robinson's script is largely autobiographical. "marwood" is robinson; "withnail" is based on vivian mackerrell, a friend with whom he shared a camden house, and "uncle monty" is loosely based on franco zeffirelli, from whom robinson received unwanted amorous attentions when he was a young actor. he lived in the impoverished conditions seen in the film and wore plastic bags as wellington boots. for the script, robinson condensed four or five years of his life into two weeks.