William Wyler‘s Oscar-nominated Friendly Persuasion was released on Blu-ray by way of the Warner Archive Collection in May 2024. The 137-minute film is presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a DTS-MA HD 2.0 soundtrack.

In addition to its nomination for Best Picture, Friendly Persuasion earned nominations for Best Director, Supporting Actor (Anthony Perkins), Adapted Screenplay, Best Song, and Best Sound Recording. The nominations came just as HUAC was kicking into full gear with the Red Scare. As such, the Academy Board of Governors introduced a role denying Oscars to those who refused to talk to the committee. The Writers Guild of America awarded Michael Wilson their award for Best Written American Drama in protest of the then-new Academy rule. Wilson was among those blacklisted in Hollywood for being an unfriendly witness.

When we first meet the Birdwell family in 1862, Confederate forces are making their way to Jennings County, Indiana. They are looting and burning in every which direction. If neighbors had their way, Jess Birdwell (Gary Cooper) would fight back. Instead, the father would remain steadfast in his religious beliefs. Jess and wife Eliza (Dorothy McGuire) are the parents of Josh (Anthony Perkins), Mattie (Phyllis Love), and Little Jess (Richard Eyer).

The family’s religious convictions are tested throughout Friendly Persuasion, whether it is Jess enjoying music and horse racing, Mattie falling in love with cavalry officer Gard Jordan (Mark Richman), or Josh choosing between hating violence or protecting his family. Quaker beliefs are put to the test when a union officer enters their meeting house. Will they stand by idly when Confederate forces rampage their town or will they join the fight? Josh, hearing Gard’s tales from the Indiana Home Guard decides to join the battle. Later on, Jess puts his convictions to the test when he searches for Josh.

While there were conflicts and raids in Indiana during the Civil War, the only action taking place in Jennings County didn’t take place until Morgan’s Raid hit Vernon 1863. Author Jessamyn West both worked as a story writer and technical consultant in bringing Friendly Persuasion to the screen. Rather than adapt a 40-year family history, West narrowed in on the pages dealing with the Civil War. Even then, it would all be confined to just a single year, 1862. Characters were created, changed, or outright removed. Still though, a reference to the war going on for two years makes zero sense. The first shots were fired in April 1861.

Gary Cooper is a rather interesting choice for the role of Jess Birdwell. He’s an actor that audiences want to see taking action. Despite being 55 years old at the time, he didn’t see himself playing a father in Friendly Persuasion. While it’s a solid role, the actor didn’t like his appearance in the film and wouldn’t watch it after seeing the rushes. I didn’t think he did a bad job. Of course, Anthony Perkins was the one who got his big break, earning an Oscar nomination and putting his name on the nap.

There’s a universe where Katharine Hepburn plays Eliza Birdwell rather than Dorothy McGuire. Hepburn declined the role and go figure that Cooper didn’t think McGuire was attractive enough to play his screen wife. He also panned her acting abilities, too. Cooper preferred Casablanca‘s Ingrid Bergman but she declined.

Regarding the Quakers and their depiction, there are some inaccuracies in Friendly Persuasion. For one, they do not recite biblical passages verbatim. It might have been a quote out of memory or a paraphrase.

Interestingly, President Ronald Reagan gave the film to Soviet general secretary Mikhail Gorbachev during the 1980s. It was his hope that the depiction of Quakerism in Friendly Persuasion would show an alternative to war. It was also President Reagan’s favorite film. He was said to describe the film as “not just the tragedy of war, but the problem of pacifism, the nobility of patriotism, as well as the love of peace.” At that time, Wilson’s name had yet to be restored to the credits. Robert Wyler and Jessamyn West had written the shooting script but WGA ruled in favor of Wilson during arbitration.

Friendly Persuasion tests religious convictions in this Civil War drama.

Bonus Features

• Behind-the-Scenes documentary segment from the 1955 NBC-TV series Wide Wide World
• Original Theatrical Trailer

DIRECTOR: William Wyler
SCREENWRITERS: Michael Wilson
CAST: Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Richard Eyer, Robert Middleton, Phyllis Love, Mark Richman, Walter Catlett, Richard Hale, Joel Fluellen, Theodore Newton, John Smith, Edna Skinner, Majorie Durant, Frances Farwell, Samantha the Goose, Marjorie Main

Allied Artists released Friendly Persuasion in theaters on November 25, 1956. Grade: 4/5

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