That republication, along with the bbc television series in 1979 really established the book. Testament of youth is a captivating movie with a strong christian, moral worldview of serving others, but it does have some violence. Testament of youth is a about a young woman who sees her world change when world war i breaks out. Based on the subtitle, remembrance for a lost generation, it looks like testament of youth will also draw on letters from a. Testament of youth marks kents first venture outside of tv movie territory, which might be why this feels so much like a trailer for a tv movie. Testament of youth is a searing story of love, war and remembrance, based on the first world war memoir by vera brittain which became the classic testimony of that war from a womans point of. The story of vera brittain alicia vikander, who postponed her studies at oxford university during world war i to serve as a voluntary aid detachment nurse in london, malta and france, and later became a. A searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, its a film about young love, the futility of war testament of youth is a powerful story of. The kids include a daughter who practices the piano, a son who races his dad up hills on their 10speed bikes and a little boy who guards the treasure in the bottom drawer of his chest.
However, more than eighty years after it was written, there are no doubt younger people who have never heard of it and older people who have it gathering dust on one their shelves. The film focuses on a british woman who reminiscing about his youth in the first world war, a story of a young love, the futility of war and how to overcome difficult periods. This movie could have been great but utterly ruined because of mediocre acting from vikander and a really annoying put on english accent. Testament of youth is the first instalment, covering 19001925, in the memoir of vera brittain 18931970. Brittains memoir continues with testament of experience, published in 1957, and encompassing the years 19251950. A film guide that looks at testament of youth 2014, a world war one drama based on the bestselling memoirs of british writer and antiwar campaigner vera brittain. Jan 16, 2015 testament of youth is considered one of the great war memoirs. In the end, the movie is a testament to this undeniable fact, a testament to the stupidity of men who continue building everlarger, more lethal means of mass destruction, and finally, a testament to the strength of mothers like the character of carol weatherly who have no choice but to love and protect their children no matter what comes. Testament of youth 2015 during world war i, oxford university student vera brittain alicia vikander postpones her studies to serve as a nurse while her suitor, her brother and a secret admirer. Nov 10, 2014 testament of youth marks kents first venture outside of tv movie territory, which might be why this feels so much like a trailer for a tv movie. With jane alexander, william devane, rossie harris, roxana zal. And seeing it again for the second time, knowing everything that would happen, anticipating each scene before it came, i was affected just as deeply. But never the less its taken 30 years to embed testament of youth in the canon of first world war literature.
A plangent mood of regret settles on this beautifully costumed, wellfurnished, respectfully performed period drama, based on testament of youth vera brittains bestselling memoir of love. Testament of friendship 1940 and testament of experience 1957. Adapted from vera brittains antiwar memoir, the film, which stars alicia vikander, describes battlefield devastation and damage that returned. However, more than eighty years after it was written, there are no doubt younger people who have never heard of it and older people who have it gathering dust on one their shelves a classic, admired, but not read. Testament of youth, vera brittains memoir of life, love, and loss during wwi first came to my attention because of masterpiece theater which serialized it at least 20 years ago. Watch testament of youth starring alicia vikander in this militarywar on directv.
Testament of youth is a necessary reminder of the impact and. Testament of youth captures vera brittains innocence and. Published in 1933, testament of youth became an instant hit. Testament of youth vera brittains popular first world war memoir gets rousing screen treatment in james kents impressive debut feature. Between these two books comes testament of friendship published in 1940, which is essentially a memoir of brittains close colleague and. The autobiography was adapted by juliette towhidi, who also wrote the screenplay for recent romcom love, rosie. Soldiers lying on the ground in the rain as they wait for urgent help from dedicated nurses.
Testament of youth is the exception to the rule but still manages to show how painful war can be for the outsider. Testament of youth the british drama is based on the best selling world war i memoir of vera brittain, who gives up her. Beautiful, moving yet grim, testament of youth is very obviously awardsbait, but one that finally gives alicia vikander an opportunity to shine. The film stars alicia vikander as vera brittain, an independent young woman who abandoned her studies at somerville college, oxford, to become a war nurse. Testament of youth is a powerful story of love, war and remembrance, based on the first world war memoir by vera brittain, which has become. A searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, its a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make sense of the darkest times. Based on the true story of vera brittan, testament of youth follows vera alicia vikander in the years before and after the war. Oct 14, 2014 testament of youth trailer starring kit harington apr 23, 2015.
Anchored by an extraordinary performance from actress alicia vikander, james kents testament of youth bears comparison to many other superbly mounted costume dramas backed by the bbc, but this one has a special distinction. The film was directed by james kent and written by juliette towhidi. With cheryl campbell, emrys james, jane wenham, peter woodward. In a prologue set in 1918 on the day of the armistice, the. Testament of youth is a 1933 autobiographical memoir by vera brittain. But the second time i was able to see more clearly that the movie is more than just a devastating experience, that it has.
