“Wuthering Heights”
is the February Film Classic in Bigfork
The second 2019 movie in the
Classic Movie series in Bigfork is the classic love story “Wuthering Heights,”
just in time for Valentines Day. Made in 1939 this is a black and white movie
that needs to be seen on the big screen to really be appreciated. The movie
headliners Merle Oberon and Sir Laurence Olivier were some of the eight
nominations for Oscars. It won an Oscar for best Cinematography. It’s
haunting and beautiful music “Cathy’s Theme” is remarkable and is still
remembered. The movie got a nomination for the best film score, but lost to
“The Wizard of Oz”…bad luck on that one. This February Movie Classic will be
shown at the Edge Theater in Bigfork by Jack Nachbar. It will be accompanied by
Jack’s presentation providing a better understanding of the time period of the
movie. Date: Thursday February14th . Time: 6:30PM.
Price: FREE of charge.
The movie takes place later than the period the book depicts, and does not cover all the chapters in
the book of the same name. If you have read the book, don’t expect to see it
all on the screen. Just go and see a great love story with passion and depth
that will move you.
Two of the stars, Merle Oberon and Sir
Laurence Olivier disliked each other and Merle is said to have asked the
director William Wyler after he stopped one particular romantic scene if
William could please ask Sir Laurence to stop spitting at her. At one point
producer Sam Goldwyn took Sir Lawrence aside to what seemed to be a quiet talk.
Sir Lawrence was hobbled by some sort of foot problem and had to use crutches
between scenes. Instead of a quiet discussion Goldwyn had a rather loud
discussion about several things all unpleasant. The quiet talk was pre-arranged
between Goldwyn and Wyler so they could play “bad cop-good cop” to help Wyler
deal with Sir Lawrence.
It has been so long since the movie
was made that many of the trivia stories you can read about the movie are
substantially different than the truth. In one place you might read that Heather was brought
from Europe and planted where the film was being produced to make the scenery
look authentic and that it grew so much better in the California sun that it had to be kept
trimmed. That same heather is said in another story to be tumbleweed painted to
look like heather. So it is hard to tell what stories are true. Time, I guess,
allows for such variations and the truth is possibly in between. One of the
things that seems to be well known and true is Goldwyn considered this movie be
his best movie ever.
What also seems true and believable
is that two stars Sir Laurence Oliver and Merle Oberon were unhappy being here
at the time of the movie because they were separated from their significant
others back in Europe and did not like
it. What also seems very believable is that movies back then were still
the new “kid on the block” in the minds of some stage actors, like these two,
and had not earned their respect yet.
To get a flavor of how the movie
was received by the press at the time of its release.
Here is a period review from the
New York Times April 14, 1939.
Written by Frank S. Nugent.
April 14, 1939. Goldwyn Presents Film of “Wuthering Heights”
at Rivoli.
“After a long recess, Samuel
Goldwyn has returned to serious screen business again with his film ‘Wuthering Heights,’ which had its première at the
Rivoli last night. It is Goldwyn at his best, and better still, Emily Brontë at
hers. Out of her strange tale of a tortured romance Mr. Goldwyn and his troupe
have fashioned a strong and somber film, poetically written as the novel...it
is a living thing, vibrant as the wind that swept Times Square last night….It
isn't exactly a faithful transcription…But it is a faithful adaptation, written
reverently and well, which goes straight to the heart of the book, explores its
shadows and draws dramatic fire from the savage flints of scene and character
hidden there.
And it has been brilliantly played.
Laurence Olivier's Heathcliff is the man….Charlotte Brontë, in her preface to
her sister's novel, said Heathcliff never loved Cathy; the only claim he might
have had to humanity was his lukewarm regard for Hareton Earnshaw; …Heathcliff
is demon, ghoul…But Heathcliff is no demon and he loved Cathy, in the film as
in the novel…Mr. Goldwyn has provided a flawless supporting cast…It is,
unquestionably, one of the most distinguished pictures of the year, one of the
finest ever produced by Mr. Goldwyn, and one you should decide to see.”
Come and see a film that has met
the test of time and is a good movie. Place: The Edge Center for
the Arts, Bigfork. Date and time: Thursday February 14th at 6:30PM.
It will be worth going to Bigfork, because Jack will provide you with
background about the movie and a cartoon. An appropriate snack will be
served courtesy of Jack and his wife/projectionist, Lynn. The Classic Movie
Series is part of the District 318 Adult Education Program.