Review: Testament of Youth - A Testament to Movies

Testament of Youth

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Kit Harrington, Taron Egerton, Dominic West, Emily Watson

Written by: Juliette Towhidi based on the autobiography of Vera Brittain

Directed by: James Kent

129 minutes    Rated: M

I remember the TV mini-series ‘Testament of Youth’ back in the early 80s. It was of its time and produced to reflect the style of historic drama that BBC and Granada excelled in. It was in the ‘Brideshead Revisited’, ‘Glittering Prizes’ and ‘I Claudius’ stable. Those Brit dramas nourished us here when the closest we came were the ABC dramas such as ‘Seven Little Australians’ and ‘Power Without Glory’, great shows but could have been superb with a few more dollars and a sincere commitment.

I read the first book in the trilogy as a result of enjoying the TV series. So my memories of the story are warm and nostalgic. Forty years on the BBC has had another go at the story under its BBC Films label.

Vera Brittain’s part memoir is about the period in her life when she served as a nurse in the First World War. Enveloping this captivating story are her Oxford years, her love life and her brother’s war story. She is a woman of privilege confronted by a world of tragic equanimity and tragedy, heartache and hardship.

Vera is played (surprisingly) by Swedish actor and dancer Alicia Vikander, who bears an uncanny

likeness to a young(er) Keira Knightly and what a great job she does. We last saw her in ‘Anna Karenina’ and ‘A Royal Affair’ where she shone. This time again her performance is nuanced, eloquent and sharp. She is quite a presence on screen and someone to watch in the future. 

Vera is introduced to one of her brother’s friends Roland Leighton quite nicely acted by Kit Harrington. We ‘Game of Thrones’ fans are pleased to see Jon Snow step out of the Blackwatch garb, shed the beard and gel back the hair. I liked his performance although his grin grated a bit. Not sure why he used the grin because it never ‘appears’ in GOT so can’t be a ‘natural’ expression. The relationship between Roland and Vera is convincing and touching which enables the twists of fate that ensue to be most effective.

Playing a key role is Taron Egerton as V’s brother Edward. As the centrepiece to the three males and Vera’s connection he melds it all expertly and delivers the character beautifully. The subtle reference to his sexuality (apparently much debated after the book’s publication)is handled well and given no more weight than a mild ‘oh I see’.

Other acting commendations go to Dominic West and the ubiquitous Emily Watson as the parental Brittains, Colin Morgan as Victor, Miranda Richardson gorgeous and effecting as Miss Lorimer and the almost always delightful Joanna Scanlon as Aunt Belle (don’t remember her from the original series but thought she added great color to the movie).

There are some beautiful visuals, a wonderful palette and delightful countryside. There are two terrific scenes, one in the camp hospital in France where the camera sweeps out over a field of soldiers on stretchers and another set of shots to convey the passing of time and season rather poignantly showing beautiful scenes but not one person or creature in them.

For a film that places the horror of war at its centre it is remarkable that we see no battles or bullets, well done. A lesson to Hollywood!

I did feel the relationship of the ‘three musketeers’ was not given any exposition, how did the three guys know each other and become so obviously close. The book definitely introduces Edward of course but also how he came to have Edward and especially Victor in his close circle. I don’t know why some simple dialogue wasn’t given to explain this. Surely the book isn’t that well-read now that every audience (or even most) member would know.

My other quibble is with the initial beach scene between Roland and Vera. There is a very odd POV to the scene and it lasts the whole scene. Roland faces to camera with a slight turn to camera right while Vera face almost perfect left profile. It is awkward and odd and I didn’t get it as it is then broken with a long shot where they face each other and Roland isn’t turned away from her in the manner the POV suggests. Thankfully it didn’t turn out to be some ‘clever’ theme for the rest of the film.

Vera was a pioneer in many ways and went on to establish herself as a fine novelist and an important advocate of women’s place in British society and politics. She even produced a strong political figure in her daughter Shirley Williams (Baroness Williams of Crosby), the Labour minister and one of the founders of the Liberal Democrats. Not bad for a girl who was likely destined to be a ‘gal in the country’ or at best an article writer for the local newspaper.  It’s always interesting to ponder on the ‘what ifs’ and for Vera if she hadn’t been awarded an exhibition at Oxford which  got her (after the horrendous exam) into Somerville first studying English and then, after the war, Modern History who knows what might have been.

Apart from my quibbles above the direction of James Kent is really fine and he delivers this well told story with an exceptional cast and gave me more than a couple of teary moments. You know when you consider the cast was heavily laden with TV actors we might be finally at a point where we can throw away the perception that TV actors aren’t ‘quite up to it’ when it comes to other mediums such as film or stage. Frankly I’d buy a ticket to see Messrs West, Harrington, Egerton and Scanlon in whatever they appeared in.

Grab the tissues and find a cinema to let this heartfelt, restrained gem wash over you.

4 out of 5