Withnail & I (1987)

In 1969, two substance-abusing, unemployed actors retreat to the countryside for a holiday that proves disastrous.

Director:

Bruce Robinson

Writer:

Bruce Robinson

Stars:

Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, Richard Griffiths

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard E. Grant	...	Withnail
Paul McGann	...	... & I
Richard Griffiths	...	Monty
Ralph Brown	...	Danny
Michael Elphick	...	Jake
Daragh O'Malley	...	Irishman
Michael Wardle	...	Isaac Parkin
Una Brandon-Jones	...	Mrs. Parkin
Noel Johnson	...	Raymond (General)
Irene Sutcliffe	...	Mabs Blenehassit (Waitress)
Llewellyn Rees	...	Tea Shop Proprietor
Robert Oates	...	Policeman 1
Anthony Wise	...	Policeman 2
Eddie Tagoe	...	Presuming Ed

Storyline

London, 1969 - two 'resting' (unemployed and unemployable) actors, Withnail and Marwood, fed up with damp, cold, piles of washing-up, mad drug dealers and psychotic Irishmen, decide to leave their squalid Camden flat for an idyllic holiday in the countryside, courtesy of Withnail's uncle Monty's country cottage. But when they get there, it rains non-stop, there's no food, and their basic survival skills turn out to be somewhat limited. Matters are not helped by the arrival of Uncle Monty, who shows an uncomfortably keen interest in Marwood...

---

Plot Keywords:

friendship | black comedy | out of work actor | homosexual | gay | 

---

Taglines:

If you don't remember the sixties, don't worry - neither did they.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bruce Robinson based Danny's voice on a dim-witted, slow speaking hairdresser he had once met in a film studio.

---

Goofs

When Marwood is in the bath shaving (just before Withnail arrives with his saveloy and chips), you can clearly see that below the shaving foam he is in fact already clean shaven.

---

Quotes

Monty: [entering Marwood's room in the dark] Boy... boy... I know you're not asleep, boy.

---

Crazy Credits

Paul McGann is credited only as "and I".

---

Alternate Versions

The original cinema version of this film was shorter than the one that has since been released on video, laserdisc and DVD. Changes include:

• Marwood's opening voice-over has been redubbed.
• Marwood's speech about his thumbs having gone weird has been cut. The scene thus goes from the line "I don't feel good" to "Look at my tongue".
• Withnail's "I'm gonna pull your head off" has been cut.
• Danny's anecdote about The Coalman has been cut.
• Some dialogue concerning Withnail's current work and Marwood also being a thespian has been cut out of the scene at Monty's home.
• The scene of Marwood slipping in the mud and then angrily persuading Withnail to have another look at the shed has been cut.
• The first part of Withnail and Marwood's conversation with the major, concerning Withnail having been in the Territorials, has been cut. The scene in this version simply dissolves from Withnail and Marwood walking to the pub with Marwood's voice-over to the major bringing up the subject of Jake. Marwood's line about why Withnail lied to the major has understandably also been cut.
• The word Saveloy has been redubbed to Sausage.

---

Connections

Featured in 50 Years of Bad Sex (2011)

---

Soundtracks

Walk Hand in Hand
Performed by Charlie Kunz
Composed by John Cowell
Original Sound Recording made by the Decca Record Co. Ltd.

User Reviews

Role of a lifetime

Richard E Grant is simply perfect as Withnail, the addled but undoubtedly well-equipped "actor" on holiday with his pal, the "I" in the title. His soliloquy from Hamlet in the final scene is one of the best readings of that scene anyone's done in film. This is a film with a point, and a great way of avoiding making it too emphatically. I love every character, and every line. When Withnail frantically searches for antifreeze after drinking lighter fluid in a crazed attempt to become drunk, "I" says, "Everyone knows you shouldn't mix your drink!" Superb!

Details

Official Sites:

Handmade Films Website

Country:

UK

Language:

English Latin

Release Date:

19 June 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Withnail & I

Filming Locations:

M25 Motorway, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,544,889

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,628,359

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineplex Odeon Films, HandMade Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1