TODAY'S NUGGET: Wuthering Heights (1939) - I Don't Want Him, But I Don't Want You to Have Him Either

[Quick Summary:  A servant recalls the story of her master Heathcliff's doomed love for his childhood sweetheart Cathy.]

MY TWO THOUGHTS:

1) OLIVIER. This film and Rebecca (1940) gave actor Lawrence Olivier his first two Oscar nominations, in back-to-back years. 

I like to think it's partly due to the excellence in writing.

2) PING-PONG CONFLICT & MOTIVES = CRUCIBLE. I really liked how the writers juggled Cathy's various internal/external conflicts & motives.  

Heathcliff loves Cathy, but she knows he's not good for her and decides to marry neighbor Edgar. Rejected, Heathcliff starts to court Isabella, Edgar's sister.

In this love triangle, Cathy ping-pongs between several internal/external conflicts: 
- She half-wants him; she doesn't want him.
- She sees he is a wrong fit for Isabella; she doesn't want Isabella to have him.
- She's newly married to Edgar.
- She's trying to establish a relationship with new sister-in-law Isabella.  

When they're mixed, they create a crucible, like in the scene below:
- Edgar and Cathy's house is next door to Heathcliff's estate.
- Isabella lives with Edgar and Cathy.
- This scene occurs in Isabella's room.
- Cathy's goal is to warn Isabella, but Isabella is suspicious of her motives. 
- Notice that in this crucible, we don't really know which of Cathy's conflicts are motivating her.
- Is her concern for herself, Isabella, or Heathcliff? (internal)
- Does she love Edgar, or is she still in love with Heathcliff? (external)

Isabella has risen, and moves as if to pass Cathy. Cathy takes her by the shoulders, shakes her.

CATHY: You fool! You vain little fool!

ISABELLA: Let me pass.

CATHY: I won't be silent any longer. I'm going to tell the truth. You're old enough to hear it. You're strong enough.

ISABELLA: Let me pass, Catherine.

CATHY: Not till I open your eyes.

ISABELLA: My eyes are quite open, thank you.

CATHY: He's been using you...Don't you see what he's been doing - using you to be near me, to smile at me behind your back - to try and rouse something in my heart that's dead...dead! I'll not have it any longer!...And I'll not allow you to help him any longer....

ISABELLA (softly): It's you who are vain and insufferable. Heathcliff's in love with me.

CATHY (wildly): It's a lie!

ISABELLA: It's not a lie. He's told me so. He's kissed me...

CATHY (seizing her arm, digging her nails into her wrist): He's what!

ISABELLA (exulting): He's kissed me. He's held me in his arms. He's told me he loves me!

CATHY: I'm going to your brother.

She almost throws Isabella down in a gesture of rage.

ISABELLA (hitting every raw nerve): Go to him. He's asked me to marry him...Tell Edgar that! We're going to be married! That Heathcliff's going to be my husband!

CATHY (a moaned guttural): Isabella, you can't. Heathcliff is not a man but something horrible and dark to live with.

ISABELLA (slowly and cruelly): Do you imagine, Catherine, I don't know why you are acting so -- Because you love him...

CATHY (flaming): How dare you say that!

Cathy flies at Isabella and slaps her viciously. Isabella doesn't flinch.

ISABELLA: Yes, you love him! And you're mad with pain and jealousy at the thought of my marrying him! Because you want him to pine for you and dream of you, to die for you...while you live in comfort and security as Mrs. Linton.

CATHY: You little fool

ISABELLA (unflinching): You don't want him to be happy. You want to hurt him, destroy him. But I want to make him happy --and I will..I will!

There is a knock at the door.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: It's natural that this many strong conflicts/motives within a single character will lead to such an explosive situation. 

However,  it's rare to hit on the right combination of conflicts like this so well.  This is a very high level of craft.

Wuthering Heights (1939)
by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur
Based on the novel by Emily Bronte