in september 1969, two unemployed actors, flamboyant alcoholic withnail and contemplative marwood, live in a messy flat in camden town, london. their only regular visitor is the drug dealer, danny. one morning, the pair squabble about housekeeping and then leave to take a walk. in regent's park, they discuss the poor state of their acting careers and the desire for a holiday; they propose a trip to a rural cottage near penrith owned by withnail's wealthy uncle monty. they visit monty that evening at his luxurious chelsea house. monty is a melodramatic aesthete, whom marwood infers is homosexual; the three briefly drink together as withnail casually lies to monty about his acting career and claims that grammar school-educated marwood studied at eton. withnail persuades his uncle to lend them the cottage key and they leave.