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Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

Two hearts that beat as one

TV movie1998113 minMidcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Director
David Skynner
Starring
Robert Cavanah, Peter Davison, Orla Brady, Matthew Macfadyen

Gypsy boy Heathcliffe is adopted by God-fearing landowner Earnshaw in 19th-century northern England and grows up as the soulmate of the daughter, Cathy. However, their romance suffers various tragedies.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Wuthering Heights?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Wuthering Heights streaming on Prime Video, Shout! TV via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Wuthering Heights?

Wuthering Heights earns 5 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Preferred by Women.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is Wuthering Heights worth watching?

Wuthering Heights' Midcredits score is the 56th percentile of all films, from 2.9K ratings across 4 sources. 55% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

56th percentile

Better received than 56% of films

55th percentile among Drama59th percentile among 1990s
Acclaim (how much people like it)51st
Approval (how many liked it)59th

62 /100

51st percentile of all films

50th percentile among Drama56th percentile among 1990s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

55% liked it

59th percentile of all films

59th percentile among Drama62nd percentile among 1990s
55% rated it 7–1045% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

57th percentile

2.9K ratings across platforms

60th percentile among Drama52nd percentile among 1990s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 7% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the adaptation is more faithful to the novel's plot than most versions, but suffers from casting actors too old for the early scenes and a rushed pace due to the two-hour runtime.

Fans praised

  • most faithful adaptation of the novel available
  • captures the brutality, passion, and dark atmosphere of the book
  • strong performances capture complex characters

Detractors panned

  • actors far too old for childhood and adolescent scenes
  • rushed pacing compresses the story and blurs character motivations
  • lacks the ethereal romanticism and atmospheric mystery of the novel

What stands out

Cinematography78

Beautiful Yorkshire landscapes, haunting visuals; some call production values modest

Ending78

Beautifully done ending with the union of Hareton and young Catherine; emotionally satisfying

AtmosphereDivisive75

Gritty, dark, and violent tone praised by fans; detractors find it lacks mystery and feels melodramatic

Emotional impactDivisive72

Fans moved by painful love story and poignant ending; detractors find it cringy or laughable

ActingDivisive70

Robert Cavanah and Orla Brady praised for capturing character essences; detractors find Cavanah unsympathetic and Brady bland

CharactersDivisive68

Faithful to novel's complex, morally ambiguous characters; detractors say rewrites make them unrecognizable

Plot and storyDivisive65

Covers full two-generation story; fans praise fidelity, detractors cite compression and omitted details

PacingDivisive35

Two-hour runtime forces rushed adaptation; first half feels particularly hurried

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 26 points higher than men.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 10 points higher than US viewers.

Watch experience

What is Wuthering Heights like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Harrowing: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for a hard story that does not look away.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings and patience.

What it feels like

Harrowing.

Moods
TenseMelancholicDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Frame story · 5% of films: A story told inside another — someone is recounting it.
ToneThe film plays its Gothic tragedy straight, without irony or humour, heightening the raw emotion and cruelty.
The rideThe cycle of spite, grief, and haunting sustains a tense, melancholic pressure from start to finish, with the heaviest emotional weight distributed across the entire story.
StructureThe story begins with a flashback from Heathcliff's youth, framed by older Heathcliff's recollections, and returns to him at his death.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with the lasting image of a doomed, toxic love that poisons generations, its cruelty and grief lingering after the credits.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% (this title) · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Obsession: A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe story is driven by Heathcliff's all-consuming fixation on Cathy, and that obsession destroys everyone around him through a self-perpetuating cycle of revenge and grief.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% (this title) · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 15% of filmsRevenge · 4% of filmsGrief · 6% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a soul-mate love that becomes destructive through class barriers, misunderstanding, and retaliation, while grief over lost love fuels a cycle of vengeance.
StanceThe film questions whether romantic love can survive class, pride, and revenge, presenting the relationship as both soul-deep and destructive.

The world

19th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Warren Bennett
SettingYorkshire moors, Wuthering Heights farmhouse and Thrushcross Grange manor in early 1800s
MusicComposer Warren Bennett provides a period-appropriate orchestral score that underlines the gothic romance atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Wuthering Heights okay for kids?

Ratings in 1 other country
  • UK15

No detailed content scores for this title yet.

What content warnings does Wuthering Heights have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Wuthering Heights?

Cast

6 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Robert Cavanah
as Heathcliff
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Peter Davison
as Joseph Lockwood
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Orla Brady
as Cathy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Matthew Macfadyen
as Hareton Earnshaw
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Sarah Smart
as Catherine Linton
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Tom Georgeson
as Joseph
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Flora Montgomery
as Isabella
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Crispin Bonham-Carter
as Edgar
Kadie Savage
as Young Cathy
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Polly Hemingway
as Nelly Dean
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

Directed by

David Skynner

Written by

Neil McKayEmily Brontë

Music by

Warren Bennett

Produced by

Jo Wright

More like this

What are movies like Wuthering Heights?

Movies like Wuthering Heights include Wuthering Heights (1939), Wuthering Heights (2011) and Wuthering Heights (1992). Of the 12 closest matches, several are stories of obsession, and most are films set in the 19th century.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Emily Brontë wrote 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Wuthering Heights?

2.4K other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: soulmates separated. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.