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Testament of Youth

"Divided by war. United by love."

2014-10-14 History 2hr 9m

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 woman’s point of view. A searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, it’s a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make sense of the darkest times.

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Testament of Youth
Amazon Video

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Storyline

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 woman’s point of view. A searing journey from youthful hopes and dreams to the edge of despair and back again, it’s a film about young love, the futility of war and how to make sense of the darkest times.

  • Released
    2014-10-14
  • Revenue
    $1,822,250
  • Budget
    n/a
  • Runtime
    2hr 9m
  • Genre
    History, Drama, War
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    7.2
  • Production
    BBC Film, Heyday Films, Nordisk Film Denmark, Lipsync Productions, BFI, Sony Pictures Classics, Protagonist Pictures, Ingenious Media, Hotwells Productions

Crew

James Kent
Director
Juliette Towhidi
Writer
David Heyman
Producer
Keywords:
nurse world war i poetry pacifism flanders summer based on memoir or autobiography compassion pacifist war injury aspiring writer nursing edwardian era oxford university 1910s edwardian england summertime bad news tenacity military nurse

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Cast

Alicia Vikander

Alicia Vikander
Vera Brittain
Kit Harington

Kit Harington
Roland Leighton
Taron Egerton

Taron Egerton
Edward Brittain
Colin Morgan

Colin Morgan
Victor Richardson
Dominic West

Dominic West
Mr. Brittain
Emily Watson

Emily Watson
Mrs. Brittain
Hayley Atwell

Hayley Atwell
Hope Milroy
Anna Chancellor

Anna Chancellor
Mrs. Leighton
Miranda Richardson

Miranda Richardson
Miss Lorimer
Joanna Scanlan

Joanna Scanlan
Aunt Belle
Alexandra Roach

Alexandra Roach
Winifred Holtby
Jenn Murray

Jenn Murray
Dorothy
Henry Garrett

Henry Garrett
George
Nicholas Le Prevost

Nicholas Le Prevost
Mr Leighton
Nicholas Farrell

Nicholas Farrell
Headmaster
Daisy Waterstone

Daisy Waterstone
Clare Leighton
Niamh Cusack

Niamh Cusack
Sister Jones
Teresa Churcher

Teresa Churcher
Passenger
Xavier Atkins

Xavier Atkins
Boy on Bicycle
Heather Nicol

Heather Nicol
Celebrating Nurse
Laura Elsworthy

Laura Elsworthy
Nurse Scott
Naomi Everson

Naomi Everson
Nurse Milton
Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey
Geoffrey
Charlotte Hope

Charlotte Hope
Betty
Josh Taylor

Josh Taylor
Wounded Solider
Paul Cavendish

Paul Cavendish
Doctor (uncredited)

Videos and Photos

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for Testament of Youth
reviewer avatar

A Review by Rangan 8

Written by Rangan on 2015-12-04

> The lesson the WWI taught us that we shouldn't let it fade away. Kind of reminded me 'Atonement', but not a similar movie, except like ... read more

> The lesson the WWI taught us that we shouldn't let it fade away. Kind of reminded me 'Atonement', but not a similar movie, except like you know the loved one goes to the war, serving a nurse in the army like stuffs. Actually, this one was a biopic of a young Vera Brittain that set in the England, 1914. Her wish becomes real to attend the university of Oxford, but at a same time the World War I breaks out and puts her dream to a pause while her beloved ones are fighting in the war. She fights her own way to save them and bring safely back home. For that she goes through many difficulties and by the time when war nears the end, the movie as well. I felt it was a bit lengthy, but covers everything without racing towards the end by trimming all the important portions. It was an anti-war theme. It demonstrated the struggles that everyone who linked directly to the war would go through. Like parents, fiancee, siblings, friends who send their loved ones to the war. Especially how the young generations are affected by the sudden warfare. So like the title, Vera tells the story by recalling her memories. The film won't show the battles, but only a glimpse of a few seconds for a couple of times. Alicia Vikander was at her best. She was quite impressive in the recent films of hers. I liked the filmed locations, some of the countryside landscapes were beautiful. The end scene is where it really breaks our heart, makes us to feel what Vera felt. The book which this movie was based on was a bestseller at that time, but was just a someone's story, although the world war two came. It is a good movie about a stupid war. The first major mistake by the man in the modern world, followed by another. 8/10

reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2024-11-10

I remember really enjoying the 1979 BBC dramatisation of this Vera Brittain memoir of her experiences as the Great War took hold of Britain ... read more

I remember really enjoying the 1979 BBC dramatisation of this Vera Brittain memoir of her experiences as the Great War took hold of Britain at the start of the 20th century. It's all a little like "Narnia" as her family live out their lives in peace and relative prosperity whilst she (Alicia Vikander) considers a career at Somerville College. Her brother Edward (Taron Egerton) is keen to join up, but their dad (Dominic West) is having none of that so he asks her to try to "persuade" him. That's the start of her own involvement in this conflict, an involvement that is going to expose her to hideous horrors, personal and emotional challenges and to ultimately change her life for ever. It's not just her brother who wants to fight, but his friend Victor (Colin Morgan) and her beau Roland Leighton (Kit Harrington) and so she quite suddenly finds her self somewhat bereft and adrift, studying under Miss Lorimer (Miranda Richardson) at university - but unsure of the value of that now. Determined to offer some practical help to the war effort, she enlists as a nurse and travels to France where she experiences the trauma - and it's results - at first hand and where we, over the next two hours, get a sense of the pride, the sensitivities and the sheer brutality of this war. An indiscriminate type of stale-mate brutality that might seem totally futile were it not for the dedication of those prepared to give their today for someone else's tomorrow. It's beautifully photographed and Vikander presents us with an emotionally delicate but powerful illustration of not just this one woman, but of an entire generation who were ill-prepared for such an enduring and heart-wrenching period. Harington is easy enough on the eye, but he isn't the best for this part. Indeed, I found him to be just a bit too light-weight. Maybe that does typify the innocence of average officer who set off in a freshly tailored uniform thinking it would all be over by Christmas, but I just found his contribution a bit weak. That's more of a niggle, though, because otherwise it's a compelling story that bears watching and provides food for thought as we muse the continuing predilection of mankind to find new ways of slaughtering each other.

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by Reno

> The lesson the WWI taught us that we shouldn't let it fade away. Kind of reminded me 'Atonement', but not a similar movie, except like you know the loved one goes to the war, serving a nurse in the army like stuffs. Actually, this one ...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Rangan 8

Written by Rangan on 2015-12-04

> The lesson the WWI taught us that we shouldn't let it fade away. Kind of reminded me 'Atonement', but not a similar movie, except like you know the loved one goes to the war, serving a nurse in t...

read more
reviewer avatar

A Review by Geronimo1967 7

Written by Geronimo1967 on 2024-11-10

I remember really enjoying the 1979 BBC dramatisation of this Vera Brittain memoir of her experiences as the Great War took hold of Britain at the start of the 20th century. It's all a little like "Na...

read more