Andrea Arnold, director of the recent housing estate drama, Fish Tank, who also won an Oscar for her 2003 short film, Wasp, has signed on to direct a new version of Wuthering Heights. The film has already had a merry-go-round of actors and directors attached, with John Maybury originally signed up to helm, before he dropped out and got replaced by Peter Webber. Now Webber’s gone and Arnold has stepped in.
Natalie Portman, Abbie Cornish and Gemma Arterton have also all been attached to play Cathy at one point or another,.
Olivia Hetreed’s screenplay is said to emphasise the teenage, youthful aspects of the story of Cathy and her doomed love for Heathcliff. God know why we need another version of Wuthering Heights, but it looks like we’re getting one, with production planned for sometime in the spring.
May I just suggest though, that the reason it’s always been difficult to turn Wuthering Heights into a truly great film is that despite endless attempts over the years, the novel isn’t actually as good as many think it is. On the page it may be easier to forgive the fact that Heathcliff is a brutish, cruel bully and see the romantic aspect, but on screen it’s very difficult to make the character sympathetic without gutting Emily Bronte’s book. Maybe Arnold, who’s said to love the book and told people it’s the only novel she would ever adapt, will have better luck, but I’ve always felt Wuthering Heights takes falling in love with a bad boy too far.