Testament (1983)

The life of a suburban American family is scarred after a nuclear attack.

Director:

Lynne Littman

Writers:

Carol Amen (based on the story "The Last Testament" by), John Sacret Young (screenplay)

Stars:

Jane Alexander, William Devane, Rossie Harris

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Alexander	...	Carol Wetherly
William Devane	...	Tom Wetherly
Rossie Harris	...	Brad Wetherly (as Ross Harris)
Roxana Zal	...	Mary Liz Wetherly
Lukas Haas	...	Scottie Wetherly
Philip Anglim	...	Hollis
Lilia Skala	...	Fania
Leon Ames	...	Henry Abhart
Lurene Tuttle	...	Rosemary Abhart
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Cathy Pitkin
Kevin Costner	...	Phil Pitkin
Mako	...	Mike
Mico Olmos	...	Larry
Gerry Murillo	...	Hiroshi
J. Brennan Smith	...	Billdocker

Storyline

Nuclear war in the United States is portrayed in a realistic and believable manner. The story is told through the eyes of a woman who is struggling to take care of her family. The entire movie takes place in a small suburban town outside San Francisco. After the nuclear attack, contact with the outside world is pretty much cut off.

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Plot Keywords:

nuclear attack | nuclear war | title directed by female | neighbor neighbor relationship | loss of father | 

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Taglines:

Imagine a day like any other. The children are fighting, the refrigerator is humming. Highways are jammed, playgrounds are filled. Everything is perfectly normal... For the very last time.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 January 1984 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Testamento

Filming Locations:

Sierra Madre, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$317,996, 6 November 1983, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,044,892

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Entertainment Events, American Playhouse

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of two 1983 films about nuclear warfare and atomic bombs that were originally made for television but garnered a theatrical release in select territories. The other was The Day After (1983).

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Quotes

Brad Wetherly: Doesn't radiation get into water?
Carol Wetherly: Well, it can. Maybe it won't be so bad here. But we'd better be careful.
Scottie Wetherly: What's "radation"?
[pause]
Mary Liz Wetherly: Here, have a banana.
Scottie Wetherly: You never gave me one before.
Mary Liz Wetherly: I did now.
Carol Wetherly: There may not be any... more for a while.

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Connections

Features Sesame Street (1969)

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Soundtracks

Hello! Ma Rag Time Gal!
(1899) (uncredited)
(Also called "Hello! Ma Baby")
Written by Joseph E. Howard and Ida Emerson
Performed by William Roberts
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment

User Reviews

Beautiful... and horrific

I never thought a film about nuclear war could be more moving than "The Day After" or "Threads". Now that I've viewed "Testament", I know I was wrong.

Frankly, I thought the film would seem mild in comparison with the former two, which are very graphic and horrific. In fact, it was even more disturbing and difficult to watch. Several times I considered shutting the film off, thinking "What good is it doing me to watch this depressing movie?" But each time I convinced myself to stick it out, and I'm glad I did.

I don't know what it was; the strength of Jane Alexander's performance, the combined performances by the younger actors playing her children, the excellent and artistic (yet remarkably matter-of-fact) cinematography, the haunting beauty of James Horner's score, or all of the above, but "Testament" just got into me and tore my very soul apart. There's no graphic "ground zero" scenes like in the other two films, just the story of a family struggling to survive, trying to stay hopeful beyond all hope.

The scene that I think will stick with me forever is the shot of Jane Alexander tearing apart bedsheets. That's all I'll say about this scene for now since I don't want to give anything away, but watch the film and you'll know what I'm talking about.

As other reviews have alluded to, "The Day After" and "Testament" both came out around the same time, yet "Testament" is far less known and remembered among the two films, even though most consider it the better of the two. I think the reason for this is that "The Day After" was presented on television, while "Testament", though originally made for public television, was instead released to theaters. With a movie like this, I think it's easier to just watch it on TV than to bring yourself to actually go out to a theater to experience this type of film.

"Testament" is one of those films like "The Hours". It's beautiful, breathtaking, unforgettable... and so heartrending I'm not sure I can ever bring myself to watch it again. But if you haven't seen it, you should. Trust me, it will be worth it.