Testament of Youth Page #5

CANDIDATE 1

It’s the Latin essay I’m

dreading.

Vera is instantly startled.

CANDIDATE 1 (CONT’D)

My tutor’s convinced Virgil will

come up. I hope he’s right.

VERA:

Essay...?

The others carry on their conversation. On Vera - she

didn’t know.

30 INT. DINING HALL/EXAM HALL - MORNING 30

Vera is sitting in a silent exam hall full of young women,

as Miss Lorimer moves between the desks, placing exam

papers face down. She puts one down before a nervous Vera,

who stares at it.

MISS LORIMER:

You may begin.

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Vera turns the exam paper over, together with everyone else.

As she reads, her face fills with dismay. Around her, girls

start eagerly scribbling.

Miss Lorimer, walking through the rows, catches her eye for

the briefest moment.

Vera picks up her pen, takes a deep breath - and starts.

31 EXT. QUAD, SOMERVILLE - LATER 31

The candidates file out into the fresh air, chattering,

seemingly in high spirits. Vera emerges last, her shoulders

slumped, on the verge of tears. That didn’t go well.

As the crowd dissipates, she stands there, alone. Then she

sees Miss Lorimer, striding purposefully along some

cloisters. She follows.

VERA:

Excuse me!

Miss Lorimer keeps walking.

VERA (CONT’D)

About the Latin paper...

Miss Lorimer glances at her impatiently.

MISS LORIMER:

What is it?

VERA:

It’s - I didn’t realise an essay

was required.

MISS LORIMER:

It’s stated quite plainly.

VERA:

I must’ve missed it. I didn’t have

a tutor, I’ve prepared for this by

myself.

Miss Lorimer stops, takes her in.

MISS LORIMER:

You seemed to be busy writing,

Miss....

VERA:

(wincing)

Brittain. I wrote it in German

instead.

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MISS LORIMER:

German! Perhaps where you come from

Latin and German can be equated,

but not here, I’m afraid.

She starts walking again, dismissing her.

VERA:

You’ve judged me already!

Miss Lorimer turns, surprised, a little affronted.

VERA (CONT’D)

(nothing to lose)

You think I’m frivolous, a

provincial upstart, but I’m not!

A beat.

MISS LORIMER:

I think you’re keen to stand out.

Vera’s face - proud, but wanting it so much....

VERA:

Yes!

MISS LORIMER:

(an ambiguous half-smile)

Good day, Miss Brittain.

She turns and walks away - Vera slumps - sure she’s blown it.

32 INT. LIVING ROOM, MELROSE - DAY 32

Vera is sitting with her mother, Mrs. Ellinger and several

other local ladies, talking and drinking tea. Vera fidgets,

bored.

VERA’S VOICE

It’s over, Edward. A disaster. I’ll

never escape Buxton now!

33 EXT. PLAYING FIELD, UPPINGHAM - DAY 33

A mud-splattered Roland and Edward are playing rugby on a

school playing field, running with the ball. Edward throws it

out of the scrum, he seems to look across at Vera and give

her a small smile.

VERA’S VOICE

Roland Leighton hasn’t written back

to me. Although, now I won’t be

joining you both at Oxford, perhaps

that’s for the best.

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33A INT. LIVING ROOM, MELROSE - DAY 33A

The tiniest smile plays on Vera’s lips as she sits, listening

to her mother and the gossiping ladies.

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34 INT. ENTRANCE HALL, MELROSE - DAY (SUMMER) 34

It’s roughly six weeks later. Mrs. Brittain stands in the

hallway holding some hats, looking up the stairs.

MRS. BRITTAIN

VERA!

A flushed Vera comes thudding down the stairs. She’s wearing

a lovely dress.

MRS. BRITTAIN

Hurry hurry, strict instructions

from Edward, we can’t be late for

his parade -!

She takes in Vera’s very smart outfit.

MRS. BRITTAIN (CONT’D)

Goodness it’s only a school speech

day! (The hats) I don’t know if

these are going to be nice enough.

VERA:

(impatient)

Of course they are.

Vera takes one and puts it on her head before the mirror. Her

mother looks at her.

MRS. BRITTAIN

No.

Vera takes it off - as some letters are pushed through the

letter box. She leaps on them immediately, rifling through -

sees the Oxford post stamp on one, and quickly pockets it.

MRS. BRITTAIN

What was that?

Vera fights not to show her tension -

VERA:

Nothing.

She hands her mother the rest of the letters. Mrs. Brittain

purses her lips, but hands her another hat. They both look at

her reflection in the mirror.

VERA/MRS. BRITTAIN

No.

Her mother puts the final one on her.

MRS. BRITTAIN

That’s the one!

Vera pulls it off.

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VERA:

Awful!

Mrs. Brittain sighs with irritation.

MRS. BRITTAIN

What’s in the letter, dear?

Vera keeps stubbornly silent.

MRS. BRITTAIN (CONT’D)

You can’t go hiding things in this

way, Vera, now tell me!

VERA:

(tense)

It’s from Oxford.

MRS. BRITTAIN

(disappointed)

Oh! I thought it might be from a

boy. Why don’t you open it?

Vera hears her father approaching.

VERA:

Don’t tell father!

Mrs. Brittain sighs - her daughter perplexes her. She puts

the last hat back on Vera, as Mr. Brittain appears, absorbed

in reading a newspaper. We glimpse the headline: “Archduke

Shot, Austria in Turmoil”.

MRS. BRITTAIN

That one really is perfect. (To Mr.

Brittain) What do you think, dear?

Mr. Brittain is lost in his reading, a frown on his face.

VERA:

Daddy!

MR. BRITTAIN

What? Oh. Perfect, yes.

Vera sighs, looks at her reflection.

MR. BRITTAIN (CONT’D)

Was that the right answer?

Mother and daughter share a smile.

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35 EXT. SCHOOL APPROACH, UPPINGHAM - DAY 35

The glint of gun metal in the sun - we see rows of schoolboy

officer cadets, in gleaming uniforms, formed into neat rows

and stiffly marching, under orders of “Left, right..” from an

officer teacher.

On the sidelines, proud families stand watching the parade.

Vera threads between them, towards the front -

HEADMASTER’S VOICE

So as a new crop of Uppingham boys

step out onto life’s stage, we say

to them, be strong, be loyal, be

brave!

She picks out Edward, then Victor.... She gives them both a

smile, there’s a flicker of a smile in return. Her eyes

search for Roland - there he is. She makes eye contact,

smiles at him -

But he looks through her, his gaze fixed - as though on a

distant goal she can’t share.

CUT TO:

36 EXT. SCHOOL APPROACH - CONTINUOUS 36

At one end, we FIND - the headmaster, speaking from a podium.

HEADMASTER:

Loyal to yourselves, loyal to kith

and kin - but above all else, loyal

to your homeland, ready always to

serve the glory of our empire!

We MOVE OUT - to see the field of officer cadets before him,

still now, and listening to his every word. Row upon row of

them...

HEADMASTER:

...For if a man cannot be useful to

his country, his life is surely

worth little at all!

They stand there, obedient. Innocent. Proud.

Ready.

Vera watches as the families break into polite applause.

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