Dalton's Sultry Heathcliff a Classic

The Brontë sisters wrote a small number of pieces between the, compared with other authors of their time. That being said, they remain among the best known and most studied English novelists. Their works continue to be printed more than a hundred years later, and have inspired dozens of film and TV versions.

Timothy Dalton as Heathcliff
The 1970 film adaptation of Emily Brontë's "Wuthering Heights" can be seen as a simplified version of the classic love story. Stripping away extra scenes and characters makes this movie easier to follow than the novel, but it would be unjust to suggest this is the film's greatest strength. Starring Timothy Dalton as Heathcliff and Anna Calder-Marshall as Catherine Earnshaw, the movie is haunting and intense. The love-hate relationship between Heathcliff and Cathy is the true focus of the plot, with everything else mere details to flesh out the story of their lives.

Other adaptations may be truer to the details of the novel, but this film captures its soul. Stark visual and auditory contrasts between babbling brooks and howling winds on the moors set the scene for a tale that begins with one man's best attempt at being the responsible father of what he hopes will be a happy, wholesome family - a story that evolves into something much darker. The soundtrack of the film strikes a chord deep within the viewer, and was nominated for a 1971 Golden Globe.

A G-rated movie guaranteed to set your heart racing, this version of "Wuthering Heights" takes maximum advantage of facial expression and still shots. So much is suggested by the touch of a hand, the raising of a hand to strike, the painfully slow way Heathcliff approaches Cathy to kiss her. Dalton portrays wonderful depth and range of emotion - from untamed passion and inconsolable grief, to profound hurt and cold hatred.

New 'Jane Eyre' Release
The 2011 film adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's famous novel "Jane Eyre" opened in limited release March 11, and represents director Cary Fukunaga's first English language release. The movie stars Mia Wasikowska ("Alice in Wonderland") and Michael Fassbender ("Centurion".) The latest in a long line of TV and film versions of the novel, it has already received positive reviews from critics and viewers. The film is slated for wide release later this year, and will soon be followed by a 2011 film version of "Wuthering Heights." It's going to be a exciting year for fans of the Brontë sisters!