Looking for thoughts on Charli xcx’s album? Read about that here.
“Wuthering Heights,” directed by Emerald Fennel, is an unsettling gothic tragedy disguised as a romance drama by the marketing, beautiful actors and sex.
The R-rated movie, which is the ninth film adaptation of its 1847 book in the public domain, stars Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff as the leading main characters. The movie was filmed by MRC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros.
It was released in theaters on Valentine’s Day and runs for 2 hours and 16 minutes.
Cathy is the daughter of a wealthy farmer and landowner, Mr. Earnshaw. Mr. Earnshaw decides to bring home a homeless and starving boy out of pity and Cathy names him Heathcliff.
From that day on, they are inseparable despite Cathy’s high social status and Heathcliff’s servile role in the home.
During a time when a woman’s safety, security and only role came from marrying and bearing children, Cathy had no other choice than to marry her wealthy neighbor, Mr. Linton; while Cathy loved Heathcliff deeply, she desired stability and security.
Casting director Kharmel Cochrane chose exceptional actors for the younger versions of the protagonists. Owen Cooper’s performance as a young Heathcliff was especially heartwrenching.
The film portrayed Isabella (played by Alison Oliver) and Heathcliff’s relationship as a kind of dominant-submissive, with Isabella being chained to the fireplace by a collar, barking and acting like a dog.
This came as a huge surprise and definite shock, this was not at all what I was expecting when I walked into this movie.
The over-sexualization of Isabella and Heathcliff’s dynamic and the affair between Cathy and Heathcliff made the movie an uncomfortable watch.
If we set aside all the overtly sexual aspects, like the puppy play and the very opening scene of the erotic hanging, I enjoyed the star-crossed lovers trope.
The colors used in the movie, namely its grey and red color scheme, added to its emotion and tone. The makeup, especially the blush, helped depict different emotions throughout the film, ranging from shades of baby pink to red.
With the use of baby pink flush used on Isabella, signifying her innocence and purity. Then Robbie’s blush changes from baby pink to a darker more natural red flush, expressing her inner turmoil and distress throughout the film.
Cathy’s wardrobe supports her character as the timeless beauty, with all of her dresses and corsets displaying pattern and shine.
Fashion enthusiasts will note the use of latex in Cathy’s wardrobe, which adds to the movie’s modern feeling.
The movie left me with a heavy heart and intense sadness. It broke my heart that their love story was doomed from the start.
If you’re in the mood for a devastating love story with hints of disturbing gothic literature, this is still worth a watch or two. Just know it has some weird scenes littered throughout.
