Friendly Persuasion

film by Wyler [1956]

Written by Lee Pfeiffer

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Friendly Persuasion, American dramatic film, released in 1956, that depicts how the American Civil War disrupts the lives of a pacifist Quaker family.

Jess Birdwell (played by Gary Cooper) and his wife, Eliza (Dorothy McGuire), are content in their lives as Quaker farmers living in southern Indiana during the turbulent 1860s. They are the proud parents of daughter Mattie (Phyllis Love), “Little” Jess (Richard Eyer), and Josh (Anthony Perkins). Although they pride themselves on adhering to the Quaker philosophy of leading a nonviolent life, the Civil War intrudes on the family when Confederate forces wreak havoc on neighbouring farms. The story explores the moral dilemma the family faces when Josh decides to take up arms to save the community he loves.

Under William Wyler’s direction, the film features many humourous scenes interspersed with emotionally riveting dramatic moments, all enhanced by Dimitri Tiomkin’s score. Cooper uncharacteristically played a pacifist, an aspect of the movie that initially led him to fear it would alienate his core audience of fans. The screenplay, which was adapted from Jessamyn West’s novel (1945), was nominated for an Academy Award, but the writer, Michael Wilson, was not named as a nominee, because he had been blacklisted after refusing to answer the House Un-American Activities Committee’s questions concerning communist affiliations. It was not until 2002 that Wilson’s name was officially added to the nomination.