Withnail & I 30 years on: star Richard E Grant and director Bruce Robinson discuss the film | BFI 

Withnail is one of the greatest films ever made .

The more I see Richard E. Grant the more I love the guy. Just brings a smile to my face 😆

Bruce Robinson may have never made a better film then Withnail and I, But that one film is a masterpiece that never ages or wears thin. Always a pleasure to watch.

It's actually heart breaking to hear Bruce describe his experience of sexual abuse and have it played for laughs. Were he a woman, it would be so different. Nobody would be laughing. And it has clearly stayed with him, as it would with anyone.

I have watched this film more than any other. Nothing compares to the talent involved in this. I have the film, the anniversary film, the book of the film, the film of the book, the poster on the wall, the quotes off by heart, the places it was filmed, the music..the everything..Bruce Robinson you are legendary x

it's one of the few films you can watch again and again and again.

The greatest film ever made. Every line is wonderful.

Richard and Paul will always be the greatest in withnail and I. It's the best parts they ever played.

Such a shame Richard Griffiths couldn't be there, miss him :(

This film changed my life, at an impressionable age no doubt, but it is nonetheless timeless and cherishible, a classic of actorship and directorship with an attention to detail that after over a decade past still warms my soul. Thanks to everyone involved in the making, you make the world a better place

Just watched this three times in the last week after my 18 year old daughter introduced me to this amazing film.

One of the most enchanting films you could ever watch. I remember watching it when my life was in a bit of a rut and these two lovely characters had a real healing effect! The intro with the music remains of one slickest I've encountered, the opening dialogue had me anxious as much as the characters but by the time Marwood sauntered off into the fields to that lovely music playing in the background I knew then what a magical piece of work I encountered, it contains real fusion (heart, soul) from the director. Makes all the difference in comparison to the shallow attempts of today's film making.

George Harrison of The Beatles financed some of the finest British films ever made including W & I .

I watched this at The Dukes Playhouse in Lancaster this when it was first released. I was young. I must have watched it 100 times since minimum and I’m 58 now……its a comfort and a pleasure to watch it every single time

Still one of the best British films ever made. I think every single line is brilliant. And a great interview.....

i thought that heavy bloke was, uncle Monty...

He look slike uncle monty on right. The ending of the ilm always brings me to tears. He is lonley, starved of love, and will be alone from then on. heart braking.

I wrote my honours degree dissertation on "Withnail & I". Superb film that works on so many levels to ensure it has become a classic.

His experience with Zeffirelli is turned into a bit of a joke here, but it's actually really unfortunate. If it was a woman who said the same thing nobody would have laughed. Zeffirelli essentially promised Robinson fame, money and a Hollywood career then used his power to sexually assault him. If Robinson kicked up a fuss about it he would have been fired and sent back to poverty in England which probably would have ruined his acting career.

Had never heard of this movie, one of my pommy mates introduced it to me. Can’t thank him enough for doing so.

The 'explicit language' warning made me smile; I don't think any Withnail & I fans are bothered by that!

Bruce Robinson is a really talented and versatile writer - apart from writing a great comic film like withnail and I he also wrote the screenplay to the killing Fields which to me is one of the most moving and powerful movies ever made and based on a true story- talented guy !

Most rewatchable movie ever made

The fact that Bruce Robinson is still alive with his level of intake is astounding to me.

Great moderator. A rarity for film Q&A's

We've come on holiday by mistake ... Love it .

I love this film Thank you. Come on Hollywood give Richard E Grant a fantastic role!

One of my all time favourite Q&A's at the BFI Southbank. So happy to be there, both absolute legends. :)

We want the finest wines available to humanity. We want them here, and we want them now!

As a young female Paul McGann's Irish good looks has kept me coming back ;) Glad they did not cut him.

It was very good of them to find a Richard Griffiths lookalike to host this.

'Smoking in Bed', a book of interviews with Bruce is a goldmine of Withnail-related trivia - and more hilarity.

I really feel for Bruce when he was describing the encounter with Zeffirelli. I had a similar experience with a much older, slightly famous musician in his car. It still makes me shudder a bit!

I had the pleasure of meeting Richard at a charity event for withnail and he was a superb , genuine bloke as was Paul McGann. They had time for everybody unlike the actor who played the Camberwell Carrot character, sorry forgot his name!

The film works because at some time in your young life you have experience of one or more of these situations everyone can relate to the character's creations well done to everyone for creating a timeless classic of true englishness .

It’s quite astonishing how light-hearted and amused they’re reacting to such a horrific abuse story. Male abuse isn’t treated so differently to female. Wow

2:44. Photos of Grant prior to shooting show he was not overweight. Hence the expression on his face when Robinson says he was.

Met Richard outside his house on Persham Road, I was delivering food to his neighbour... "Didn't expect to meet Withnail today!" He grinned... Loved it, both of us! 😁

The greatest film ever made. Even if he doesn't make another

I have watched This Masterpiece too many times. I can lip Sync it.. Its always new to me…. Superb movie

Who else thought that the portly gentleman was Richard Griffiths? 🤣🤣

Sublime, Withnali & I got me through some dark times in the late 80s and early 90s.

I mean to interview you two even if it has to be burglary!

Mr. Grant, thou art a delight!!

This discussion is SO funny. Bruce Robinson is a great storyteller.

One of my favorite films ever! So quotable.

