History Film / FriendlyPersuasion

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess (Cooper) and his wife Eliza (Dorothy [=McGuire=]) have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" (Richard Eyer) has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie (Phyllis Love) is in love with Gard Jordan (Mark Richman), a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army.

* YeOldeButcheredeEnglishe: Averted, or rather, practiced in-universe by the characters. The Quakers use the old-timey ''thee'' instead of ''you'' in speech. However, they consistently misuse it, saying "thee" both as the subject (correct) and also as the object in sentences, when they should be using "thou." This is how Quakers habitually talked in the 19th-century, although latter-day Quakers have fallen out of this habit.
--> "What is thee saying, child?" (should be "What art thou saying, child?")

--> "What is thee saying, child?" (should be "What art thou saying, child?")

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess (Cooper) and his wife Eliza (Dorothy [=McGuire=]) have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" (Richard Eyer) has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie (Phyllis Love) is in love with Gard Jordan (Mark Richman), a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army. But the main conflict is the war, and the hesitation of the pacifistic Quakers about joining the war effort. The Birdwells' oldest son Josh (Creator/AnthonyPerkins) is particularly torn over whether or not to join up and fight.

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess (Cooper) and his wife Eliza (Dorothy [=McGuire=]) have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" (Richard Eyer) has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie (Phyllis Love) is in love with Gard Jordan (Mark Richman), a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army. But the main conflict is the war, and the hesitation of pacifistic Quakers about joining the war effort. The Birdwells' oldest son Josh (Creator/AnthonyPerkins, four years before ''Film/{{Psycho}}'') is particularly torn about whether or not to join up and fight.

* {{Remake}}: A MadeForTVMovie version was produced for Creator/{{ABC}} in 1975, directed by Joseph Sargent and starring Creator/RichardKiley as Jess, Creator/ShirleyKnight as Eliza, Creator/CliftonJames as Sam, Creator/MichaelOKeefe as Josh, Kevin O'Keefe as Labe, Tracie Savage as Mattie, and Sparky Marcus as Little Jess.

Nominated for five UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s, though it didn't win any. Said to be one of UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's favorite movies; as President he gave a copy to UsefulNotes/MikhailGorbachev during a summit meeting.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: A Union soldier addressing the Quakers early in the film tries to get them to join up and support the war effort, saying the war is about protecting their own homes. Later the widow Hudspeth asks Jess if he's seen any raiders. Sure enough, Confederate raiders come through the area.%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/645px_poster___friendly_persuasion_01.jpg]]

''Friendly Persuasion'' is a 1956 film directed by Creator/WilliamWyler, starring Creator/GaryCooper.

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess (Cooper) and his wife Eliza (Dorothy [=McGuire=]) have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie is in love with Gard Jordan, a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army. But the main conflict is the war, and the hesitation of pacifistic Quakers about joining the war effort. Oldest son Josh (Creator/AnthonyPerkins, four years before ''Film/{{Psycho}}'') is particularly torn about whether or not to join up and fight.

Said to be one of UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's favorite movies; the president gave a copy to UsefulNotes/MikhailGorbachev at a summit meeting.

* TheFilmOfTheBook: 1945 novel ''The Friendly Persuasion'' by Jessamyn West.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: A Union soldier addressing the Quakers early in the film tries to get them to join up and support the war effort, saying the war is about protecting their own homes. Later the widow Hudspeth asks Jess if he's seen any raiders. Sure enough, Confederate raiders come through the area.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: A scene that clearly indicates without actually saying so that Jess and Eliza had sex in the barn--see SexyDiscretionShot below.

* HaveAGayOldTime: The organ salesman describes the Quakers' dislike of music as "mighty queer".

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/645px_poster___friendly_persuasion_01.jpg]]

'''''Friendly Persuasion''''' is a 1956 film directed by Creator/WilliamWyler, starring Creator/GaryCooper.

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess (Cooper) and his wife Eliza (Dorothy [=McGuire=]) have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie is in love with Gard Jordan, a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army. But the main conflict is the war, and the hesitation of pacifistic Quakers about joining the war effort. Oldest son Josh (Anthony Perkins, four years before ''Film/{{Psycho}}'') is particularly torn about whether or not to join up and fight.

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess Birdwell (Cooper) and his wife Eliza (Dorothy [=McGuire=]) have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie is in love with Gard Jordan, a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army. But the main conflict is the war, and the hesitation of pacifistic Quakers about joining the war effort. Oldest son Josh (Anthony Perkins, four years before ''Film/{{Psycho}}'') is particularly torn about whether or not to join up and fight.

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess Birdwell (Cooper) and his wife Eliza (Dorothy [=McGuire=]) have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie is in love with Gard Jordan, a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army. But the main conflict is the war, and the hesitation of pacifistic Quakers about joining the war effort. Oldest son Josh Birdwell (Anthony Perkins, four years before ''Film/{{Psycho}}'') is particularly torn about whether or not to join up and fight.

[[caption-width-right:350:Yes, that tagline [[HaveAGayOldTime looks a little funny nowadays]].]]

* HaveAGayOldTime: The organ salesman describes the Quaker dislike of music as "mighty queer."

[[caption-width-right:350:Yes, let's all [[HaveAGayOldTime have a good chuckle]] at the movie's tagline.]]

[[quoteright:350:Yes, let's all [[HaveAGayOldTime have a good chuckle]] at the movie's tagline.]]

The Birdwells are a family of Quakers in southern Indiana during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanCivilWar. Patriarch Jess Birdwell (Cooper) and his wife Eliza have a loving relationship that is occasionally interrupted by normal squabbles, like Jess's purchase of an organ, despite general Quaker disapproval of the playing of music. Youngest son "Little Jess" has an adversarial relationship with the family's pet goose and daughter Mattie is in love with Gard Jordan, a non-Quaker local boy who has joined the Union Army. But the main conflict is the war, and the hesitation of pacifistic Quakers about joining the war effort. Oldest son Josh Birdwell (Anthony Perkins, four years before ''Film/{{Psycho}}'') is particularly torn about whether or not to join up and fight.

''Friendly Persuasion'' is a 1956 film directed by Creator/WilliamWyler, starring Creator/GaryCooper.