*This article contains spoilers for both the book and movie versions of Wuthering Heights.*
Saltburn is one of my favorite movie releases in the past few years. Director Emerald Fennell’s cinematography and storytelling completely captivated me, and the movie left me anticipating her future projects. When it was announced that Fennell was set to direct a movie adaptation of Emily Brontё’s iconic novel Wuthering Heights, I was thrilled.
I read Wuthering Heights during my senior year of high school. As a class, we studied, analyzed, and discussed the book for weeks. Though it was four years ago, I remember absolutely loving this book. We read many pieces during the AP Literature class, but Brontё’s novel stood out as one of my favorites.
Needless to say, I was greatly anticipating the release of Fennell’s take on this iconic story.
The movie looked and felt beautiful; the cinematography was great, the sets were breathtaking, and the soundtrack was exquisite. However, I have some bones to pick with the story.
When it comes to movie adaptations, I would never expect the story to be a replica of the book. However, the film lacked many of the novel’s key elements. Fennell’s story ends after the death of Catherine Linton, while in Brontë’s version, she dies halfway through the novel. As a result, many impactful story elements are omitted, such as the symbolism of ghosts, and Heathcliff and Isabella’s son eventually marrying Catherine and Edgar’s daughter. Additionally, Fennell removes Catherine’s older brother, Hindley Earnshaw, from the story and instead assigns his father the harsh traits that originally characterized Hindley.
One of the most prominent controversies surrounding the film was the casting of Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. In Brontë’s novel, Heathcliff is described as a “dark-skinned gipsy.” His race plays an important role in how other characters treat him. Many were rightly disappointed about Elordi’s casting, as he didn’t fit the description of the novel version of Heathcliff. Emerald Fennell said she cast Elordi because he “looked exactly like the illustration of Heathcliff” on the copy of Wuthering Heights she read when she was younger. This explanation was met with loads of criticism, as many agreed that Heathcliff’s racial identity in the novel was vital to his character.
If I had never read Wuthering Heights, I probably would have thoroughly enjoyed the film. Some parts made me laugh, I enjoyed the soundtrack, and the actors’ performances were great. However, there was too much missing from the film – important details necessary for a full understanding of the story.
Ultimately, Fennell’s Wuthering Heights (2026) feels less like an adaptation and more like a loose interpretation of Brontë’s novel.
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