The Dean of Cinema

If you don’t remember the 60s don’t worry, neither can they. Two out-of-work actors — the anxious, luckless Marwood and his acerbic, alcoholic friend, Withnail — spend their days drifting between their squalid flat, the unemployment office and the pub. When they take a holiday “by mistake” at the country house of Withnail’s flamboyantly gay uncle, Monty, they encounter the unpleasant side of the English countryside: tedium, terrifying locals and torrential rain.

Written by Dean Zarbaugh II

“Politics, man. If you’re hanging onto a rising balloon, you’re presented with a difficult decision. Let go before it’s too late or hang on and keep getting higher, posing the question: how long can you keep a grip on the rope? They’re selling hippie wigs in Woolworths, man. The greatest decade in the history of mankind is over. And as Presuming Ed here has so consistently pointed out, we have failed to paint it black.” – Danny

Bruce Robinson’s hilarious film about two out of work actors, Withnail & I, was highly touted by many of my favorite comedians and comic personalities so it had a high bar to clear, and does so with ease. I had been meaning to buy the film for a while now and finally jumped at the chance during Barnes and Noble’s 50% off Criterion Collection sale.

The film is absolutely bonkers. It perfectly encapsulates the “do one for them and then one for you” philosophy of filmmaking. Hot off his Academy Award nominated and BAFTA winning adaptation of The Killing Fields, Robinson was eager to do something more personal. Something more him. He had the script for Withnail already completed. George Harrison, yes, the Beatle who showed up to Saturday Night Live to pick up a once promised $3,000 check from Lorne Michaels to perform on the show. “You can split it anyway you want. If you want to give Ringo less, that’s up to you,” – Lorne Michaels. Harrison was no stranger to producing, being the crucial lifeline that got Monty Python’s epic comedy, The Life of Brian to cinemas after mortgaging his house to finance the film, and wanted to get back to producing that type of material. Lo and behold, Bruce Robinson sent him a script he had ready and waiting: Withnail. The rest, they say is history. Harrison stepped back and allowed Robinson room to create. While the film was initially a box office dud, it quickly gained a cult status as the hilarious film it truly is thanks to Bruce Robinson and some fantastic performances from the entire cast.

Mild spoilers follow

The script from Robinson is loosely based on his life living in London in the 60s, with both Withnail and Marwood representing Robinson at different points in his life. It’s filled with rich, flowery dialogue the likes of which you don’t hear in films much anymore. In true Seinfeldian fashion before Seinfeld even existed, Withnail is ostensibly a movie about nothing, yet you can’t stop watching because of the myriad of rich characters that Robinson has created. Withnail and Marwood leave their apartment and then, wait for iiiiiiitttttttt, they return. 🤯 It’s more about the journey of self-discovery that Marwood goes on watching Withnail use and abuse everyone he interacts with. I wouldn’t be surprised if Withnail was an inspiration for that storyline on Seinfeld. While the script is oftentimes hilarious and witty, it also has a dark undercurrent running through it. By the end of the film, Withnail and Marwood’s friendship appears to be collapsing, and there doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel for them. When Marwood leaves, it’s likely the last time the two of them ever saw each other. It’s a beautiful ending, and one we have all likely experienced at one point or another in our friendships. There always seems to be that one who does their best to bring everyone else down with them. Getting away from that mindset refreshes you and allows you to move on stronger than you were before. All of this is balanced out by some of the funniest situations ever put on film. I think Robinson does a wonderful job of portraying all of this in Withnail.

Richard E. Grant’s portrayal of Withnail, a self-involved, self-medicating alcoholic out of work actor who refuses to do any of the work required to get roles is something to behold. Grant puts everything he’s got into the performance and you can’t take your eyes off him the entire time. He’s hypnotizing to watch. He went so far as to train himself to move his head a split second before his eyes, giving his movements an odd, almost alien quality. It’s one of the more realistic portrayals of alcoholism in a film.

Paul McGann plays Marwood, the titular “I.” He drinks just as heavily as Withnail, but maintains a sane, albeit anxiety-ridden outlook on his and Withnail’s “lives” as they were. He still holds on to hope for a better future, whereas Withnail has withdrawn and accepted his lot in life. The anxiety of watching himself turn into Withnail pushes him forward and finally say enough is enough. Like Grant, McGann’s performance is hypnotic to watch, but for different reasons. There’s a level of innocence running through McGann’s performance as Marwood that stands in stark contrast to Withnail’s character. It’s a great dynamic that is riveting to watch. It’s no wonder he becomes one of the more popular Doctor’s in Doctor Who.

The way the film depicts Withnail’s lecherous Uncle Monty can be seen as poor taste and outdated, but remember that ultimately Uncle Monty is also a victim to Withnail’s scheming ways, as he promised Monty something he knew he couldn’t deliver in Marwood’s romance. When viewed in this lens, Monty’s characterization in that scene where he locks himself in with Marwood makes sense from a character’s perspective. Unfortunately, many people don’t see things this way and feel that the depiction of Monty is offensive to the LGBTQIA+ community, as he comes off more predatory in their view. They are missing the point, and ultimate tragedy of the character. A man who has been forced to hide who he is because the world wasn’t ready to accept human beings who love differently than them. At the slightest chance of ending his loneliness, he acts out in a moment of weakness and desperation. I couldn’t imagine having to hide who I am and who I love simply because some assholes can’t accept a different reality beyond their own highly prejudiced one. Monty is sad, lonely, and yearning for companionship; all things that everyone can relate to, no matter your sexuality. This is taken advantage of by Withnail with little to no regard to how it affects either Monty or Marwood. Richard Griffiths’ performance as Monty is fantastic. He nails every layer of Monty’s personality, especially his lonely, desperate side. It’s an incredibly moving performance that deserves multiple viewings to appreciate all the layers to it.

Withnail has many other great performances peppered throughout the film like Ralph Brown’s drug dealer (and user) Danny. His slow, methodical style of speech combined with the batshit stuff he says makes for one of the most memorable performances in the film. He’s dropping lines like, “I don’t advise a haircut, man. All hairdressers are in the employment of the government. Hair are your aerials. They pick up signals from the cosmos and transmit them directly into the brain. This is the reason bald-headed men are uptight,” or, “You have done something to your brain. You have made it high. If I lay 10 mils of diazepam on you, it will do something else to your brain. You will make it low. Why trust one drug and not the other? That’s politics, innit?” He’s clearly out of his mind (or is he?) but he still has his finger on the pulse of the world.

Robinson created one of the most unique films of all time in Withnail & I, one that you can’t stop thinking about well after the credits have rolled. It’s a booze and drug filled rollercoaster of a ride that brings you right back to where you started in the end and it does so with all the fun and drollness that one expects from the Brits. It’s the perfect mix of comedy, drama and tragedy that will entertain you from start to finish.

GRADE: A