Testament

Testament is a 1983 American post-apocalyptic drama film co-produced and directed by Lynne Littman and written by John Sacret Young, based on Carol Amen's 1981 short story "The Last Testament". The film tells the story of how a small suburban town near the San Francisco Bay Area slowly falls apart after a nuclear war destroys outside civilization. The cast includes Jane Alexander, William Devane, Leon Ames, Ross Harris, Lukas Haas, Roxana Zal, and in small roles shortly before their rise to stardom, Kevin Costner and Rebecca De Mornay. It was one of the films, along with The Day After and Threads, that portrayed life after a nuclear war, mostly in response to an increase in hostility between the United States and the Soviet Union. Originally produced for the PBS series American Playhouse, it was given a theatrical release instead by Paramount Pictures on November 4, 1983 (although PBS did subsequently air it a year later). Alexander was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance.