Poster for the film 'Withnail and I', 1987. This poster produced for the re-release of the film celebrating its tenth anniversary, 1997.

'Withnail and I' is a 1987 British black comedy written and directed by Bruce Robinson. Loosely based on Robinson's life in London in the late 1960s, the plot follows two unemployed actors, Withnail and "I" (portrayed by Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann, respectively) who share a flat in Camden Town in 1969. Needing a holiday, they obtain the key to a country cottage in the Lake District belonging to Withnail's eccentric uncle Monty and drive there. The weekend holiday proves less recuperative than they expected.

There is a drinking game associated with the film. The game consists of keeping up, drink for drink, with each alcoholic substance consumed by Withnail over the course of the film. All told, Withnail is shown drinking roughly ​9 1⁄2 glasses of red wine, one-half imperial pint (280 ml) of cider, one shot of lighter fluid (vinegar or overproof rum are common substitutes), ​2 1⁄2 measures of gin, six glasses of sherry, thirteen drams of Scotch whisky and ​1⁄2 pint of ale.