Film: Withnail & I
Director: Bruce Robinson
Country: UK
Released: January 1987
Runtime: 107 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Studio: HandMade Films
Influenced: Martin McDonagh, Edgar Wright, Chris Morris, Ben Wheatley, Richard Ayoade
Withnail & I is loosely based on director Bruce Robinson's own life and experiences as an actor, with the screenplay written while he was living in a squalid flat in London, struggling to find work. The story is a darkly comic reflection on his own challenges and frustrations during that period. The character of Withnail (Richard E. Grant) was inspired by Robinson's friend and fellow actor, Vivian MacKerrell, who became known for his wild and unpredictable behaviour. Despite the strength of the screenplay, Robinson struggled to get the film financed and a pivotal moment was the involvement of George Harrison and his production company, HandMade Films. Withnail & I is infused with the spirit and the music of the late 60s, from Procol Harum to Jimi Hendrix, so Harrison's financing of the movie is fitting.
The film is set in 1969, a year before the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK. Monty's unabashed attraction to McGann's character and his advances toward him throughout the film provide a subtextual commentary on the social attitudes of the time, and we also see instances of homophobia both directed at the two main characters ("perfume ponce" scene) and by them towards Monty. As well as being a film about changing social attitudes, Withnail & I also portrays the challenges of life as an actor or poet, infused with the spirit of Shakespeare's Hamlet and Baudelaire's poetry. Robinson was fascinated by the life and poems of Baudelaire, and you can clearly see the poet's influence on the creation of the roué character of Withnail. In actual fact, Grant was a non-drinker in real life; despite this, his portrayal of the drunken and intoxicated Withnail was so convincing that many people assumed he was a heavy drinker.
Tired of their impoverished and grimy living conditions in their Camden Town flat, the two friends decide to escape to the countryside by borrowing a cottage in the Lake District owned by Withnail's eccentric uncle, Monty (Richard Griffiths). The remote cottage used in the film is located in the Lake District, known as Sleddale Hall, and it has become a pilgrimage site for fans of the cult film. The majority of the film takes place during their stay in the cottage. However, their attempts to find tranquility are continually disrupted by various misadventures, including run-ins with eccentric locals and disastrous cooking mishaps. This makes for some of the film's most iconic and comic moments such as their first encounter with a local ("we've gone on holiday by mistake... are you a farmer?") and their lavish lunch at the Penrith Tea Rooms ("we want the finest wines available to humanity").
Withnail & I's innovation lie in its distinctive blend of dark humour, character-driven storytelling and its realistic portrayal of the disillusionment and challenges faced by young actors trying to make a name for themselves. It also has some of the most quotable lines in all of cinema. I'm particularly fond of the character of Danny the drug dealer (Ralph Brown), whose "camberwell carrot" was the stuff of myth among my friends growing up and whose "hair being an aerial" monologue is among my favourite moments in the film. I also love Monty's comments about root vegetables being better than flowers ("tarts for bees"). Withnail & I may not have won any major awards, but it has left a lasting legacy as a cult comedy classic, showcasing the best elements of British cinema.
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