for all the hilarious situations and lines-does the ending make anyone else teary?
the idea that withnail will never see his only friend again and will die alone festering in poverty. Even thinking of the final scene gets to me.
Yarbles!,Great Bolshy Yarblockos To You
Kubrick
Hepburn
Deschanel
-legends-
I agree with the OP. For all it's hilarious dialogue and stunningly crafted funny one-liners, the ending is extremely sad. And the soliloquy only makes it even sadder.....
shareJust finished watching it again for what must be the 10th time. Still love that closing scene. Terribly sad, and for me clever, the way that Withnail puts out his talent for futile show. So movingly and convincingly reciting those lines from Hamlet, so he finally is 'playing the Dane', but with the only audience the wolves at London Zoo. 'Gone to the dogs' on more than one level.
shareWithnail and Roy Batty from Blade Runner shared similar exits in their respective films.
(¯`i´¯)´·¸.)‹^›
This is possibly the most Shakespearean film I've ever seen.
Tragic, brilliant, witty and hilarious. And it speaks very deeply to something innately human.
~Before I travelled my road I was my road.~
Agreed. I always find drama way more poignant when it is mixed with humour. And comedy feels more real, grounded and human when it's in the middle of something dramatic. This film is a prime example.
shareThat ending always gets me, it's the universal theme of a holiday ending, a friend leaving, a chapter in your life being scrunched up and torn up paving the way for a downward spiral in the next.
Basicly, 100 years from now, that ending will still make people cry. I am certain.
But I will ask this, is the ending some kind of metaphor about the end of the 60s? With their reckless, borderline anomic pursuit of succulant self indulgence? i.e Withnail? The fact that Marwood goes for soberity and proffession, leaving Withnail to die.
And ofcourse, all of the polical statements made by their friend, the other stoner guy, yeah?
But I will ask this, is the ending some kind of metaphor about the end of the 60s? With their reckless, borderline anomic pursuit of succulant self indulgence? i.e Withnail? The fact that Marwood goes for soberity and proffession, leaving Withnail to die.
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Beyond just being a metaphor for the end of the 1960s, I also think it's a metaphor for the end of being a young adult, the end of your 20s. Withnail mentions he is turning 30 soon. His lifestyle and antics - directionless, broke, living in a grubby apartment, bad behavior, drug taking, drinking too much too early are all still somewhat socially acceptable and even romantic when you're in your 20s but once you hit 30s, it becomes sad and pathetic. There are a lot of people, especially people who consider themselves "artists" but have failed in their endeavors, who continue to live that way.
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I re-watched Withnail and I recently, and for some reason found the last couple of scenes more moving than I had befoire.
It’s clear that the sad realisation is dawning on Withnail that his friend is going forever, in no small part due to Withnail’s own behaviour and inability/refusal to change. It seems that deep down he had always known this day would come, when he would be left behind, both literally and metaphorically. And I think he’s scared at the prospect of being left alone with himself and his self-destructive personality.
It’s also sadly touching to see Withnail’s futile attempts to cling on to his friend for a bit longer (asking him to stay for a last drink then wanting to go with him to the station), as if he's finally trying to behave like a real friend despite knowing that it’s too late.