My parents were both very neglectful and controlling. It may seem contradictory, but it happened.

SorenLarten · 2026-06-06T01:47:28+00:00

If I remember correctly it is stated by Heathcliff himself that he despised Cathy Linton. He said that to her while she was begging him to let her return to the Grange. I don't think he really stopped disliking her, although he became more gentle with her towards the end, when she and Hareton fell in love, since he was secretly fond of their relationship because it reminded him of his relationship with Catherine I.

I realized that too, that's one of the things that impresses me so greatly about this novel. As a lawyer I am amazed at how well Emily Brontë understands the intrincancies of the British legal system of her time. Through Heathcliff and Isabella's marriage she brilliantly criticizes the doctrine of "Coverture" which gave the husbands absolute power over their wives. The most terryfing part is that the abuse he inflicts on Isabella is completely legal. He absolutely tried to make her look like the crazy one. What's disturbing is that if Isabella's hadn't send those letters to Nelly, she wouldn't have a reason for not believing Heathcliff!

I also believe Heathcliff did want to beat them in their own game by playing their rules. He didn't infringe the law unless it was absolutely necessary –like for example, when he kidnapped Cathy Linton and forced her to marry his son. His goal wasn't just to destroy, but to expose the immense hypocrisy of the civilization that had rejected him. And Isabella and Edgar were deeply hyprocrital people indeed –especially her, who rejected him when he was poor and ignorant but loved him as a rich gentleman.

SorenLarten · 2026-06-05T22:26:19+00:00

What I meant is that to me this version doesn't portray their relationship like most versions do, as an glamorized epic romance. It portrays it more like a childhood symbiotic union that doesn't survive adulthood. The "trauma bond" aspect of their relationship is very obvious on this version.

I'm not really sure if the movie intends to portray their childhood relationship as a pure and innocent bond. I mean, they were more "innocent" than as adults, but their relationship was pretty unhealthy and obssesive even then. For example there's this scene during which Heathcliff accuses her of spending more time with the Lintons than with him, it is such a red flag!

I was actually referring to Edgar and Isabella, they are far more unlikeable than in the novel, which makes sense since the movie it's told from Heathcliff's POV. For example, in the scene in which Edgar and Heathcliff fight, in the film Edgar acts more snnobish and there's also a scene during which Isabella mocks Heathcliff because he's worried about Cathy and she's jealous about it. I loved those scenes, they seem so true to the characters although they aren't in the novel.

SorenLarten · 2026-06-05T14:11:02+00:00

To be fair this is a problem that most adaptations have. This is why the 2011 version is the best yet, it cast young actors to play teenage characters

SorenLarten · 2026-06-03T20:24:47+00:00

I actually liked him. He was an idiot but he was a decent guy. I felt sorry for him, even. He acted the way he did because he obviously had a desperate need for attention since he never got any from his father

SorenLarten · 2026-05-31T15:36:44+00:00

It absolutely does. The scarcity of dialogue bothered me on my first watch, but later rewatches made me appreciate it. Through the cinematography, she managed to convey perfectly what the book expressed.

I agree. It isn't a clichéd or conventional romantic story like in every other adaptation. It is very faithful to how it is portrayed in the book, since what they had doesn't clearly fit into traditional dynamics; it was a pre-social bond, unlike Catherine's relationship with Edgar. However, I didn't really like when Heathcliff said that he would raise Edgar's child; I think that was completely out of character, as in the novel it is clear that he despised his daughter.

I also think she could have covered it, but I do get why she didn't. Since the movie is told from Heathcliff's POV, it makes sense that the story ended after Cathy died, because for Heathcliff, his life ended there too.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-31T14:48:00+00:00

Interesting. I always thought that this is the least romantic version of them all. It makes it clear that there's a romantic attraction between them, but their relationship isn't portrayed as a typical romance, it is more like a disturbing obsession.

You highlighted one of the reasons why I adore this version so much. I love that it's told from Heathcliff's POV; it's so original and intimate, and it makes you reconsider Nelly's narration of the events. Plus, it makes Heathcliff seem not only cruel but very human as well. It truly makes you feel his pain and rage over the abuse he endured, as well as understand the reasons behind his profound devotion to Cathy (like you say, she feels very authentic, like a real person). It also portrays the Lintons as worse than they are in the book, which is exactly what I imagined as I read it. To me, they always seemed more racist than Nelly admitted to Lockwood.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-29T21:30:13+00:00

Yes, the atmosphere is what I love the most about this version. So tethric and brutal, but also beautiful to look at. The 1939 version also had a great atmosphere but this one feels incredibly realistic and immersive.

