The glorious Natalie Portman has signed on to star in the 13th incarnation of Wuthering Heights. We get the following news blurb thanks to the professionals at Variety:
Natalie Portman is attached as the lead in a new film version of “Wuthering Heights.” Olivia Hetreed (“Girl With a Pearl Earring”) wrote the script.
The most recent bigscreen adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic matched Ralph Fiennes with Juliette Binoche, but the Goldwyn release grossed just $624,643 in 1989. The definitive film take remains William Wyler’s 1939 version starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, which earned eight Oscar noms.
Natalie Portman is a delightful actress that seems to be universally loved. Whenever she is in a film, I am pulled to the picture as if I were in the grip of a tractor beam; this one will be no different.
I am not a fan of remakes, but this story is now on its 13th incarnation. That is quite an accomplishment and certainly wells up curiosity for the project. The 1939 version was nominated for an Oscar, perhaps those involved figure a little tinkering may eventually bring home the win.
I am going to try and get my hands on the 1939 film so I can watch it before this one and compare the two. I think it would be fun to give side by side reviews and see if practice makes perfect, or if they should have left well enough alone.
My favorite version is the Monty Python Semaphore Code version. Otherwise, imo, Wuthering Heights is one of worst books ever written and I question why this needs to be made. It just gives me nightmares of my 7th grade literature class.
I still think that Portman’s best work was her first feature with Luc Besson, Leon.
Yeah, that’s what really bugs me about her. She has potential, and rather than push herself, she shows up in Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, one of the worst movies of last year. I’m tired of hearing about her potential. I want to fucking SEE it onscreen.
I know what you mean, Kristina.
I do think she finally stretched herself again with a few scenes in The Other Boleyn Girl and I was glad because for a little while now I was feeling as if her acting was getting stale.
I adore Natalie, but I also want to see her take a role that challenges her more. She has potential with this role because there is so much unsaid that will need to be protrayed from within.
I really enjoyed her in The Other Boleyn Girl, and she is a beautiful girl, but she underwhelms me in a lot of her films. I want to jump on the Natalie bandwagon, but I’m still not sure if she’s hit her stride just yet. I like to compare her to Christian Bale, another actor who started out with a stellar child performance(Empire of the Sun), but didn’t really hit his stride until American Psycho. Natalie needs to find her American Psycho, if you get my drift.
While I don’t think we need yet another incarnation of Wuthering Heights I am interested to see Natalie Portman’s protrayal of Catherine; I think she’ll do justice to the role. I’m very curious to see who they cast for Heathcliff.
I have seen the Finnes/Binoche movie version, which I really enjoyed. Finnes made a wonderful Heathcliff. I have never seen the 1939 version, at least not that I can recall, it’s very likely that I may have watched it with my mom as a kid.