: A proper farmhouse, accurate even down to the carved porch and double height main room although rather short on outbuildings.

Characters: Generally resemble the book descriptions closely but seem weak at times: Joseph is not quite nasty enough, Cathy, at the beginning, not as reserved and unfriendly as the novel. Catherine (the mother) is also too old. Some of the acting, especially the children, is poor.

"I am Heathcliff" Speech:

Coverage: Both generations

Film Locations:

My Rating: This is without a doubt the most accurate depiction of the novel, following the novel almost line by line. This is thanks in part to the long running time (at twice that of the others) but it is let down a little by the production values which often look clearly studio-bound and relying on poor special effects.

Length: 102 mins

Director: Peter Kosminsky

Producer: Mary Selway

Main Actors: Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Sophie Ward, Janet McTeer, Simon Shepherd

Locations: Wuthering Heights is more like a gothic mansion than a farmhouse and stands alone, not with other farm buildings. The interior is rather darker than it should be although the 'house' (main room) is at least the full double height.

Characters: Some poor characterisation. Juliette Binoche plays both Catherines although there is supposed to be no similarity apart from their eyes; Isabella is a brunette rather than a blonde; Ellen is not stout enough. Lack of Yorkshire accents in main characters.

"I am Heathcliff" Speech:

Coverage: Both generations

Film Locations: Aysgarth Falls, North Yorkshire; Broughton Hall, Broughton, Skipton, West Yorkshire (Thrushcross Grange); East Riddlesdon Hall, Keighley, West Yorkshire; Grassington, North Yorkshire (Wuthering Heights); Malham Cove, North Yorkshire; Malham Rocks, North Yorkshire; Shibden Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire; Yorkshire Moors
Note: the building used for Wuthering Heights was specially constructed for the film and does not exist.

My Rating:
Loses out on some of the accuracy (see Locations and Characters above) but is a reasonable attempt at the novel and is not as bad as the critics suggest. Great atmospheric music from Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Length: 113 mins

Director: David Skynner

Producer: Louise Berridge

Main Actors: Robert Cavanah, Orla Brady, Crispen Bonham-Carter, Ian Shaw, Ken Kitson

Locations: Wuthering Heights is a realistic-looking farmhouse although a little small.

Characters: Generally accurate physical appearances although Frances seems a little strong and Hareton is not quite right. Many characters have some Yorkshire accent.

"I am Heathcliff" Speech:

Coverage: Both generations

Film Locations:

My Rating:
A little longer than the average movie, this means it can follow the full story without cutting back the details. My favourite of the versions I have watched, quite accurate to the book and well made.

Length: 180 mins

Director: Coky Giedroyc

Producer: Radford Neville

Main Actors: Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley, Andrew Lincoln, Sarah Lancashire

Locations: Like the 1992 film, Wuthering Heights is portrayed like a gothic mansion, missing the farm buildings it should lie with. The interior also looks too grand.

Characters: Although the elder Catherine and Heathcliff look good (if still too old), many of the characters stray too far from the descriptions in the novel.

"I am Heathcliff" Speech:

Coverage: Both generations

Film Locations: East Riddlesdon Hall, Keighley, West Yorkshire; Oakwell Hall, Batley, West Yorkshire; Yorkshire Moors, North Yorkshire; Stockeld Park, Wetherby, Yorkshire

My Rating: A confusing and unnecessary structure which starts three quarters into the story and too many alterations to the novel make this a poor adaptation of Emily's masterpiece. And the loss of the most iconic moment in Wuthering Heights — Catherine's ghost at the window — is unforgivable.