Wuthering Heights (1939)

William Wyler has compacted the classic Emily Bronte novel into a one hour and forty minutes movie, jettisoning the novel's second act and tacking on a rather dubious ethereal ending. All in all though, he's done an ace job of Gothic romanticism and it's one of the great romances of the cinema. The brooding Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff is impossibly handsome and he can't disguise his innate elegance so while he's not quite convincing as an ex dirty stable boy, he brings power and stature to the role. Less successful is Merle Oberon as Cathy. She's as impossibly beautiful as Olivier is handsome but her passion comes across as pique rather than an intense ardor. The handsome B&W photography is by the great Gregg Toland (CITIZEN KANE) and Alfred Newman composed one of his most beautiful scores. The excellent supporting cast includes David Niven, Geraldine Fitzgerald (in the film's best performance as Isabella), Flora Robson, Donald Crisp, Leo G. Carroll and Cecil Kellaway.