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Private Road
A compelling tale about the struggle for personal freedom, starring Bruce Robinson (Withnail and I).
Director: Barney Platts-Mills
Overview
Like a prototype for Withnail and I, Barney Platts-Mills' surprising film focuses on a search personal freedom across 1970s Boho London and the wilds of Scotland. Bruce Robinson (who wrote and directed Withnail) plays Peter, a young writer who shacks up with receptionist Ann (Susan Penhaligon). Sex, drugs, and rigorous rural living ensue, to the dismay of Ann’s posh parents. Will Peter choose domestic conformity or the artistic ideal?
This title is also available on DVD / Blu-ray in the BFI’s Flipside collection.
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