Testament of youth is a powerful story of love, war and remembrance. Testament of youth is based on the late british writer and pacifist vera brittains alicia vikander memoir about her experiences as an oxford studentturnedwar nurse during world war i. Got a see this fantastic movie be sure to have a box of kleenex beside you very well put together it will keep you entertained a. The film is a truelife account of vera brittians life from 1914 1918, and a chronicle of how world war one affected not only her, but the nations lives. Alicia vikander s made up, affected english accent really ruins the movie. Testament of youth anchored by an extraordinary performance from actress alicia vikander, james kent s testament of youth bears comparison to many other superbly mounted costume dramas backed by the bbc, but this one has a special distinction. The classic war memoir deserves a more adventurous retelling, writes mark kermode. This guide is useful for exploring topics including history, english, citizenship, and pshe education, and highlighting themes. Testament of youth is a powerful story of love, war and remembrance, based on the first world war memoir by vera brittain, which has become the classic testimony of that war from a womans point of view. The mother jane alexander is loving, funny and a little harried. Testament of youth official trailer hd 2015 youtube. The story of vera brittain alicia vikander, who postponed her studies at oxford university during world war i to serve as a voluntary aid detachment nurse in london, malta and france, and later became a writer and a pacifist. The first movies success launched egerton into fame and resulted in him signing a threemovie contract with 20th century fox. Though baftas winners can expect effusive acclaim on sunday night, the current awards fare is toothless.
Testament of youth is considered one of the great war memoirs. Testament may be the first movie in a long time that will make you cry. Testament of youth trailer starring kit harington apr 23, 2015. Published originally in 1933, brittain initially wanted to write a novel that concentrated on the war years, but finally realized that her autobiography was a better story than any she could invent. Testament of youth recalls the great war with little. I had heard about this book during high school when i studied 20th century history but never actually read it. Testament of youth is a powerful story of love, war and remembrance, based on the first world war memoir by vera brittain, which has become the classic testimony of that war from a womans point. Released june 5th, 2015, testament of youth stars alicia vikander, kit harington, taron egerton, colin morgan the pg movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 9 min, and received a score of out of. The movie opens on armistice day in 1918 and then flashes back four years to 1914, a breezier time when the most dire thing on veras mind was getting her father dominic west to agree to let her take. Undoubtedly, this is the best movie ever made of warfare. Testament of youth 2015 stream and watch online moviefone. Testament of youth is a powerful story of love, war and remembrance, based on the first world war memoir by vera brittain, which has become the classic testimon. The first part of a trilogy, it covers the years 19001925, from brittains early schoolage childhood through her late thirties, in the context of great britain and the anticipation and wake of world war i. Jun 11, 2015 testament of youth captures vera brittains innocence and steely will alicia vikanders vera brittain shares a moving moment with her fiance, played by kit harington, in the story of a.
Watch testament of youth online stream full movie directv. And from there she composed and published her fascinating autobiography, testament of youth. Testament of youth 2015 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Testament of youth is a 2014 british drama film based on the first world war memoir of the same name written by vera brittain. Jun 05, 2015 testament of youth, james kents stately screen adaptation of the british author vera brittains 1933 world war i memoir, evokes the march of history with a balance and restraint. The movie begins with one of those typical families right out of tv commercials. A british woman recalls coming of age during world war i a story of young love, the futility of war, and how to make sense of the darkest times. Nonton dan download testament of youth 2014 sub indonesia indofilm, streaming movie online hd bluray sobatkeren dunia21.
Testament of youth a sony pictures classics release. The story of her life as an aspiring oxford student, bridetobe, and battlefield nurse is both heartrending and violent. Parents need to know that testament of youth is a historical drama based on vera brittains sametitled memoir about being young during world war i. Game of thrones star kit harington plays a world war i soldier in the first trailer for sony pictures classics testament of youth. A tv spot for testament of youth, the upcoming drama movie directed by james kent and starring alicia vikander and kit harrington. In a prologue set in 1918 on the day of the armistice, the palette is a chill blue and vera wanders dazed through the jubilant crowds. Alicia vikander does an excellent job playing vera brittain. Egerton costarred in testament of youth, based on the life of vera brittain, and appeared in the twopart episode the ramblin boy in the seventh series of lewis as liam jay. Surely we have enough british actresses that could have played this role perfectly. The movie is a bit slow, but otherwise captivating overall. With alicia vikander, kit harington, taron egerton, dominic west. While all of the actors work deserves commendation, special praise must be given to alicia vikander, a swedish actress who does an amazing. The cinematography, set design, and costuming is well done. The film is a true life account of vera brittians life from 1914 1918, and a chronicle of how world.
Over the past year, cinema has lost its social and. Testament of youth, james kents stately screen adaptation of the british author vera brittains 1933 world war i memoir, evokes the march of history with a balance and restraint. During world war i, oxford university student vera brittain alicia vikander postpones her studies to serve as a nurse while her suitor, her brother and a secret admirer face death in the trenches. Ghastly scenes of dead soldiers and wounded infantry men appear amongst wet and muddy trenches. The movie is well plotted with some poignant moments. Its time for the testament of brittain and the brits to be reheard. Inspirational stories for the damned is the label given by one blinded soldier to survival tales like his in testament of youth its also an apt description of this rousing, robust. Testament of youth is a necessary reminder of the impact. Vera brittains world falls to pieces around her as, one by one, the young men of her circle are caught up in the great war.
In 2010, i read her memoir again and i may reread it a third time as i also experience. The beginning of testament of youth prepares you for the end. Testament of youth captures vera brittains innocence. It is acclaimed as a canonical description of the impact of world.
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