“Wuthering Heights” / 「嵐が丘」, Original Japanese Movie Poster 1981, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) E261

This is an original Japanese B2 theatrical poster printed for the 1981 Japanese re-release of Wuthering Heights / 「嵐が丘」, William Wyler’s celebrated 1939 adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel.

Starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, the film remains one of the defining romantic dramas of classical Hollywood cinema, combining Gothic atmosphere, psychological intensity, and tragic passion against the windswept Yorkshire moors.

Distributed in Japan by Nippon Herald Films, this elegant re-release poster uses the film’s iconic black-and-white studio photography with restrained green, pink, and ochre typography.

Film background

Set amid the isolated moors of Yorkshire, the film follows the turbulent relationship between Heathcliff, an orphan taken into the Earnshaw household, and Catherine Earnshaw, the spirited daughter of his benefactor.

Heathcliff and Catherine form an intense bond during childhood, finding freedom together on the wild landscape surrounding the family estate of Wuthering Heights.

After the death of Mr Earnshaw, Heathcliff is degraded and mistreated by Catherine’s brother, Hindley. Although Catherine loves Heathcliff deeply, she ultimately agrees to marry the refined and wealthy Edgar Linton, believing that marriage to Heathcliff would diminish her social position.

Overhearing only part of her confession, Heathcliff leaves Wuthering Heights. He returns years later as a wealthy and imposing man, determined to take revenge upon those who humiliated him and separated him from Catherine.

His return sets in motion a tragic cycle of passion, jealousy, betrayal, and vengeance. The relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine becomes a love so consuming that it appears capable of surviving separation and even death.

The film was directed by William Wyler, produced by Samuel Goldwyn, and adapted from Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel by screenwriters Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht.

The original score was composed by Alfred Newman.

The film received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director for William Wyler, and Best Actor for Laurence Olivier. It won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, recognising Gregg Toland’s atmospheric photography.

Olivier’s performance as Heathcliff helped establish him as an international screen star, while the film became one of the most enduring cinematic interpretations of nineteenth-century English literature.

Poster design

This refined Japanese poster is dominated by a monumental black-and-white portrait of Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff and Merle Oberon as Catherine.

Heathcliff occupies the upper-left section, his body turned away while his face rises towards the cloud-filled sky. Catherine stands closely beside him, holding his arm and looking upwards with an expression of radiant hope.

The intimacy of their physical arrangement contrasts with the turbulent sky behind them, visually suggesting the tension between romantic fulfilment and the tragedy that ultimately separates them.

The portrait is enlarged almost to the edges of the sheet, giving the two figures a monumental and timeless presence. The strong contrast between their pale faces, dark hair, textured clothing, and the stormy clouds reinforces the film’s Gothic atmosphere.

At the lower left, a much smaller black-and-white image shows figures moving across the mist-covered moors, one carrying a lantern. This scene introduces a darker, more haunted dimension beneath the romantic principal image.

The green horizontal headline reads:

「世界文学史上に不滅の光をかかげていま甦える愛の名作！」

Translated:

“A masterpiece of love now revived, shining an immortal light across the history of world literature!”

The English text across the pink band reads:

“Based on the novel by EMILY BRONTË — Wuthering Heights — Directed by WILLIAM WYLER”

The Japanese promotional text below reads:

「私の腕の中をヒースの花でうずめて、幸せの白いヒースで」
死をこえてなお激しく燃える運命のふたり。

Translated:

“Fill my arms with heather—with the white heather of happiness.”
Two people bound by destiny, whose passion continues to burn fiercely beyond death.

The result is an unusually elegant Japanese re-release design, combining monumental Hollywood portraiture with carefully controlled colour and literary presentation. It possesses the character of a romantic photographic art print rather than a conventional commercial film poster.

Condition

Excellent condition. A highly attractive and well-preserved example, retaining strong black-and-white photographic contrast, clean colour bands, clear typography, and excellent overall display impact.

There are only light signs of age and handling consistent with an original Japanese theatrical poster from this period. Overall, it presents extremely well.

Reference: E261.

Please review the photograph carefully, as it shows the exact poster for sale.

This is an original Japanese theatrical poster from the film’s 1981 Japanese re-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.

It is now approximately 45 years old.

Certificate of Authenticity included.