WUTHERING HEIGHTS WITH TOM HARDY ON ITV1

The presence of a new Jane Austen's Emma on the BBC One 2009 Autumn lineup has raised mixed feelings from viewers and critics bored by the idea of another "Braustens" (Brontë/Austen/Dickens) adaptation. After all it is tempting to ask who needs one more costume/period drama at a time when British television can deliver Torchwood: Children of Earth or The Fixer.

Nowadays you need something more to attract interest with another look at these fond masterpieces from the great British litterature. And ITV1's Wuthering Heights (30-31 August, 9pm British Time) undeniably has this element of interest: Tom Hardy as Heathcliff. Hardy is one of the best British contemporary actors. Praised for his portrayal of Michael Gordon Peterson a.k.a. prisoner Charles Bronson in the movie Bronson (2008), and acclaimed for his work on the brilliant adaptation of Martina Cole's The Take, he's a natural choice for the mysterious, dark and tormented Heathcliff.

This new recreation of Emily Brontë's classic is directed by Coky Giedroyc (Blackpool), adapted by Peter Bowker (Blackpool, Desperate Romantics) and produced by Mammoth Screen (Lost in Austen). After Martina Cole's The Take, Charlotte Riley is again in a Tom Hardy starrer, as Cathy, and the cast includes Kevin McNally (Mr Earnshaw) and Burn Gorman - Owen Harper in Torchwood - as Hindley.

We'll observe how this Wuthering Heights fares on ITV1, right after Peter Bowker's Desperate Romantics on BBC2 (unfortunately not a successor to RTD's Casanova) and before the Emma starring Romalo Garai. And we're eager to see if Tom Hardy's Heathcliff matches the great Timothy Dalton's interpretation in the wonderful movie directed by Robert Fuest in 1970 (your humble servant's favourite adaptation). But honestly: Giedroyc, Boker, Emily Brontë and Hardy... These are the ingredients for a future classic.

Radford Neville, producer of Wuthering Heights 2009 for ITV gives us an interesting account of the shooting and composer Ruth Barrett talks about her work on the Broadcast website (http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/production/on-location/wuthering-heights-itv1/5004923.article). You'll also find a tremendous amount of information on the magnificent BrontëBlog (http://bronteblog.blogspot.com/), an indispensable reference about the life and work of the Brontë family.

http://www.itv.com/drama/perioddrama/wutheringheights/default.html

Wuthering Heights Promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOCdgAse0zw

See also:

http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2009/07/itv-autumn-2009-drama-season-highlights.html
http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2009/08/code-9.html