This movie released in 1987 is a black comedy written and directed by Bruce Robinson. It stars Richard E Grant as Withnail and Paul McGann as Marwood or I it also starred Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown & Michael Elphick. Released in 1987 the film is set in 1969 which threw me completely at the time as I generally thought it was from the 60s. Produced on a budget of $1.87m it went on to recoup $1.6m worldwide. Which as a British movie that would be a Budget of £1.1m and a return of £565k in the UK alone which no matter which way I dress this up was not a success at the box-office. It is like so many other movies on this end of the list a cult classic, loved by many in silence and one that I would recommend. Not in the controversial league as Blazing Saddles there are elements that I will not avoid and will mention later. The cult love is out there and demonstrated but the scores from the usual critics with IMDb giving it a 7.7 out of 10 and Rotten Tomatoes giving it an impressive 94%.
Onto the plot, set in 1969 two unemployed actors, a flamboyant alcoholic Withnail and contemplate and negative Marwood live in a messy flat in Camden Town. They have regular visits from a drug dealer called Danny. They eventually head out for a walk to regents park and decide they need a vacation to recharge their batteries and restart the search for acting jobs. Withnail suggests they visit his Uncle Monty in Chelsea to talk him into lending them his cottage in Penrith for a break. They take the next day to drive to the cottage and find the weather cold and wet and the cottage is without food, running water or power. They head to the pub but find the locals quite unwelcoming and Withnail desperate for food propositions a poacher who is deeply offended and walking around with a gun the two are now terrified of potential retribution from him. Especially when he is spotted snooping around the cottage when they are returning. That night Withnail is so scared he wants to share a bed with Marwood who angrily leaves but hearing noises decided to go back. They hear a break-in down stairs and prepare for own deaths at the end of a double barrel but it turns out to be Monty. Monty clearly has designs on Marwood who is not happy about the idea whilst Withnail is oblivious. They upset Monty when he gives them money to buy boots and they instead drink it at another pub and then head to the cake shop. Monty is very upset with them and that night the three of them come to a head with Marwood angry with Withnail and Monty angry with Marwood for lack of response to his advances and Withnail angry with not being cold, wet and not drunk.
OK too much detail again for this plot. The basic story is two drunk actors go on holiday to the middle of nowhere. One has promised the benefactor a romantic night with the other just to get hold of the keys to the cottage. There are homosexual references in there as the uncle is interested in Withnail’s friend and he is desperate not be of any sexual pleasure for him. The Uncle comes across as the only sensible one of the three as Withnail manages to offend and get himself into various different predicaments, whilst timid Marwood gets himself led by Withnail into anything. I got into this movie so late it is untrue and the reason for that is wrong as well as I completely had this movie pegged incorrectly. I hadn’t really heard of it and the bits that I saw in the 30 second snippets here and there had me pigeon holing this completely wrong. We actually won a prize to go and watch this and An American Werewolf in London at Summerfield House so we went for one and was really pleased to see so many people leave after the first movie so could sit and really enjoy the second. But seeing Withnail for the first time was such a pleasant surprise to me, this is just hysterical and a laugh out loud movie that could of so easily passed me bar and I would of never seen it and here I am telling people to go and watch it. The cake shop scene makes me laugh just on its own, I will often go onto YouTube watch that scene, laugh out loud and then move onto the next thing. This is great you will laugh if you give it a chance.
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