Withnail & I (1987)

Director:

Bruce Robinson

Writer:

Bruce Robinson

Release Date:

19 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

You are cordially invited to spend a funny weekend in the English countryside. (US poster)

Plot:

London 1969 - two 'resting' (unemployed and unemployable) actors, Withnail and Marwood, fed up with damp...

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Cottage | Countryside | Friendship | Drug Dealer

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Richard E. Grant	...	Withnail
Paul McGann	...	& I / Marwood
Richard Griffiths	...	Monty
Ralph Brown	...	Danny
Michael Elphick	...	Jake
Daragh O'Malley	...	Irishman
Michael Wardle	...	Isaac Parkin
Una Brandon-Jones	...	Mrs. Parkin
Noel Johnson	...	General
Irene Sutcliffe	...	Waitress
Llewellyn Rees	...	Tea Shop Proprietor
Robert Oates	...	Policeman One
Anthony Wise	...	Policeman Two
Eddie Tagoe	...	Presuming Ed
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Robinson	...	Double for various actors in distant shots (uncredited)

Directed by
Bruce Robinson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bruce Robinson

Produced by
George Harrison	....	executive producer
Paul M. Heller	....	producer (as Paul Heller)
Lawrence Kirstein	....	associate producer
Denis O'Brien	....	executive producer
David Wimbury	....	co-producer

Original Music by
David Dundas
Rick Wentworth

Cinematography by
Peter Hannan		(photographed by)

Film Editing by
Alan Strachan

Casting by
Mary Selway

Production Design by
Michael Pickwoad

Art Direction by
Henry Harris

Costume Design by
Andrea Galer

Makeup Department
Peter Frampton	....	makeup artist
Sue Love	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Matthew Binns	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Kohn	....	first assistant director
Kathy Sykes	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Les Allett	....	props
Leith Boler	....	property buyer
Peter Browne	....	stagehand
Alan Chesters	....	supervising carpenter
Bert Gadsden	....	property master
Steve Payne	....	props stand-by
Wesley Peppiatt	....	props
John Roberts	....	painter

Sound Department
Peter Best	....	dialogue editor
Allan Brereton	....	sound maintenance
Peter Holt	....	footsteps editor
Alan Paley	....	sound editor
Trevor Rutherford	....	boom operator
Hugh Strain	....	dubbing mixer
Clive Winter	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Paul Corbould	....	special effects
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects supervisor
Dominic Tuohy	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Paul Heasman	....	stunt double: Paul McGann

Camera and Electrical Department
Murray Close	....	still photographer
Colin Davidson	....	focus
Perry Evans	....	electrician
Ian Foster	....	clapper loader
Michael Heller	....	additional still photographer
Brian Martin	....	best boy
Don Maton	....	electrician
Don McLellan	....	rigger
Reg Parsons	....	gaffer
Bob Smith	....	camera operator
Brian Sullivan	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shaun Wyldeck-Estrada	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Bob Mullen	....	assistant editor
Anne Sopel	....	assistant editor
Jeremy Strachan	....	assistant editor
Tony Tromp	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Mike Beaven	....	transportation
Steve Miller	....	transportation

Other crew
Joanna Campling	....	unit publicist
David Carrigan	....	production runner
Valerie Craig	....	production coordinator
Gordon Davis	....	assistant accountant
Jacky Holding	....	accounts secretary
Sally Jones	....	script supervisor
Paula Merwin	....	assistant to producer
Ringo Starr	....	special production consultant (as Richard Starkey)

Thanks
Inger Best	....	additional thanks
Dennis Carrigan	....	additional thanks
Ray Cooper	....	thanks
Bob Crowdy	....	additional thanks
John Geary	....	additional thanks
Martin Gutteridge	....	additional thanks
Debbie London	....	additional thanks
John Mackswith	....	additional thanks
Paul Oliver	....	additional thanks
Ronnie Pearce	....	additional thanks
Nicole Rothman	....	additional thanks
Mody Schreiber	....	thanks
Bella Serrell	....	additional thanks
John Stanborough	....	thanks
Ralph Steadman	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Cannon Group, The
• Cineplex-Odeon Films
• HandMade Films

Distributors

• Hem Films Scandinavia (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1988) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Park Circus (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Video (2011) (Canada) (DVD)
• Alliance Atlantis Video (2011) (Canada) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• América Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Astral Video (1988) (Canada) (video)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (USA)
• Criterion Collection, The (1997) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• HandMade Films (1987) (UK)
• Image Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Image Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1993) (Finland) (TV)
• Media Home Entertainment (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (UK) (video)
• Seville Pictures (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Showtime (198?) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• Video Treasures (1990) (USA) (video)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1999) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates

Other Companies

• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  sound re-recording (as De Lane Lea)
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Technicolor  color

Also Known As:

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #28355) | Australia:MA | Canada:G (Quebec) | New Zealand:R13 | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 | Australia:M (TV rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Spain:13 | Singapore:PG | Finland:K-16 (1988)

Filming Locations:

35 Glebe Place, Chelsea, London, England, UK

Company:

Cannon Group, The

Trivia:

In the scene where Withnail (Richard E. Grant) ostensibly downs a bottle of lighter fluid, the can, which in rehearsals had been full of water, was full of vinegar. Director Bruce Robinson used vinegar on the take to get a better facial reaction from Grant. The vomiting was scripted and faked.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Several outdoor shots with rain only falling in the foreground.

Quotes:

Marwood:[voiceover] Speed is like a dozen transatlantic flights without ever getting off the plane. Time change. You lose, you gain. Makes no difference so long as you keep taking the pills. But sooner or later you've got to get out because it's crashing, and then all at once those frozen hours melt out through the nervous system and seep out the pores.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Room 101: Episode #10.5" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Piano Sonata in B Flat Major

Who says a comedy can't be intelligent, sad AND laugh out loud FUNNY?

The first time I watched 'Withnail and I' in the late 80s I thought it was pretty good, but that's about it. Over the years, and a few more viewings, it really started to grow on me, and recently rewatching it on DVD for the first time I was struck at how brilliant and unique it is. It's a very subtle film really, and most comedy is admittedly a matter of taste, but if this movie clicks with you you'll most likely end up putting it in amongst your all time favourites. To me it's one of the greatest comedies ever. It's intelligent and sad and genuinely laugh out loud FUNNY, something you rarely see these days. The movie is episodic and seems to ramble on, but it's much more than a shaggy dog story, there's an underlying depth and melancholy to it that makes it something special. Richard E. Grant has never been better than this. Playing Withnail and writing his wonderful autobiography cement his place in film history as far as I'm concerned. Paul McGann is also excellent, and there are lovely performances from Richard Griffiths, Michael Elphick and Ralph Brown. EVERYONE is good in 'Withnail' but it's still Grant's movie all the way. He is just utterly brilliant! 'Withnail and I' is one of THE great British movies, and comes with my highest recommendation.