About the film
- Directed by
- Bruce Robinson
- Released
- June 19, 1987
- Certification
- R
- Country
- United Kingdom, Canada
- Starring
- Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown, Michael Elphick
More credits
- Language
- Latin, English
- Origin
- GB
- Studios
- Handmade Films, Cineplex-Odeon Films
- Written by
- Bruce Robinson
- Produced by
- Denis O'Brien, George Harrison, Paul M. Heller
- Cinematography
- Peter Hannan
- Music
- David Dundas, Rick Wentworth
- Also starring
- Daragh O'Malley, Michael Wardle, Una Brandon-Jones, Noel Johnson, Irene Sutcliffe
- Box office
- $1,544,889
Two unemployed actors, a flat full of unwashed dishes, and a holiday to the countryside that solves nothing. The trip was meant to be a cure. It becomes a bender with hedgerows.
WITHNAIL & I (1987) follows Withnail, played by Richard E. Grant, and his friend, the unnamed narrator, played by Paul McGann, through the last days of the 1960s, as the drugs run low and the acting work never arrives. They borrow a cottage from Withnail’s uncle Monty, played by Richard Griffiths, and discover that the countryside offers no comfort to men this committed to ruin.
Bruce Robinson wrote and directed the film, drawing heavily on his own lean years as a struggling actor sharing a flat in Camden. Grant, who played a raging alcoholic, was reportedly a teetotaler and had never been drunk before making the film.
George Harrison’s company Handmade Films produced it, one of several films the ex-Beatle bankrolled after the company was founded to finance Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
The film found little audience on release but was kept alive by word of mouth and repeat viewings, until its lines became a kind of shared password among people who had properly wasted their twenties.
Sources
- Sotheby's EST. 1744 www.sothebys.com
- Actor Richard E Grant on Withnail, Meryl and making it in the movies - Actor Richard E Grant on Withnail, Meryl and maki www.walesonline.co.uk
- Clean And Sober www.richard-e-grant.com
- Richard E. Grant – Official Website www.richard-e-grant.com
- Withnail and I (1986) - 27 November 2014 www.bbc.co.uk
- Withnail & I (1987) - Plot - IMDb - - Two sloppy actors spend a weekend holiday at an uncle's country cottage www.imdb.com
- Withnail and I: Cult classic turns 30 - Withnail and I: Cult classic turns 30 www.bbc.com
- Withnail and I - Harvard Film Archive hfa.huncwot.dev
- BBC - h2g2 - 'Withnail and I' - Guide ID: A644618 (Edited) www.bbc.co.uk
- Withnail and I - Wikipedia - Withnail and I en.wikipedia.org
- BBC - Films -article article - 28 October 2014 www.stage.bbc.co.uk
- First draft of Withnail and I set for auction www.bbc.com
- Diaries of actor who inspired Withnail & I for auction - Diaries of actor who inspired Withnail and I could fetch £18,00 www.rte.ie
- BBC - Films - review - 28 October 2014 www.stage.bbc.co.uk
- Withnail and Us (TV Movie 1999) ⭐ 6.8 | Documentary - Withnail and Us s.media-imdb.com
- Boiling down How To Get Ahead In Advertising - Comedy Rewind - British Comedy Guide www.comedy.co.uk
- WEEKEND; High jinks surrounding low-budget institution. - WEEKEND; High jinks surrounding low-budget institution. www.thefreelibrary.com
- Richard E. Grant - Trivia - IMDb - - Is allergic to alcohol s.media-imdb.com
- User-submitted review of "Withnail & I" - British film-making at its best s.media-imdb.com
- Withnail and I books.google.com.sg
How to see Withnail & I (1987)
Streaming
United States
Also available internationally
Stream
Free
Source: JustWatch
Physical media
Part of Withnail and I Criterion Collection Comedy
More editions
Part of Withnail and I Criterion Collection Comedy
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brilliant film and a stellar opening track from king crimson.
“we’ve come on holiday by accident! we’re not from london”
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day…
Best film of its generation. Nothing compares.
Don’t attempt anything without gloves
What absolute twaddle. Imagine getting into a fight with the fucker.
One of my favourite films
I used this profile pic by mistake…
Sublime comedy.
Fab film
Brilliant movie.
Love the part when they’re freezing cold in the flat and your man is rubbing “Deep Heat ” over himself to get warm! Hysterical.
Stop saying that! You’re not in the same boat. The only thing you’re in that I’ve been in is this fucking bath!
Coming to Birmingham stage play adaptation xx
Nicky Duggan I saw it in 2024 it’s brilliant.
One of my all time favourite films…
I’m feeling unusual.
Absolutely brillant funny as
Uncle Monty mad as box of frogs
Deb
Get in the back of the van!!!!
Brilliant movie
Monty, you terrible cunt!
This is one of my top films, seen it waaaay too many times… ” I must have you, even if it’s burglary” Uncle Monty 😂
“We’ve come on holiday by mistake”. Brilliant quotable film. One of my faves 💖
Was my favourite film for many years, but I find it a hard watch these days. I’ve probably watched it far too many times.
I demand to have some booze! Great film
What fucker said that?
Brilliant film
We’ve gone on holiday by mistake 😁
A rarity in film where pretty much every line is a quotable gem.
What absolute twaddle
Hear hare Hear
Monty you terrible cnut 🤣
Who fucks maybe he fucks arses
Accident Blackspot, their throwing themselves into the the road
Best film ever. 🤣
Miss blenahasset we want the finest wines known to humanity we want them here and we want them now!!
Loved this film. Tom Hardy and Bendedict Cumberbatch remind me a little of these two when they filmed Stuart: A Life Backwards.
Vegetables are prostitutes to the bees
Really good
I’m a trained actor reduced to a bum
When they say Films have Cult Status, this truly has.
It brings people from different backgrounds together.
I was a London Licenced Taxi Driver years ago.
I pick this guy up with his wife, from outside a very expensive Restaurant and they want to go to a very exclusive address.
How we got on to Withnail and I and can’t remember, but we spent the whole journey quoting lines from it and laughing hysterically. His poor wife sat looking out of the window.
We arrived at destination. She politely says thank you and gets out. He checks how much the fare is, pays me with a nice tip and says “that was one of the most enjoyable Taxi rides I’ve ever taken”.
As he’s getting out he leans forward and says
“Month….you terrible ****!”
He gets out laughing his head off and I’m laughing so much I can’t drive off!