Chapter 1

The Book:

Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights is a classic novel by Emily Brontë, first published in 1847. I don't exactly remember when I first read this book—perhaps during my second year of engineering—but it was recommended to me by my mother. If I recall correctly, it was one of her textbooks in her high school English class. I've read Wuthering Heights twice, and it remains one of the most fascinating novels I’ve encountered.

This is the only novel Emily Brontë wrote, published just one year before her untimely death. The story revolves around Heathcliff and Catherine, exploring their passionate yet tumultuous love for each other.

In this review, we will also discuss adaptations of the novel, including English and Hindi films based on the story.

Wuthering Heights is undoubtedly a complex and challenging read, but I would give it a 5 out of 5 stars. It's an excellent book, and I’m confident you will enjoy reading it.

The English Movie:

Wuthering Heights (1939)

★★★★★

There have been many films based on Wuthering Heights, but my favorite is the 1939 drama directed by William Wyler, starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon. This film is considered a classic of English cinema and is ranked among the 100 greatest American movies by the American Film Institute (AFI). It won the 1939 New York Film Critics Award for Best Film and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

In 2007, Wuthering Heights was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant."

Merle Oberon plays Catherine Earnshaw Linton, and Laurence Olivier portrays Heathcliff—both exceptional actors. Interestingly, Merle Oberon, though often forgotten, was born in India. She was an Anglo-Indian actress, born in Bombay in 1911, with an Indian Sinhalese mother.

I found this film even better than the original book. It's an admirable adaptation, and I would give it 5 out of 5 stars. It's a must-watch.

The Hindi Movies:

Dilip Kumar made three movies based on the same story:

1. Arzoo 1950

2. Hulchul 1951

3. Dil Diya Dard Liya 1966

Hulchul (1951)

-Dilip Kumar Film

★★★☆☆

Several Hindi movies have been loosely based on Wuthering Heights and my favorite among them is Hulchul (1951), an Indian drama produced by legendary filmmaker K. Asif, inscribed for making Mughal-E-Azam. Don’t expect such a spectacular show from this movie. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Nargis, and Balraj Sahni.

Dilip Kumar has always been one of my favorite actors. I consider him the “Betaaj Badshah” (uncrowned king) of Indian cinema. Some of his best works include: Devdas, Madhumati, and Amar, just to name a few. I might be biased, but that’s why he appears in this first chapter of my review.

Dilip Kumar made more movies with Nargis than with Vyjayanthimala, contrary to what many people believe. Before her iconic pairing with Raj Kapoor, Nargis had a successful on-screen partnership with Dilip Kumar, delivering hits like Andaz, Mela, Babul, Deedar, and Jogan. Hulchul was the last movie made together by this pair.

One more interesting fact about the movie is a small but very interesting role played by Sitara Devi as Isabella. She was a renowned dancer of the classical Kathak style of dancing. She won many awards during her lifetime. One of her ballet dance in this movie is very graceful.

This is not considered the best movie of Dilip Kumar; hence I am going with 3 out of 5 stars (***) for this movie.

Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966)

-Dilip Kumar Film

★☆☆☆☆

Another movie starring Dilip Kumar, loosely based on Wuthering Heights, is Dil Diya Dard Liya.  This will go down in the history as one of the worst movies of Dilip Kumar. I’m not sure why he made this film, as it is widely regarded as one of his worst. The screenplay, direction, and editing were poor, and the acting was over the top. I would give it just 1 star, with the only saving grace being a couple of good songs composed by Naushad.

Oonche Log (1985)

-Rajesh Khanna’s Adaptation

★★☆☆☆

Rajesh Khanna also made a movie based on a similar theme in 1985, titled Oonche Log. It was an average film that failed at the box office.