Wuthering Heights
A passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw.
Despite its microbudget of $800K, Wuthering Heights became a commercial success, earning $4.5M worldwide—a 463% return. The film's fresh perspective attracted moviegoers, proving that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Wuthering Heights (1970) exhibits carefully calibrated narrative design, characteristic of Robert Fuest's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 44 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Mr. Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights to meet his landlord Heathcliff, finding a dark, unwelcoming house filled with tension and mystery, establishing the Gothic atmosphere and Heathcliff's brooding presence.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Cathy and Heathcliff spy on Thrushcross Grange and Cathy is bitten by a dog, forcing her to stay with the refined Linton family. This separates the pair and exposes Cathy to a civilized world that contrasts sharply with her wild moorland life.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Cathy accepts Edgar Linton's proposal of marriage, declaring to Nelly that it would degrade her to marry Heathcliff. Heathcliff overhears only this part and flees Wuthering Heights, devastated and betrayed, setting the revenge plot in motion., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat Heathcliff and Cathy have a passionate confrontation where their mutual obsession erupts; Cathy becomes hysterical, torn between her husband and her soulmate; she falls gravely ill, raising the stakes to life and death as her mental and physical health collapse., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 76 minutes (73% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Cathy dies shortly after giving birth to her daughter, but not before a final devastating meeting with Heathcliff where they exchange recriminations and declarations of eternal love. Heathcliff begs her to haunt him, unable to live without her - the literal death at the heart of the story., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 84 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Years later, the second generation becomes entangled: young Cathy Linton, Hareton Earnshaw, and Linton Heathcliff play out echoes of their parents' story. Heathcliff realizes his revenge has destroyed everyone, including himself, but he cannot stop., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Wuthering Heights's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Wuthering Heights against these established plot points, we can identify how Robert Fuest utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Wuthering Heights within the drama genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Mr. Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights to meet his landlord Heathcliff, finding a dark, unwelcoming house filled with tension and mystery, establishing the Gothic atmosphere and Heathcliff's brooding presence.
Theme
Nelly Dean begins narrating the story to Lockwood, suggesting that love and revenge are intertwined forces that can destroy as easily as they create, foreshadowing the tragic cycle of passion and vengeance.
Worldbuilding
Nelly recounts the childhood of Cathy and Heathcliff: Mr. Earnshaw brings the orphan Heathcliff to Wuthering Heights; Cathy and Heathcliff form an intense bond running wild on the moors; Hindley resents and abuses Heathcliff after their father's death.
Disruption
Cathy and Heathcliff spy on Thrushcross Grange and Cathy is bitten by a dog, forcing her to stay with the refined Linton family. This separates the pair and exposes Cathy to a civilized world that contrasts sharply with her wild moorland life.
Resistance
Cathy returns from Thrushcross Grange transformed into a lady, creating distance between her and Heathcliff; Edgar Linton courts Cathy; Heathcliff realizes their worlds are diverging; Cathy wrestles with her dual nature - wild passion versus social ambition.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Cathy accepts Edgar Linton's proposal of marriage, declaring to Nelly that it would degrade her to marry Heathcliff. Heathcliff overhears only this part and flees Wuthering Heights, devastated and betrayed, setting the revenge plot in motion.
Mirror World
Cathy confesses to Nelly her famous declaration: "I am Heathcliff" - revealing that while she'll marry Edgar for status, her soul belongs to Heathcliff. This articulates the theme of love transcending social convention, but also the tragedy of choosing security over truth.
Premise
Time passes: Cathy marries Edgar and lives at Thrushcross Grange in genteel comfort; Heathcliff returns three years later, now wealthy and refined but filled with vengeance; he begins his campaign of revenge, courting Isabella Linton to hurt Edgar and torment Cathy.
Midpoint
Heathcliff and Cathy have a passionate confrontation where their mutual obsession erupts; Cathy becomes hysterical, torn between her husband and her soulmate; she falls gravely ill, raising the stakes to life and death as her mental and physical health collapse.
Opposition
Cathy's condition worsens as she descends into fever and madness; Heathcliff elopes with Isabella to exact revenge on the Lintons; the two families are locked in bitter conflict; Cathy becomes pregnant but remains critically ill; Heathcliff's vengeance intensifies everyone's suffering.
Collapse
Cathy dies shortly after giving birth to her daughter, but not before a final devastating meeting with Heathcliff where they exchange recriminations and declarations of eternal love. Heathcliff begs her to haunt him, unable to live without her - the literal death at the heart of the story.
Crisis
Heathcliff is consumed by grief and rage after Cathy's death; he curses her to haunt him and finds no peace; his revenge becomes emptier and more mechanical; Isabella escapes his cruelty; time passes and the cycle continues to the next generation.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Years later, the second generation becomes entangled: young Cathy Linton, Hareton Earnshaw, and Linton Heathcliff play out echoes of their parents' story. Heathcliff realizes his revenge has destroyed everyone, including himself, but he cannot stop.
Synthesis
Heathcliff completes his revenge by controlling the next generation and acquiring both properties, but finds it meaningless without Cathy; he begins seeing her ghost on the moors; he starves himself and withdraws from life, obsessed with being reunited with her in death.
Transformation
Heathcliff is found dead in Cathy's old room, finally at peace with a strange smile on his face. The image mirrors the opening's darkness but suggests transcendent reunion - his spirit reunited with Cathy's on the moors, their destructive earthly passion transformed into eternal unity beyond death.