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Wuthering Heights (1939)

(1939, Rated NR, Classic, Starring David Niven, Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 10; suggested age 10.

  • Is it any good?

    5.0

  • Common Sense says

    Best version of the Gothic-romance revenge tale.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 10 and Up

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Heathcliff and Cathy are two wildly flawed heroic lovers. He's rash, vindictive, and often cruel. Cathy, though seemingly a "nicer" character, is still distracted by luxury and status. Heathcliff is constantly reminded of his "gypsy" birth by a class-bound society.

  • Violence:

    Characters are attacked by mastiff hounds. Heathcliff (as a boy) gets hit with a rock. As an adult he slaps Cathy (surprisingly daintily), and later breaks a window with his hand.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Not an issue.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Wastrel brother Hindley drinks his way into chronic alcoholism, Heathcliff assisting. This is not glamorized, though, but clearly part of Heathcliff's revenge.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Wuthering Heights (1939)

Parents need to know that kids might try to watch this movie as an alternative to reading the novel for English class, but it only covers a portion of the overall story. And while it's framed as a ghost story, it's not really for young horror fans -- though the spooky angle might get some kids to sit down and watch a classic they wouldn't otherwise. Heathcliff has summed up a "romantic" hero for generations of schoolgirls, but he is rarely heroic in the traditional movie sense. Rather, he's vindictive and obsessed, and determined to make the woman he loves suffer because of his heartache. A lot of Heathcliff's negatives are attributed to his "gypsy" ancestry, a bit of racism and classed-based discrimination from the old days.

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the dysfunctional relationship Heathcliff has with Cathy. How many of their problems are family and social pressures trying to force them apart -- she's aristocratic and he's a virtual peasant -- and how much of the trouble is their own making? How might they have found happiness together or separately? You could compare the movie's narrative with the Emily Bronte novel, which covers a longer time span and has many more twists and turns. Do you see any battle-scarred love affairs like this in the movies made today?
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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Sanjay407
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0
    My concerns are:
    • Excessive violence
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • Negative message

    Awesome

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
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  2. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    who3697cares
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0

    One of the best and most touching tales of unrequited love.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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