Friendly Persuasion (DVD)

Friendly Persuasion (1956) is my favorite 1950s movie. It always reminds me of Fiddler on the Roof (1971) as both films have analogous existentialist values; questions of faith, meaning and test of personal resolve. Tevye the Milkman must face the challenge to his sense of self and traditional way of doing things, by the increasingly independent ways his three daughters go about selecting a husband. Jess Birdwell (Gary Cooper) and his family must face the challenge to their pacifist Quaker values by the personal demands of the American Civil War.But this is a review of Friendly Persuasion, so let's confine ourselves to discussion the William Wyler film. It is 1862 and Jess Birdwell and his family are farmers in south Indiana. The harbinger of danger is Maj. Harvey (Theodore Newton), who visits a Quaker Meeting House to warn of approaching Confederate raiders. He has "had the duty placed upon [him] by the army" to urge Quakers to take up arms. It is a tense scene, but the gentle humor pervading the script is in evidence when "friend" Purdy (Richard Hale) angrily "declare[s] to all that nothing will move me to violence NOTHING!"The family's "test of values" begins when raiders; "Morgan's men, the toughest troops in the Confederacy" storm the Birdwell farm. The elder of the Birdwell children Josh (Anthony Perkins) has earlier departed to join the ambush of Confederate cavalry at the river, "because he has to fight as long as others do."When Josh's horse returns without him, Jess is spurred to action; musket in hand and despite the vociferous protests of his wife Eliza (Dorothy McGuire) he goes looking for Josh. When his young son, Little Jess (Richard Eyer) exhorts his father to "Kill a Johnny Reb. for me, Pa," Jess gently admonishes him "Son, never talk that way about a man's life".The only other man on the farm, the runaway slave, Enoch (Joel Fluellen) joins Josh at the ambush, but with conflicted feelings. Enoch is loath to transgress Quaker sentiments on violence and the sanctity of human life; indeed, the Birdwell's granted him refuge on the strength of those very values. Enoch's explanation is poignant, "I hate to cross you like this Mr. Birdwell. Don't seem grateful. But you see sir; a runaway slave like me wouldn't stand a chance with some of those men. So if I'm goin' down, I'm goin' down fightin'!"Josh and Enoch premeditated their decision, but Jess and Eliza responded to immediate circumstance. Jess finds his friend Sam Jordan (Robert Middleton) lying mortally wounded by a Rebel bushwhacker (Richard Garland). He stops to render assistance and he too, is shot. Jess is merely grazed and momentarily rendered unconscious, but recovers as the Bushwhacker reloads. They struggle, but Jess disarms him and points the rifle at his stomach. The man's natural terror turns to bewilderment when Jess tells him to "Git, I'll not harm thee." Jess "wavers not in his convictions," for what better excuse killing than revenge?Eliza, for her part "wavers" by attacking Confederate soldier Buster, (Don Kennedy)with a broom to save Samantha from the dinner plate. As Eliza screams at the soldier, "Samantha's a pet [goose]...she's a pure pet!" she almost simultaneously covers her face in shame; mortified that she has raised her hand in anger.The hapless Buster retrieves his hat from a water barrel, politely reflecting, "Sure wish I'd known that sooner, Ma'am... much obliged."Friendly Persuasion is a charming mix of drama, pathos and humor. Much of the humor revolves about the horse racing sub-plot between the good friends, Sam and Jess. Sam has the much faster animal, until Jess finds the mare "Lady" owned by The Widow Hudspeth (Marjorie Main, doing her Ma Kettle specialty). The widow has three daughters agressively anxious to marry, but their plans are continually thwarted by Lady's "racing notions". Whenever the women are out in their buggy hoping to meet suitors driving on the road, Lady takes off, refusing to let any other horse catch up with her. Jess and the widow see a mutual advantage in trading horses.The Production Code was still in force in 1956 and a happy melodramatic ending is obligatory and avoidance of sexual violence essential. Mattie (Phyllis Love) the Birdwell's teenage daughter is the most problematic character in the film. She simply watches on in perfect safety as "the toughest troops in the Confederacy" feast on her mother's cooking. Mattie also watches her family drive off to the Meeting House, until 'Gard' Jordan (Mark Richman),her love interest drives up ~ will she compromise her Quaker upbringing by going to Gard's church? The audience is given a fade out - not an answer.Just a parting comment on a fairly common practice in 1950s Hollywood movies ~ the "audience inside joke"; sometimes this was an allusion to an actor's previous films. In the case of "the Coop" in Friendly Persuasion it was that flower. In "Morocco" (1930) Gary Cooper, as the lady-killer Légionnaire Tom Brown, places behind his ear, the flower tossed to him by nightclub singer/camp follower Amy Jolly (Marlene Dietrich). She also slips him her apartment key and Cooper later wears the flower "when he goes up to see her".In Friendly Persuasion, Sam Jordan playfully puts the flower Eliza has left in the barn behind Jess's ear.

