“Wuthering Heights” rises to the occasion

The brilliant Emerald Lilly Fennell is known for her acting roles in period pieces and she takes that experience to new “Heights” in 2026. Performers love a director who has walked in their shoes and her experiences have drawn a few return players for her account of “Wuthering Heights.”

The Promising Young Woman who brought us Saltburn takes audiences on a new journey with Emily Brontë's 1847 novel. For theater goers, it's best to approach the material with an open mind and expect a unique perspective from the various creatives involved.

The inspiration from the classic tale is intact, with wild variations and liberties cobbled together over the course of 130 minutes. While writing the screenplay, Emerald was not attempting to adapt the book directly and was influenced by cinematic love stories from the past. The poster is an obvious homage to Gone with the Wind and the title is surrounded by quotation marks to make this clear.

The plot surrounds Catherine Earnshaw and her wealthy family growing up in Wuthering Heights on the West Yorkshire moors of England in the 18th century. The Earnshaws adopt a young man named Heathcliff and a complicated relationship begins between him and Cathy when they are young. After she marries Edgar Linton, Heathcliff exacts revenge and the repercussions of that jealousy continue until the bitter end.

The cast is exceptional and the two Australian leads had their work cut out for them. Margot Robbie portrays Cathy, a much younger character in the book and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff can't convey racial conflict without being a person of color.

Hong Chau deftly plays the housekeeper Nelly Dean, although she's tame compared to the original writings, and Alison Oliver almost steals every scene she's in with her visceral approach to Isabella Linton.

The talent transcends the inherent stumbling blocks and the impressive art design of “Wuthering Heights” will astound many who view it on the big screen.

The tone is dark, cloudy and moody for most of the movie, with environmental challenges and a little sunshine thrown in for good measure. The set is adorned with incredible art installations, from plaster hands creeping up a fireplace mantel to dramatic fingers holding candles along the walls.

The film is a feast for the eyes and deserves early award consideration. The reaction from critics may hamper this, but Emerald earns an A for effort.

Fennell's sister, Coco, is a fashion designer and that perspective shows in the almost 50 costumes created for Cathy by Jacqueline Durran's team. The number of veils, ribbons and braids that ornament the outfits alone is worth the price of admission.

Charli xcx's music contribution could have clashed with the times, but her original tunes for the film are kept as a backdrop build an atmospheric sound to the scenery. Kate Bush's 1978 track “Wuthering Heights” or a cover version would have been a welcome addition to the soundtrack, but once again, Fennell is not asking for suggestions.

If readers enter into “Wuthering Heights” hoping for another rendition of Emily's classic novel, they will be sorely disappointed, but if patrons are open to Emerald's bold cinematic choices, they could exit as fans of the fruition of her labor.

Just in time for Valentine's Day eve, “Wuthering Heights” opens in theaters nationwide on February 13, 2026.