Wuthering Heights, the Failing (the Movie...and in some ways, the book)

What did _____ do to improve scene _____?

To be honest, I can't answer that.

Because I don't think the film really improved anything except perhaps "simplify" some of the complexity in the method or relaying the story. If you've read the post previous to this one you'll note that, near the end, I complain about the way the story is told through an increasingly complex chain of people/methods. This is superfluous and, I suppose, a sign of the times, what with the novel still in fledgling form and Bronte playing with a "direct" method of telling thoughts. *shrug*

So, the film does away with a bit of that, presenting things in the visual and skipping a few unnecessary narrative loops.

Too bad everything else is terrible...at least, in comparison to the novel.

Okay, that's harsh...it's more like that shouldn't be compared as opposites or parallels. They are simply too different...I'll ignore the question of whether that is a good thing or not.

Instead, I'll point out one scene as an example of irrevocable change.

In the novel, a major point of tension is that Heathcliffe and Catherine, while very open to themselves and us as readers, and in many ways to each other, never actually come straight out and say how they feel until AFTER Catherine marries Edgar. In this way, the actions of both characters, while sad or frustrating, are also understandable and - to the reader and possibly between the two - even forgivable, with or without apology.

Meanwhile, in the film, in a similar scene to one of their confrontations (about halfway through the each version), Heathcliffe PHYSICALLY STRIKES CATHERINE.

This is INSANELY changing to me. Maybe I am recalling the novel differently (it's been a few weeks, haha) but I'm pretty sure this never happened...but in the movie, there it is. This is an action that is entirely inappropriate for Heathcliffe, would give Catherine a VERY real reason to marry Edgar and, essentially, removes all tension or apprehension that exists in the novel with a mere playing out of events.

I've no clue why they made such a change and utterly disapprove.