TESTAMENT OF YOUTH

UK, 2014, 129 minutes, Colour.
Alicia Vikander, Kit Harrington, Taron Egerton, Emily Watson, Dominic West, Miranda Richardson, Joanna Scanlon, Colin Morgan, Anna Chancellor, Hayley Atwell.
Directed by James Kent.


This is the kind of film that admirers of British-making really appreciate. It is beautifully mounted, re-creating its period. It has a fine cast and impressive performances. It dramatises British themes and explores the British character. It is in the tradition of the Merchant- Ivory period films of previous decades.

The title comes from a memoir by the central character, Vera Brittain. Like Gertrude Bell, ten years earlier, whose adventurous life was dramatised by Werner Hertzog’s Queen of the Desert, Vera wanted to go to the University but this was thought of as impossible. A young woman should be considering suitors and marriage. The setting is 1914.

Initially, Vera comes across as a wilful young woman, somewhat tomboyish in an opening swimming scene with her brother and his friends, upset with her father who has bought her a piano which she considers a bribe to stop her going to the University. She stands up to her father who relents and, at least, allows her to sit for the entrance exam. On her way to the exam she meets one of the staff of the College, Miss Lorimer (Miranda Richardson in a somewhat acerbic, blue-stocking presence). Although she does not answer some of the questions properly, her independent way of mind gains her a place at Oxford. Exhilarated, she goes to the college and begins her course.

But, it is 1914 and her brother, Vera pleading with her father to let him go, enlists, as do some of his friends, including Roland, with whom Vera has fallen in love. As more and more young men go to battle for King and Country, the challenge to Vera is whether she should continue her studies or volunteer as a nurse. When she does volunteer, and is belittled as upper-class by some of the matrons, she proves herself, comforting wounded and dying men, exercising skills, and even sent to France where she has to care for some of the dying German soldier patients.

Needless to say, this has a profound effect on her as well as on her brother she later tends and in her relationship with Roland and immediate preparations for their wedding.

In many ways this is very sad film, the fate of the young men going off to war, romanticising some of their war action in poetry (as did a number of the English poets who served in France).

The situation is mystifying to Vera’s parents, played effectively by Dominic West and Emily Watson, who obviously belong to a previous generation, a mix of the Victorian and Edwardian era, never contemplating what World War I was to bring to the world and to England itself.

Vera is played by Alicia Wikander, the Swedish actress who are impressed in the Danish film A Royal Affair and moved internationally very quickly to such films as the mediaeval The Seventh Son, the Australian Son of a Gun, and the intriguing science-fiction, Ex Machina. She brings both strength and tenderness to her interpretation of Vera Brittain. Kit Harrington, of Games of Thrones and Pompeii, is very sympathetic as Roland.

Vera Brittain returned to the University, completed her course, became a writer and, in 1933, wrote this memoir, Testament of Youth.


1. A World War I memoir? Vera Brittain, her life, the experience of the war, relationships, her career?

2. England, Yorkshire, the country house, the countryside, the waterhole, the hills, the road? London, the Armistice? Oxford, the University, the streets, the surroundings? The war hospital? In France? The trenches, the front, the wards, the German ward? The scenes at the meeting after the war? The musical score?

3. The colour, so light and bright prior to the war, muted colour and darker shades during the war? The end and more light coming back?

4. The Armistice, Vera in the crowds, pushing through, the celebrations, going to the church, her grief?

5. The young people in 1914, the Brittain family, going for the swim, the joke about the rats in the water, going to the rescue? The friendship? The father buying the piano, Vera’s anger, Edward playing the piano, Victor and Ronald, love for Vera? The challenge to her father, wanting to go to Oxford, the payments for the course? Writing poetry, her studying, throwing the books at the window? Ronald and the relationship?

6. Oxford, her aunt chaperoning her, meeting Miss Lorimer, her terse comments, the exam, not doing the Latin translation, in German instead? The letter, anxiety, gaining the place? Arriving, Miss Lorimer, her joy and hopes? Miss Lorimer’s comments of welcome, caution and discipline?

7. Going out with Ronald, the aunt as chaperone, the continually trying to get away from her, in the theatre, his arm against the back? Seeing the newspaper, the headlines, war?

8. The spirit amongst young people at the time, the cadet parade, the speech of the headmaster, King and Country? People signing up? Ronald, his family, his decisions to go? Edward wanting to go, Vera challenging her father? Victor and his going to war?

9. Vera feeling she should do something, wanting to volunteer, the discussions with Miss Lorimer? The harsh nurse, her work, making mistakes and apologies? Her being considered a toff?

10. Ronald, his service, the return, sleeping, keeping away from everyone? Vera going to the family? On the shore, the discussions, his agreement to return? Going to headquarters?

11. The plan for his return, the wedding, Vera and the family dressed for the ceremony, the phone call, the news, her grief? Everybody saying that he had a noble and painless death? Vera going to the wounded man, getting the truth? A very painful death? The return of his clothes, Vera searching them, finding the letters and poems? The family burying his clothes?

12. Victor, his action, returning blind, Vera and her care, proposing to look after him, his turning her down, his death?

13. Vera, her decision to go to France, her work with the Germans, speaking German, the sufferings, the dying man? Finding Edward, saving him?

14. Her parents, belonging to a former generation, prim and proper, calling her back, her cleaning the house? Seeing the postman, the image of Edward? His death?

15. At work, the end of the war? The celebrations in London, Vera going through the crowds, into the church?

16. Her going to the meeting, the anti-German atmosphere, the shouting against her? Her speech about the German soldiers, their families, the death? Her urging no more war, for peace?

17. Going back home, swimming, the memories, her writing the memoir, its title?