Vera Brittain’s memoir The Testament of Youth is as close to time travel as many of us will ever get. Her intoxicating writing style sucks you into an era full of promise, of tradition and – sadly, of course – immense loss. The book is incredibly dense and takes the reader through her younger years at school, her mission to get into Oxford, the outbreak of war and beyond as Vera gets involved in the aftermath (I use first names simply because, having read the book, I feel like more than a passing acquaintance!).
Though it is a slightly older woman who is writing the book itself, we see great insight into her younger self through the many diary entries, poems and letters that are quoted throughout the text which highlight her changing attitudes as the war continues and her life changes so dramatically.
There are so many elements to The Testament of Youth that it often reads as though a few books have been glued together.
Firstly, there is the young feminist, battling against the odds to have the life she wants, not the life that is expected of her. Vera wants to be so much more than somebody’s wife or mother. She wants to be Vera Brittain – a whole person with her own mind and motivations.
Secondly, there is the powerful love story element. This is not restricted to that of Vera and Roland who are a real meeting of the minds. There is also the deep bond she has with her brother Edward and the way she dotes on their friends Victor and Geoffrey. These men are the people closest to her and, as war breaks out, they are each dragged into it, leaving her behind.
Thirdly, there is the war element. After fighting so hard to get into Oxford, Vera is compelled to train as a nurse so that she can be closer to the men she loves. Apart from the feminist element – which runs throughout the text – there is also the added layer of political fallout from the war itself and how the League of Nations worked after the war had ended.
The book is long and often draining. However, it’s necessary to feel these emotions in order to fully go on this immense journey with the author. As she faces more and more loss, you feel the need to, at first, cry and scream. Then, after a while, you find yourself shutting down to any new pain that may befall her. When things start to drag you feel the sheer frustration at a continuing war that many said would be over in mere months. Despite the sheer horror of what takes place over the many years the book covers – from the many injustices and battles Vera faces as a woman to the struggles of war and loss of youthful promise and innocence – it is a triumphant tale of one woman who just kept going when everything around her told her to give up and make do with what was left for her. She forged her own path when the world seemed to be trying so desperately to write one on her behalf. It is stark, honest, romantic, tragic and yet so very inspiring.
That scriptwriter Juliette Towhidi could even attempt a project of this magnitude is nothing short of miraculous. She has clearly worked hard on a script that retains Vera’s spirit and determination and brings to life the people she tried so desperately not to forget. Many elements are lost for TESTAMENT OF YOUTH (poor Malta!) or compacted but apart from a few that don’t sit quite right the overall feel of the book remains, something which is a true testament to the care that went into the adaptation process for this story.
Alicia Vikander takes on the immense challenge of portraying the many layers of Vera Brittain for this new adaptation and does so with a quiet stoicism that so beautifully captures all that she endures. She conveys so much with a mere glance and her beautifully controlled performance makes the moments when she truly lets her emotions go all the more powerful and heartbreaking. Vikander is in a lot of films at the moment but this may be the one that makes people fully appreciate her incredible range. Her devotion to doing this person justice in her portrayal is evident in every frame.
Though she leads the film, Vikander’s co-stars are there to support her on her journey and each actor, no matter the size of their role, plays their part to perfection. With the likes of Dominic West, Taron Egerton, Kit Harington and Colin Morgan, this is a truly impressive ensemble and even Miranda Richardson and Anna Chancellor manage to steal the show with very little screen time.
Though there is an element of ‘weepy’ about the film, it is impressively un-sentimental, keeping a stiff upper lip and soldiering on rather than wallowing in teary despair – much like the film’s protagonist. It’s often messy and muddled, but to do Vera any justice it really needs to be. There’s nothing neat and tidy about her life during this era and this is reflected in the adaptation.
The main issue really is that – despite the best of intentions, a valiant effort from all involved and a stunning cast and crew – some stories simply cannot be told properly in the restricted time frame of a feature film. There is just so much to say and, though the feel of the book remains and TESTAMENT OF YOUTH manages to be a moving and fitting tribute to that generation, Vera Brittain will not be squashed into the confines of a film without a fight.
I can only hope that this beautifully executed film sends people unfamiliar with her story to the original source text so that they can experience this story fully.
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