1939 was a very strong year in film, so it’s ok if Wuthering Heights falls way behind The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and others in the history books. I certainly enjoyed catching up on all the Best Picture winners in the last couple years. I also like watching this also-ran films (i.e. Best Picture nominees). Wuthering Heights got a bunch of nominations but it really did disappear in a lot of ways. Having William Wyler as the director and Laurence Olivier as a star certainly helps people find this, but it’s not that memorable. I’m always thrown off when reviews at the time call a movie dull. I get why I may think it’s dull now. Older films work at a different pace that I’m not as accustomed to. But if contemporary audiences were like “Oh, another sleepy Bronte adaptation” that’s something. The movie is ok though. Performance and direction are good. Nothing about it really stands out. And, I can’t be the only one uncomfortable with how the poster borders on blackface for Olivier.
Verdict: Weakly Don’t Recommend
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