W. H. Auden dominated English letters in the 1930s. Books like The Orators and Look Stranger! and plays like The Dog Beneath the Skin and The Ascent of F6 burst like bombshells in the minds of the young and left-wing. Auden became a cult. He was the darling of the avant-garde until January 1939 when he left England to settle in New York. He became an American citizen and continued to write until his death in Vienna in 1973. He is considered by many to be the most distinguished poet in English this century.
In the first film portrait since his death, Robert Robinson examines Auden's character and achievement and explores the landscapes, both real and imaginary, which his poems evoke. Christopher Isher wood and Stephen Spender are among Auden's friends and family taking part.
Written by ROBERT ROBINSON Film editor
MICHAEL CROZIER
Producer ADAM LOW