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Fennell’s Radical ‘Wuthering Heights’ Opens in Italy to Divided Reviews

The film courts debate by treating Brontë’s novel as a contemporary romance filtered through bold anachronism.

Overview

  • Warner Bros. released Emerald Fennell’s Cime tempestose in Italian cinemas on February 12, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.
  • Fennell has said she pursued a deliberately free reinterpretation of Emily Brontë’s story rather than strict fidelity to the text.
  • The film departs from the novel with anachronistic design, older leads, explicit sexuality, and a modern pop soundtrack by Charli XCX that includes the new song House.
  • Reviews highlight striking visuals, an engrossing soundscape, and committed performances, while faulting thin emotional chemistry, slack pacing, and diminished thematic depth.
  • Commentary continues over casting choices and alleged whitewashing, with the film reframing conflict primarily through class rather than race.