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Friendly Persuasion
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List Price: $19.98
Our Price: $15.99
Your Save: $ 3.99 ( 20% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Starring: Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Richard Eyer, Robert Middleton
Directed By: William Wyler
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Warner Brothers
EAN: 0085391669326
Format: Closed-captioned
Label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Warner Home Video
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2000-12-05
Running Time: 137
Studio: Warner Home Video
Theatrical Release Date: 1956-11-25
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Editorial Reviews:
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For two years the Civil War has been elsewhere. Now Confederate forces are nearby, looting and burning. It is time to fight back, Jess Birdwell's neighbors insist. Yet Birdwell, a Quaker, knows there must be a better way to settle things. Year: 1956 Director: William Wyler Starring: Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Five Star Masterpiece!!!
Comment: I saw this film many years ago, and when it finally arrived on DVD, I knew I wanted it as part of my collection. Excellent screenplay, with an well chosen cast to complete a heartfelt story of a quaker family just prior to the civil war. A beautiful music score that truly enchanced a well acted film. The only downside was that the film was not released in stereo, and the quality as far as the audio was bland. This was odd since stereo in motion pictures was first released in 1953 with the film The Robe. Afterwards films were released left and right with this new format, since the fifties brought us numerous musicals. Even so, if it were not released in actual stereophonic sound, it could have been enchanced for better quality. This is true of much older films, such as How Green Was My Valley in the early fortys. Rent this film, and you will be amazed at how they were able to take the music score and separate all the instruments so you would swear this was originally released in stereo, at a time it was unknown. At any rate that is my only complaint. The film itself is truly worth watching with the whole family. They don't make them like this anymore. Five Stars!!!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Friendly Persuasion
Comment: I was caught by the unusual theme in this DVD and was delighted to find a film devoid of explicit sex and violence. I would recommend this to those who yearn for the higher moral and ehtical standards of yesteryear.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful "Old Coop"
Comment: I have always loved Gary Cooper and this is my favorite movie of all he made. It is heart warming and a joy to watch over and over. I ordered it for my mom's 88th birthday and she loves it now too. Thanks for having it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Friendly Persuasion
Comment: 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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Friendly Persuasion
Comment: This is an excellent family movie well worth keeping in the family dvd file for future generations. Friendly Persuasion speaks well to integrity, family commitment and good clean humor.
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