This weekend I was lucky enough to get 2 complimentary tickets from Show Film First to see Testament of Youth.
I rarely go to the cinema so this was a huge treat.
The film is based on the memoirs of Vera Brittain, a true story of her experiences during the First World War. At times I found it hard to believe it wasn't fiction as the harsh reality of life and loss during wartime was so hard hitting.
I really enjoyed this film and loved the Vera Brittain character as played by the talented Alicia Vikander. Her perspective of life during the Great War and the difficulties and heartbreak she faced were at times very moving.....yes I did cry.
I felt the film portrayed WW1 more realistically than other dramatisations I have seen (BBC1's The Crimson Field was far too 'clean and nice' to be real in my mind, though a good series) I do appreciate wretched scenes of mud, traumatic war injuries and death and dying can be difficult to make into a film that people will want to watch, let alone enjoy.
Despite the underlying theme there were moments when we laughed out loud and the cinematography is simply stunning. I read several novels and visited the Poppies at the Tower during the Centenary last year, this film is another way for us to remember ...lest we forget.
So glad you enjoyed it...I've just had a conversation with a friend and we were saying that most of the history we know about the wars are military history...I have read a couple of books recently that focus on the day to day lives of people on the street and found them to be real eye openers! Xx
ReplyDeleteI'm pleased you enjoyed the film, I saw a trailer for it today x
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it yet, and your great review is ensuring that if I can get to the cinema, I will.
ReplyDeleteThank You for my postcard it was lovely and really brightened my day here. I think it will be going into a London minibook as it's just perfect.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
P.S You may have got my comment twice it seemed to disappear in mid type on the first attempt. :-)
I'm hoping to go next week as I love Vera Brittain's books and have read most of them now. I was given Testament of Youth the first Xmas I left home and it's falling apart I've read it so much. I even wrote a piece to Nursing Times as the book which inspired me many moons ago.
ReplyDeleteJo xxxx
PS glad you liked the card and happy 1/2 term xxx
Thank you for my lovely cheery postcard - it is now decorating my fridge to make me smile. I didn't realise that they had made this into a film, I read this book as a teenager when I was waiting to start my nurse training. I must try to get to see it, so thanks for the review.
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