Just finished watching Wuthering Heights (1970) starring Timothy Dalton as Heathcliff and Anna Calder-Marshall as Cathy.

Some comments:
*There's more in this version that supports the claim that Heatchliff's Mr. Earnshaw's illegitimate offspring. Mrs. Earnshaw alludes to that fact in the beginning and the case of the inheritance and the tension between the two boys suggest there is more to Heathcliff's being brought into Wuthering Heights than what we are told.

*I liked how they developed Nelly more in this version. She is not only a young girl (not much older than Cathy) but also seems to have feelings for Hindley. Through Hindley's treatment of her, we see the full range of his abusive nature. I always wondered how Nelly felt as she watched Cathy and Heathcliff become tangled in love. Did she not feel the need to be loved herself? Was she all cold hearted?

*When Cathy drops her fan in the woods, it is symbolic of how she must shed her "upper class" haughty sensibilities in order to unite with Heatchliff. The fan symbolizes the world of the Lintons and the wood symbolizes the world of Heathcliff (and their love). The woods are reminiscent of the scene in Tess of the d'Urbervilles when Angel plays on his harmonica and Tess is seen surrounded by the lushness of nature. In Wuthering Heights this stands for the primeval nature of Heatchliff and Cathy's bond with each other: they are like Adam and Eve in Paradise. They are also soulmates who need each other to complete themselves. The love they share is like nature: it is pure, wholesome, fresh, redemtive, and reviving.

*Cathy and Heathcliff in this version are also carefully chosen to resemble each other in appearance. Some scenes deliberately make use of this effect. I believe this is done on purpose to furthur highlight how it they are inevitably linked to each other. Also, it is true to Cathy's proclaiming "I am Heathcliff": she is literally so because she looks like him. It is furthur evidence that they are two parts of a whole.

*This version questions the paternity of Chaty's baby. Is it Heathcliffe's or Linton's? It also appears that Heathcliff and Cathy's encounter in the park could have had larger consequences.

*By completely leaving the story of Hareton and Little Cathy out, this movie does leave out (what I consider) one of the major themes in the novel: the theme of redemption and forgiveness. Hareton does forgive Heathcliff and Little Cathy and Hareton's love is a variation from that of Catherine and Heatchliff's because it is not only less tempestous but is also "purer", resulting in the uniting of the two estates of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.