Testament
In the 1980s, there was a renewed fear of nuclear holocaust as the Cold War began to wind down. The film that most people remember from that era is the TV movie, “The Day After,” but Lynne Littman’s “Testament” scratches the same itch, in a very different way. “The Day After” is more of a sensationalized look at impending nuclear death; “Testament” isn’t about spectacle, but the slow pain of the inevitable.
A few years ago, I watched the documentary “The Atomic Cafe,” which spliced together 1950s American propaganda films about the nuclear arms race, and societal preparedness for if a nuclear attack happens. Did anyone really believe that hiding underneath a school desk was going to keep people safe after an attack? It was more about the illusion of safety rather than making people aware of the horror that they faced, that had already met Hiroshima and Nagasaki when we dropped the bombs at the end of WWII. Three decades later, filmmakers were very interested in getting to the harsh truths of this “What if?” scenario, and in adapting the story by Carol Amen, Littman and screenwriter John Sacret Young are doing exactly that.
We do not see the mushroom clouds of nuclear attacks. We do see a TV broadcast, interruptions, and a bright flash of light as Carol Wetherly (Jane Alexander) and her children are in the living room. The father, Tom (William Devane), is off at work; we have just listened to messages of him letting the family know that he will be late coming home, then that he’s leaving early. We will never see him again. In a town meeting, the residents try to figure out who is still out there, and what may have happened. The film settles into a routine, as Carol and her three children- Mary Liz (Roxana Zal), Brad (Rossie Harris) and Scotti (Lukas Haas)- try to continue living life, even as the people and town around them dies.
There is nothing melodramatic about “Testament.” No big moments of emotion or tension, although the family does have a looter try to steal things from them, at one point. Littman’s approach is one of quiet empathy, as we watch a community resigned to its fate, although one young couple (played by Kevin Costner and Rebecca De Mornay) leave town after a personal tragedy; even in their last conversation with Carol, though, even they seem to know that this is it for them. The way that Littman marks individuals passing is how we all tend to think about people as they leave us- through memories of better times. Even with a quiet, profound score by James Horner, “Testament” is a film anchored by performances, led by Alexander (who was nominated for an Oscar) and and Harris as Brad, who has the most weighted story arc. He takes on the idea of the “man of the house” as a responsibility, a challenge, and a necessity without ever feeling the need to be cruel or dominating. He does it because he feels like he needs to. Eventually, it will just be him, and he is the anchor everyone needs along the way. “Testament” is about people at the end surviving, and trying to keep their loved ones from panicking, as they try to live their lives the best they can…until they can’t. It’s harrowing and haunting.