I had a friend back in the 90's who was a larger than life character who had all these catchphrases and sayings. He was always centre of attention. It was only a few years later when I watched Withnail I realised that his whole persona and repertoire of catchphrases was from this movie. Im not sure what the actual person was like underneath it.

When I first saw the thumbnail for this I thought the bloke on the right was Richard Griffith!!

joking aside, could you imagine if a woman told that kind of story about a director that Bruce told? Wouldn’t be so many laughs that’s for sure

Endlessly quotable my all time favourite film

One of the best films ever made,....

Monty lives!

Tears hearing this - Both sad and elated! - Marvo Forever LOVE this film - and I don't watch many - I like to make artsy stuff and avoid screens much of the time but I love to sit in a darkened room listening to dawn chorus !!! - and maybe, I ought to begin to write as many, many ideas flow in those moments... Abs Brill film - espech the clock twice a day ref at opening ... Bloody excl Xx

Bruce was a damn good actor. People just couldn’t appreciate it.

Bloody Brilliant Many thanks for posting.

Great anecdotes, great interview

such a great film and absolutely perfect as it is, I wouldn't change a single thing about it

Legit GOLDEN interview right here

Richard Starkey (aka Ringo Starr) is credited in the film as 'technical advisor' (from memory). I wonder if he actually rolled the Carrot?

Thanks for uploading and sharing this!

I adore Bruce Robinson! Lovely man and very, very funny! 😍

Brilliant interview!

Feckin' hysterical and brilliant interview. Classic much beloved (and deservedly so) film. Can't believe I have something in common with Bruce Robinson (sort of). Went to visit someone upstate NY living in a college town in the late 60s who was a musician living with a bunch of other guys in their band. They had one lightbulb in the house that they all would unscrew and carry around to the room that was being used by the majority of them. I wasn't well off, but I could afford to buy a few lightbulbs so I went out and managed to find a store that had some (I'd never been in this town before so I didn't know if I'd be successful in my quest since it was late in the day), made the purchase, went back and put them in, and was very bemused as the guys eyes were growing wide, accompanied with much "whoa"ing, at the arrival of more illumination than they'd seen in a while. There was no way I was going to stay in this house for any length of time the way it was. I mean, going to the bathroom in a strange house in the dark (this is before I started carrying a mini-flashlight in my bag)? I don't think so. Jeesh! Have no idea if they kept all the bulbs in after I left because I'm sure it would have raised their electric bill (unless it was included in the rent). ❤☮🌎

I'm in a car this very moment driving not 2 miles away from Crow Crag.

This is so awesome!! Loving all the anecdotes and even some of the ones I'd heard before had new details.

I watched this by mistake.

This conversation needs to be made in to a film!!

I honestly thought looking at the thumbnail the interviewer was the late, great, Richard Griffiths.

we still love it and always will

An Absolute classic. Have seen it 4 times.

"... vignettes of humour ..." and therein lies the meat. Absolute fucking classic, not enough positive adjectives.

Pure genius.. Top 5 all time..

Just remember people Richard E Grant although he was in the brilliant film he was also in Spiceworld the movie

Unbelievably great Film 👍

Richard E Grant’s first go at acting was with Gary Oldman and his first film was Withnail and I: jammy git!

I just watched one of my all time favourite films “Still Crazy” and found this with Bruce Robinson et al on Brexit 😂😂 I couldn’t agree more 😘

Is Justin Johnson an Uncle Monty fill in?

Самый культовый фильм, спасибо всем, за этот шедевр

LOVED this!

From the thumbnail I thought that was Uncle Monty hosting!

Great interview about the Greatest movie of its time...

I thought-at first-that the man doing the interview was Richard Griffith

The use of King Curtis's live performance of 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale', recorded at The Fillmore West in 1971 (the opening act for Aretha Franklin) was inspired. The studio version of the same track just won't have had the same impact.

That interviewer looks like Monty😂

For the first couple of seconds I thought it was Richard Griffiths sitting with them ha!

Superb, brilliant enough said !

Incredible work here. Fantastic interview.

Perfectly perfect.

Paul should have been there for this, it is THAT much of a landmark film. This was one of those perfect storms that happen very rarley, script, actors and crew all come together to make something perfect in every way, bless you Bruce and thank you

No, Bruce, don't go back and cut anything, we don't need a Withnail & I Special Edition...

Lagavulin 16 is my favorite whiskey, it's very very smokey and peaty, with lots of iodine, not for beginners.

great interview much hilarity loved it.

This was a real treat.

This is gold. Almost as funny as the film!

What a great interview. Really entertaining and funny too. The film is probably Richard and Bruce's finest hour and some great stories behind it. Somehow the script is full of endlessly quotable dialogue. "Scrubbers...scrubbers... (up yours Grandad!)....little tarts they love it" still makes me laugh as does "Get in the back of the van". The casting was absolutely bang on with this too. Obviously Richard doesn't remember everything in it fondly but he also knows it's probably his most beloved performance and has built a successful career on it. Bruce is right in that the film was lightning in a bottle and a sequel would have been a very bad idea.

Anyone else thought that was Uncle Monty in the thumbnail?!

"Sod the bloody wellingtons"

5:15 "The I character says "Who's the huge spade in the bath?" I would never write that line now, but this was 1960 and we called, we called..." A spade a spade?

My favourite 🎥 fim. Simply perfect.✨

The Zeffirelli story is delivered as comedy but it's actually a really gross assault.