Testament of Youth

The(ir) Blurb...

A British woman recalls coming of age during World War I - a story of young love, the futility of war, and how to make sense of the darkest times.

This British war drama is based on the World War I memoir of the same name written by Vera Brittain, a young woman who abandons her studies to become a war nurse after her brother, fiancé, and closest friends are sent to the front lines. Brittain’s brother, Edward, was killed in the line of duty in 1918, shortly after army censors read a letter he had written, which indicated he was gay and had been involved with men in his company. While his orientation only became public knowledge after his death, as researched by a Brittain family biographer, the film does hint at an affection between Edward and fellow officer Geoffrey. In one scene, Vera returns to Edward a letter from Geoffrey she found in his pocket that he says he keeps with him “when I need to hear his voice.” He reads her an excerpt, in which Geoffrey addressed Edward as a “dear friend” and says he knows the men would be reunited, “either in this world or the hereafter.”

Glad to see GLAAD included this fine film...many LGBT media outlets chose to ignore it.