DVD: Christopher And His Kind (15)

At the insistence of poet and friend W H Auden (Pip Carter), writer Christopher Isherwood (Matt Smith) sets off to sample the earthy delights of 1930s pre-Nazi Berlin and immerse himself in its thriving gay subculture.

During his stay he meets actress and singer Jean Ross (Imogen Poots), the inspiration for the character of Sally Bowles, famously played by Liza Minnelli in Cabaret. In his first role since joining Doctor Who, Smith effortlessly captures the writer's reflective nature. This is a beautifully shot drama that offers a frank snapshot of the hedonism of the German capital and the tense, looming presence of the Nazis.