There is nothing to dislike about this movie. Thoughtful depiction of one family struggling with decision to enter into war. My favorite.

This is a beautiful movie . Great acting. Lovely scenery !

ESSENTIAL MOVIE!!! This is one of Hollywood's greatest films that has a cast that's superior. Friendly Persuasion isn't a western though it has some of that. The story centers on a Quaker family in southern Indiana at the outbreak of the American Civil War. It's a drama but has many comedic moments throughout.Jess Birdwell (Gary Cooper) is the center of the story. The laconic Cooper is perfect casting. Though Jess is a Quaker he isn't completely committed to the idea of it. He's practical & realizes that, at times, turning the other cheek doesn't always solve the problem. His wife, Eliza (Dorothy Maguire), is committed to the ways of the Quaker. She's even one of their ministers. Anytime Jess & the family begin to stray she's there to put them back on the narrow path. In a day when the female role in most movies wasn't pivotal, Friendly Persuasion was different. The female lead of Eliza was a crucial element in the film. It was probably Maguire's best role, as it would have been for any actress of that era.Josh (Anthony Perkins) is the oldest of the Birdwell children. He's the most affected by the war. He gets an opportunity to join in the fighting & is almost killed. The film's statement on war is timeless & should remind us how it affects everyone, even those not directly involved. Mattie (Phyllis Love) is the second oldest child. She's at the age where boys are becoming very interesting. Little Jess (Richard Eyer) is the youngest & steals some of the scenes that he's in. His scenes with the family pet goose are hilarious.Some of the best scenes involve Jess racing his buggy horse against his neighbor, Sam Jordan (Robert Middleton), every going-to-meeting day. Jess loses every time time but he isn't deterred. In a chance meeting with another family Jess meets Widow Hudspeth (Marjorie Main) & her three man hungry daughters. Josh has gone along & he's constantly harassed by the three daughters. But this encounter leads Jess into trading horses with the Widow Hudspeth. She needs a plow horse which Jess has that isn't a good buggy racer. The Widow has a horse that looks like a nag but is one heck of a buggy racer. Everyone thinks Jess has been taken. But, finally, Jess wins a buggy race against his neighbor.There's a scene where the family goes to a fair & we see how protected an existence they live. Jess, ever the practical one, is the one that extricates the family out of the events here. If you look closely in the scene where Jess is doing the target shooting you will see a young Robert Fuller in Union uniform near Cooper. He has no lines & the role is uncredited but he's there.Friendly Persuasion was directed by the great William Wyler. It was nominated for six Academy Awards but didn't win any. That's a shame for it was a deserving film. Those nominations were Best Director (Wyler), Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Perkins) Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Song & Best Sound.Some may see this movie as old fashioned but it presents values that we all should have. It addresses questions that plague us in a time of war. Most of all, it presents us with choices that must be made during a time of great duress. Would our beliefs & values stand up when we're presented the choice of compromising some of them? Friendly Persuasion is a film that should be seen by everyone.

I had never heard of Friendly Persuasion but reading the reviews got me interested enough to order it. Because it was produced in 1956, it is a "clean" movie. Even with a war going on, there is no gory, bloody war scenes. The interaction between Gary Cooper as Jess and Dorothy McGuire as his wife is superior. The movie is sprinkled with bits of humor throughout which makes it really enjoyable. They are a quaker family who are pacifists living during the Civil War and trying to stick to their faith believing there has to be a better way to settle things than getting involved in a war.

Grade A-. Simple plot but very entertaining.

Dvd quality in question. Machine showa error in loading.

One of my favorite movies. Humor, love, religious conflict. It’s got everything.

Very good film. Received from SE Asia in excellent condition, well wrapped and completely enjoyable.

I got this for someone else and they seemed pleased with it and not brought it back!

Picture quality should have been better and too much of the information was in Chinese

Very good to have this thoughtful and enjoyable film available.

Quality was not quite as expected. the sound was variable and was a little distracting, but it was still enjoyable