Testament of Youth (1979)
A dramatization of Vera Brittain's 1933 autobiography Testament of Youth—a memorial to a generation devastated by WWI—chronicles her experiences as a nurse in London and Malta and at the front lines in France. It opens with 18-year-old Vera, the genteel daughter of a paper-mill owner, nurturing 'hopes of escaping from provincial young ladyhood.' Her plan is to attend Oxford.
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Episode 1 - Buxton 1913
Release Date: 1979-11-04In 1913, eighteen year old Vera Brittain tries to convince her stuffy, Conservative parents to allow her to attend Oxford, while war looms on the horizon.
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Episode 2 - Buxton 1914
Release Date: 1979-11-11Working hard at Oxford, Vera decides to contribute to the war effort by becoming a nurse, while Roland heads abroad to fight for his country.
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Episode 3 - 1915
Release Date: 1979-11-18As the war continues to rage, Vera receives devastating news from all sides, which forces her to reconsider her future.
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Episode 4 - 1917
Release Date: 1979-11-25After another loss, Vera retreats into nursing, but the demands of her parents, and yet more tragedy, begin to overwhelm her.
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Episode 5 - 1918
Release Date: 1979-12-02Vera returns to Oxford, where she strikes up a friendship with a fellow student, before beginning to concentrate on writing.