This stickily cast, TV-style version of Emily Bronte's passionate novel of obsessive love in the 18th century runs more like a Gothic horror story than a romance.

Fiennes, though unorthodox casting, at least looks and sounds the part as the wild-eyed rugged Heathcliff, descending into madness at the loss of his love.

But Binoche's Cathy is a total disaster and she tries in vain to conceal her French accent, or makes risible attempts at a sort of Parisian Yorkshire.

The windswept, barren Yorkshire moors are the only stars of this dark and doomy costume piece, directed in TV commercial style by debutant director Kosminsky and scored for a thoroughly annoying collection of screeching violins by Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Alas, poor `Eathcleef, we knew 'eem well.