Pre-Wuthering Heights Thoughts

 Jonella and I are off to see the new Wuthering Heights movie tomorrow night. Being honest, I'm in a couple of minds about this. 

Firstly, I'm not going for the story, even though it's not a favourite book of mine. My relationship with the Brontes is a little fraught. I love Jane Eyre. I've always loved it. Charlotte Bronte's masterpiece is a wonder. I've loved it since I was a teenager. 

I read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte nearly 20 years ago and hated it. It's Methodist claptrap. 

Wuthering Heights, Anne Bronte's masterpiece, not so much. It's till-informed trauma porn. Much hair pulling, chest beating, racism all raveled up in what they call a love story. No thanks. 

But I've paid money to go to see the movie. Why you ask?

That would be because of the director, Emerald Fennell. You might know her from Call the Midwife - she played Patsy in and around series four. She also played Camilla Parker-Bowles in The Crown - and was a dead ringer for her. 

Fennell is an upper-class Brit with a biting sense of humour. As the writer and director she's done some great stuff. She's also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Promising Young Woman. 

Promising Young Woman is an amazing film. Brutal, but amazing. 

Then there was the incredible Saltburn, which you either loved or loathed. I loved it. Fennell, an Oxford graduate knew the landscape, wrote the screenplay and set the world on fire. 

She appeared as Midge, the pregnant Barbie in the Barbie movie. 

And now she's written the screenplay for this new adaptation of Wuthering Heights, using some of her mates from previous productions. Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, both Australian, are playing the main characters of Heathcliff and Cathy. The sets look amazing. But where is Linton? I can't see him the in the cast list. 

Regardless, as much as I don't like the story of Wuthering Heights, I'm fascinated with what she's done with it. 

Review ion the coming days.

Today's song: