Withnail and I
Withnail and I is a 1987 British black comedy film written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson's life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and "I" (portrayed by Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, respectively) who share a flat in Camden Town in 1969. Needing a holiday, they obtain the key to a country cottage in the Lake District belonging to Withnail's eccentric uncle Monty and drive there. The weekend holiday proves less recuperative than they expected.
| Withnail and I | |
|---|---|
Original UK release poster Art by Ralph Steadman | |
| Directed by | Bruce Robinson |
| Written by | Bruce Robinson |
| Produced by | Paul Heller |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Peter Hannan |
| Edited by | Alan Strachan |
| Music by | |
| Distributed by | HandMade Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £1.1 million |
| Box office | $1.7 million |
Withnail and I was Grant's first film and established his profile. The film featured performances by Richard Griffiths as Withnail's Uncle Monty and Ralph Brown as Danny the drug dealer. The film has tragic and comic elements and is notable for its period music and many quotable lines. It has been described as "one of Britain's biggest cult films".
The character "I" is named "Marwood" in the published screenplay but goes unnamed in the film credits.