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Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Marjorie Main, Robert Middleton ... see more see more... , Richard Eyer , Phyllis Love , Peter Mark Richman , Walter Catlett , Richard Hale , Joel Fluellen , Theodore Newton , John Smith , Mary Carr , Edna Skinner , Marjorie Durant Dye , Russell Simpson , Charles Halton , Everett Glass , James Anderson , John Compton , Chuck Courtney , John Craven , James Dobson , Richard Garland , Frank S. Hagney , Harry Hines , Earl Hodgins , Jean Innes , Tom Irish , Mary Jackson , Frank Jenks , Diane Jergens , Donald Kerr , Helen Kleeb , Norman Leavitt , Nelson Leigh , John M. Pickard , Ivan Rasputin , Henry Rowland , Ralph Sanford , William Schallert , James Seay , Joe Turkel , Steve Warren

Adapted from the best-selling novel by Jessamyn West, Friendly Persuasion is set in Southern Indiana in the early days of the Civil War. Gary Cooper plays Jess Birdwell, patriarch of a Quaker family w... read more read more...hich does not believe in warfare. Birdwell's son Josh (Anthony Perkins) wishes to adhere to his family's pacifism, but is afraid that if he doesn't sign up for military service, he'll prove to be a coward. Josh joins the Home Guard, which disturbs his mother Eliza (Dorothy McGuire). But Jess Birdwell realizes that his son must follow the dictates of his own conscience. Josh proves his courage to himself when he is wounded during a Rebel raid, while the elder Birdwell is able to stay faithful to his religious calling by not killing a Southern soldier when given both a chance and a good reason to do so. Allegedly, writer Jessamyn West nearly scotched her deal with producer/director William Wyler and distributor Allied Artists when Gary Cooper, taking his fans into consideration, insisted upon including a scene in which he forsakes his pacifism and takes arms against the Rebels. If true, then wiser heads prevailed, since no such scene exists in the final release print. Though uncredited due to his status as a blacklistee, Michael Wilson wrote the screenplay for Friendly Persuasion--and even won an Oscar nomination. Also nominated was the film's chart-busting theme song, "Thee I Love" (by Dmitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster). The story was remade as a 2-hour TV pilot film in 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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79% liked it

1,046 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

7 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: William Wyler

Release Date: January 1, 1956

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DVD Release Date: December 5, 2000

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Stats: 112 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (112)

  • ajv2688
    November 14, 2010
    ajv2688
    This movie is very predictable, and sometimes boring, but the drama is pretty intense, especially towards the end, and there are good actors in this movie too.
  • jjnxn
    February 17, 2008
    jjnxn
    Lovely small quite film
  • codyfranklin2
    March 24, 2009
    codyfranklin2
    This film is about a family of Quakers who struggle with their beliefs during the Civil War. It's interesting to see how the Quakers lived and their religious beliefs. The film goes into great detail on this and you realize how horrible it would be to be a Quaker. At times the mo... read morevie is too cute with too many rear projections(the CGI of the 50's) The acting is great (Cooper does his aw shucks character) and the story is a good one. The film gets real good when the war is in their back yard and they must choose between protecting themselves or follow their religion and do nothing.
  • threefolddado
    June 30, 2008
    threefolddado
    A classic.
  • amandarent
    July 11, 2011
    amandarent
    A little slow-moving for some of my less-discerning friends, this is a delightful telling of the struggles of a small Quaker family during the Civil War. Some parts may be a little corny, but the comedy and drama completely make up for it. I was surprised to find that, though it ... read morebears the title of West's novel, the story covered only a third of the book, creating scenes where none had existed. Truth be told, I liked the movie much better.
  • vicker11
    December 13, 2009
    vicker11
    This one is a classic. I have always been interested in the Civil War era, so this story about a Quaker family who is affected by a divided nation during the 1860's is definitely one of my all time favorites. The love story between their daughter and a union soldier is a little "... read morecheesy", but I enjoy it.
  • vicker1
    September 25, 2008
    vicker1
    This story about a Quaker family during the Civil War is simple and touching. President Reagan actually gave a copy of this movie to Gorbachev(sp?) during the 1980's as a subtle, friendly hint to embrace peace between the USA and Russia.

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Critic Reviews

Nell Minow
December 24, 2010
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

Exceptional Civil War-set story of religious differences. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
February 6, 2008
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

In Wyler's Civil War drama, Gary Cooper's most popular film of the 1950s, the star plays his quinessential role, a pacifist family man who needs to probe his soul before using physical violence. Full Review

Daniel Eagan
February 11, 2005
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International

Heartwarming account of Quakers during the Civil War

Steven D. Greydanus
September 12, 2003
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide

Warm, gently satiric portrait of a family of the "Friendly persuasion" living in the shadow of the Civil War… does justice neither to Quakerism nor to just-war theory, but its warm affection for ... Full Review

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
February 9, 2003
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies

A big, colorful, entertaining movie that could only have been made in the 1950s. Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Bosley Crowther
May 20, 2003
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

John J. Puccio
July 29, 2002
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

No review available.

Nell Minow
April 20, 2002
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

No review available.

January 26, 2006
Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

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Friendly Persuasion Trivia

  • Gary Cooper starred in this non-western, in which a pacifist Quaker in Indiana, must choose whether to fight in the Civil War, when attacked. Movie is___   Answer »
  • Who plays Gary Cooper's son, Josh in "Friendly Persuasion," a terrific old movie about a Quaker family living in Indiana during the Civil War?  Answer »
  • Anthony Perkins received an Oscar for his role in Friendly Persuasion ?  Answer »
  • Which actor/actress played in the following movies: 'Friendly Persuasion' (1956), 'Pretty Poison' (1968) and 'Murder on the Orient Express' (1974)?  Answer »
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