Testament of Youth

Seldom do we see a war film that is told from a female perspective. Sure there are female characters in war films, but these always act as something that drives the hero's journey to survive. Testament of Youth, however, shows the female relationship with war, particularly of the First World War in a time that was completely different to the one we live in now. 

The movie is based on the memoir of the same name by Vera Brittain. Vera (Alicia Vikander) is a young woman living with her family in the English countryside. She dreams of going to Oxford to study and finally gets in at the outset of the war. Prior to this, she has started a relationship with one of her brother's schoolmates, Roland Leighton (Kit Harrington). This relationship is tested when Roland and her brother Edward (Taron Egerton) volunteer to the army and are eventually sent to the front.

The film does capture some of the issues that plagued women's rights at the turn of the century. Vera has to deal with issues like not being expected to get a higher education (or any education), expectations of staying at home and doing womanly chores, not at all volunteering for any form of service and, this was the most horrifying idea to men of the time, having the right to vote. Apart from female suffrage, which came a little later in the history of the twentieth century, I feel the film tackles all these issues in a rather succinct way. Toward the middle of the film, Vera volunteers to become a nurse and is not only looked down upon by her family, but also the nurses who think that this kind of work is below someone of her social standing. The film also tells of a heart-wrenching romance between Vera and Roland.

This film is a technical masterpiece. The shots are so incredibly crafted, with each one being carefully placed and framed. The camera also moves in not only fluid motions, but some movements are striking for the way they get the viewer to focus on a particular piece of action. The editing is also a marvel and is probably one of the most well edited films I've ever seen. The film occasionally cuts back to shots that we have seen before, most often when Vera is remembering time spent with Roland, and these are done in such a way that they are the reverse shots of what is happening in the current scene. It is a very clever way to do flashbacks and I applaud editor Lucia Zucchetti for this amazing style.

The acting also blew me away, considering I didn't have the highest of hopes for the two leads. Alicia Vikander is beginning to grow on me, despite a rather average performance in last year's Aussie crime flick Son of a Gun. She gives Vera a strong determination that makes you want to succeed in her life, but she also is able to convey the scenes with heartbreak in an amazing manner. Kit Harington is a lot better here than that brooding sad Jon Snow he is always playing. Supporting roles from Colin Morgan, Taron Egerton, Emily Watson and Dominic West are all fantastic, although I did want to see a fair bit more of West.

Testament of Youth is a heart breaking film that is very bleak, but it is also a fantastic film. Despite my feeling that the runtime was maybe ten minutes too long, you are sure to get swept along in the engaging, well written adaptation.

War Movie Month: Empire of the Sun (1987)

The Japanese invasion of China is an oft-forgotten aspect of WWII, but when you think about the idea of the small island empire invading its larger neighbour, you can definitely see how big the undertaking was. Combine this with Steven Spielberg's epic style of film-making and you get a pretty big and exciting film.

Jamie Graham (Christian Bale) is a privileged English boy living a life of luxury with his family in Shanghai, where his father owns a corporation. Soon after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbour, they invade Shanghai, leading to the separation from his parents. Left wandering around the city after leaving his home due to starvation, he is saved by Basie (John Malkovich), an American sailor. They are both eventually captured by the Japanese and sent to Soochow Creek Internment Camp. Jamie, now named Jim by Basie, finds a father figure in Dr. Rawlins (Nigel Havers) and runs a successful trade network that even includes some of the Japanese officers.

Spielberg's bigger picture really does come into play here. There are many scenes with hundreds of extras that blow my mind away. They're definitely something that doesn't get done today, massive groups of extras would just be added in digitally in contemporary films. There are also some great aerial battles, albeit watched from the ground through Jim's youthful eyes, and these are a wonder to watch.

I'm a little disappointed that treatment of the people living in the internment camp isn't something that is covered too much in this movie. Japanese camps were well known for not having the best living conditions, but again we watch this movie through the eyes of a 12 year old boy. Anyway, this is something that Spielberg portrayed much better in Schindler's List. Spielberg does also throw in a small group of scenes with young Japanese pilots training for kamikaze missions. These culminate with a scene of Jim singing the Welsh lullaby Suo-Gân as they fly off on their mission.

Christian Bale is more known for his roles as Batman and Bateman, but his skill as an actor started at an early age. He was 12 when he got this part, he came recommended by Spielberg's then-wife Amy Irving. Young Bale had a certain innocence that was perfect for role and was capable of showing terror when it was needed. John Malkovich isn't as scary as he would become later on, such as his role in Being John Malkovich, and I find it weird that his character is revealed in a way as though we'd be surprised that it's him. He has a pretty distinctive voice and we hear him talk a fair bit before we see his face.

Supporting roles from Nigel Havers and Miranda Richardson help aid the main stars, but they're not entirely memorable. One of the better smaller roles is Dainty, a gang member of Basie's and played by a young Ben Stiller. In fact it was on this movie that he got the idea that would eventually become Tropic Thunder.

Verdict: A fantastic war film and a great introduction to Christian Bale.