Emerald Fennell has explained her casting decision in the new film, which is released this week
Emerald Fennell has explained her casting decision in the new film, which is released this week
Excitement is building as “Wuthering Heights” arrives in cinemas this week. Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of the classic gothic novel is released on February 13 and sees a new retelling of the toxic love story between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.
The book, written by Emily Bronte, spans multiple generations in the late 18th century – and sees the wealthy Mr Earnshaw adopt Heathcliff and bring him back to his home in the Yorkshire Moors after a trip to Liverpool. Little is told of the orphan’s beginnings as the story of how he came to Wuthering Heights features in the opening passage from the perspective of Nelly, who is the servant at Wuthering Heights.
The passage references Liverpool as it explains how Mr Earnshaw took pity on Heathcliff as it reads: “The master tried to explain the matter; but he was really half dead with fatigue, and all that I could make out, amongst her scolding, was a tale of his seeing it starving, and houseless, and as good as dumb, in the streets of Liverpool, where he picked it up and inquired for its owner.”
Liverpool’s inclusion adds to the mystery surrounding Heathcliff’s heritage which has led to much literary discussion. On the official Bronte society’s website, it said: “The fact that Heathcliff is found in Liverpool, described as an orphan with no ‘owner’ or ‘belonging’ to anybody, opens up the possibility that Heathcliff could have Black African descent, having been brought to Liverpool through the slave trade.
“Ellen’s mention ”and you were kidnapped by wicked sailors and brought to England” has been used to support this interpretation. Mr Earnshaw’s choice to simply call him “Heathcliff’ is also reminiscent of the single name given to enslaved people.
“This act of violence removed an individual’s identity and forcibly made enslaved people forget their origins. It also separates Heathcliff from being a part of the Earnshaw family.”
The new film has faced criticism for not exploring this aspect of the book as Jacob Elordi has been cast in the role as Heathcliff. However, the director has addressed this debate in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter as she said everyone has their own interpretation of Wuthering Heights.
The Saltburn director said: “I think the thing is everyone who loves this book has such a personal connection to it, and so you can only ever make the movie that you sort of imagined yourself when you read it. I don’t know, I think I was focusing on the pseudo-masochistic elements of it.
“The great thing about this movie is that it could be made every year and it would still be so moving and so interesting. There are so many different takes. I think every year we should have a new one.”
Frankenstein star Jacob also addressed the changes, as he pointed towards the inverted commas around the film’s title. He said: “There are inverted commas for a reason.
“This is Emerald’s vision and these are the images that came to her head at 14 years old; somebody else’s interpretation of a great piece of art is what I’m interested in — new images, fresh images, original thoughts.”
Wuthering Heights is released in UK cinemas on February 13
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