Testament of Youth

Based on the bestselling memoir by Vera Brittain, "Testament of Youth" is a sumptuously designed and photographed adaptation of one of the most defining personal chronicles of the First World War.

As an English girl in the early years of the Twentieth Century, Vera (Alicia Vikander) struggles for an instruction at Oxford in a world that feels educated women are nothing more than a "waste of good money." Still, this young woman vows that she will never be defined by a man and declares that nothing is more important than her writing, stating she will "never marry."

Though she has a couple of admirers, another student Rowland (Kit Harington) challenges Vera's solitary resolve with his romantic poetry and sensitive nature, provided in no small part by his bread-winning, novelist mother (Anna Chancellor), an inspiration for the idealistic girl.

When war breaks out in Europe, all of Vera stubborn and willful ideas are put to the test as her family, friends and her dear Rowland are sent to fight for their country. Even her dream to be a writer is put on hold as she volunteers to work as a nurse among the wounded soldiers.

A guaranteed tear-jerker, this film has all the sensuous production values and recreations of the time period that we have come to expect from BBC Films and the British Film Institute. There are also some charming supporting performances from Emily Watson and Miranda Richardson (as Vera's sturdy and unsparing Oxford mentor).

Special features include an informative look behind the scenes, which gives audiences some good biographical information on Vera Brittain, four deleted scenes and a feature length commentary with Kit Harington and Director James Kent.

"Testament of Youth"
Blu-ray
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