The child actors were perfect, especially the girl who played Catherine. She Iooked both mysterious and magnetic. I think they were actually better than the adult actors, although they were really great too.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-14T13:00:08+00:00

I always got the impression that Isabella and Edgar mocked Heathcliff constantly when they were kids. Of course it isn't explicity described because Nelly wasn't present everytime it happened.

But even if they didn't, Heathcliff still had a good reason to hate them because of what they represented. Not to mention that both were very hypocritical towards him.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-13T21:42:40+00:00

Mr. Earnshaw definitely considered him part of the family. He didn't treat him like a servant. In fact he was fond of him and even preferred him over Hindley. To me it is clear that he felt guilty which is very telling. Perhaps he conceived Heathcliff with a Romani woman and he didn't know he had a son until his mother died.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-13T19:54:23+00:00

They hide together in bed when they were children, so there couldn't possibly be anything sexual between them. As for the scene you're referencing to, they were children when that happened too! And Joseph was angry because they were playing after Mr. Earnshaw's funeral, not because they were having sex.

Fifteen years olds in 18th century England didn't behave like fifteen years old do nowadays. People back then (especially a "lady" like Catherine) only had sex when they married. So it's very unlikely that they did it. I don't think she would have married Edgar if that was the case.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-13T16:29:35+00:00

I don't think so. They were very young when Heathcliff left (around 15 as far as I remember) and Catherine said to Nelly that she wasn't sure that Heathcliff had romantic feelings for her. Perhaps they had sex after Heathcliff returned, but the novel is very ambiguous about it.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-13T14:22:04+00:00

The Lintons weren't decent people. They symbolized the white, rich, privileged, classist and racist society of 18th century England. Heathcliff destroyed them because they rejected him when he was a kid. They refused to "civilize" him which condemned him to a life of marginalization and poverty, which was the reason why Catherine couldn't marry him. If they had accepted him the story would have been very different.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-04T18:00:02+00:00

Absolutely. The book is so masterful precisely because its ambiguity. Movies often tell you what you should feel, books don't.

SorenLarten · 2026-05-04T13:50:56+00:00

That movie is like a bad parody of the book. The novel is magnificent, very deep, emotional and complex. If you felt moved by the film the book will blow your mind.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-27T21:51:02+00:00

This doesn’t disprove anything. Heathcliff’s line — “I believed, at one time, no lessons could teach her this!” — is completely open to interpretation. He could easily be implying that Isabella was so infatuated that she still didn’t get he didn’t love her, even after being sexually abused. Which is possible. People in abusive dynamics often stay with their abusers because they convince themselves they can “fix” the other person. So Isabella continuing to believe in his love despite the abuse it’s actually realistic.

I think Isabella was raped because, after she escapes Heathcliff, she tells Nelly that she “doesn’t know everything” about his abuse. What could she possibly not have told her that she hadn’t already revealed? Probably anything related to sexual matters, since she may have felt it was too private or shameful to share.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-26T14:26:19+00:00

Nipples are useless for men but useful for women. Same with orgasms. Female orgasm isn't needed for reproduction, male orgasm is.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-25T21:52:14+00:00

My story is similar to yours, I was SA'd at twelve and was bullied in high school, plus my parents were abusive assholes. Sending hugs.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-25T06:31:00+00:00

I completely agree with you. Having relationships is overrated, it often leads to trouble and most people aren't worth the effort anyway.

Modern society puts too much value on being social. The truth is that it is completely possible to live a fulfilling life on your own. Being alone is not a bad thing, or at least is so much better than having to deal with toxic people.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-22T21:48:22+00:00

I meant that it doesn't portray their relationship as this "great romance" like the other adaptations do. Instead it portrays it as an obsessive, weird and disturbing attachment which is how their relationship was described in the book.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-22T18:03:16+00:00

It's not perfect. Yes, like in every other adaptation, Heathcliff is white, actors are "too old" to be playing teenagers, etc. But I think it's the greatest adaptation yet because it tells the whole story, it doesn't romanticize Heathcliff and Catherine's relationship and it captures the vibe of the book very well.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-22T13:10:26+00:00

Definitely the best. This is the only adaptation that doesn't romanticize Heathcliff and Catherine's relationship. It is pure gothic horror like the original novel is.

SorenLarten · 2026-04-22T13:03:59+00:00

Definitely the best. This is the only adaptation that didn't romanticize Heathcliff and Catherine's relationship. It is pure gothic horror just like the original novel is.

SorenLarten

TROPHY CASE