Rating: 
Summary: How many times did I have to see it?
Review: I saw this movie about 3 times before realizing how beautiful it was. It was kind of an arranged marriage, and mindless viewings of AMC, where I would slowly get sucked into it. It was a movie that was always on and I never grew tired of it, then I finally figured it was a darned good movie. Even better than good, it was brilliant.William Wyler created a simple film that carried a great dramatic weight. I realized I had been uncommonly touched. This film is sweet, and its touching, and it's very powerful and at first you don't notice that. I guess if you asked me on the right day I would say it was my favorite film (though I'd probably recant later cause it's not fair to choose). There's nothing so fantastic about the cinematography or the music or the costumes. It's about decent people with good intentions who get caught up in a bloody Civil War fought by civilized people who are all trying to win and protect their livelihoods. Anthony Perkins is fantastic. The cross he bears in this film is between two things he truly believes in. Nonviolence and protecting his home. Gary Cooper is a rock, though everything about his character is eccentric and funny, until the war affects him, and the rest of his family. Wyler's direction is impeccable, especially in scenes where the values and morals of the family come into question. When they go to a town fair and are faced with various "vices" (hilarious scene with Maguire desperately trying to keep her wayward family from the anti-Quaker surrounding) and where Joshua (Perkins) is faced with one of the challenges of being a young Quaker man in a violent society, and establishes for us the strength of the family's faith. This scene is repeated throughout the film in different circumstances, getting graver and graver till a climax and a conclusion. I find this an incredible movie whose simple power and mask of lightness makes a very great story that portrays the diverse people of the Civil War, I guess all of us, and their sorrows, triumphs, and lives.
Rating:
Summary: revisiting a classic
Review: I'd seen this film once as a child since it is one of my mother's favorites and recently we obtained a copy. I'd only remembered the goose! Upon seeing it again, I can safely say this is a classic to be viewed numerous times. It never slides into mockery and presents the Quakers as a family struggling with temptations forbidden by their religion from dancing to violence. The trip to the fair is a wonderful example of this: Little Jess's adventure with gambling, Josh's friend Caleb wrestling and their fight with other spectators, the father, Jess, played wonderfully by Gary Cooper, squirrel shooting and singing with friend and racing competitor, Sam Jordan, and the daughter Mattie dancing with epitomy of non-Quakerness, a Methodist Union Officer. The trip Josh takes with his father to Ohio and meets a widow and her three very single daughters is delightful. Anthony Perkins is fabulous as he tries to keep away from the girls who hardley ever seen men! THings turn serious as the Civil War which was always somewhat distant (even with Gard, Mattie's suitor and Sam Jordan's son, coming home on furlough wounded in battle) finally comes to fore. Enoch, the hired hand and runaway slave, must leave to save himself from the Confederates and Josh must choose between his country and his religion. The war literally comes to their front porch as Eliza, the mother and minister, Mattie and Little Jess are left defenseless at home. One of the best parts is the culmination of the courtship between Gard and Mattie where he asks her to marry him. What will they go through during and after the war as Mattie will have to reconcile the conflict between her religion and Gard's occupation and what will her family's reaction be? There's a sense that her father doesn't mind Gard and would welcome a marriage between Gard and his only daughter. She could honestly not do better. The man is the son of her father's friend and is highly trusted by the family. The characters and stories are delightful and I've rewatched this film several times over and still find great things in it every time. Well worth owning.
Rating:
Summary: Great Flick!
Review: I'm a 23 year old guy whom always loved older films. But this one is one of the best, a little bit of everything, Action, Comedy, and Drama. one of the best characters is Samantha the Goose, whom is the mother's pet. The racing seens were always great too. I highly recomend this film for the entire family.
Rating:
Summary: Lost "Classic", beautiful color, romance, humor & war
Review: If you are a "Gary Cooper" fan, you will love this film. As a Quaker family, life is simple, living among their own. But that all changes when the "civil war" comes to their doorstep. Decisions must be made to get involved or stay out of it. That situation hits hard with the son (Anthony Perkins). However, before the war invades this peaceful scene, you'll enjoy the romance, humor. The daughter in love with a non-Quaker soldier. The youngest boy at odds with his mom's pet goose. The mom heads her church and fights temptations of all kinds, and of course the father (Gary Cooper)is right in the middle of it "ALL", with sensitivity, humor and toughness. Great supporting characters prevade this film. A MUST SEE !!!!
Rating:
Summary: A Serious Film, See Why Cooper Was So Great a Film Star
Review: If you want to know why Gary Cooper was once the worlds biggest film star watch this film. Cooper's performance like that of his co star Dorothy McGuire is of the highest order. Friendly Persuasion asks the question, what do people do when their beliefs are threatened by events?. In this case what are the Quakers of southern Indiania to do when their non violent beliefs are threatened by southern raiders during the American Civil War?
What this film makes clear is that there is no single answer. McGuire as a Quaker Elder tells a Union recruiting officer
that Quakers are opposed to slavery, but that they would not kill one man to free another. She also admits that some Quakers have gone off to fight.
Later as the raiders get closer Anthony Perkins as Cooper's son tells his father he is prepaired to die fighting the raiders. Cooper reminds him that he will not be asked to die but to kill.
When he still insists on going off to fight McGuire begs Cooper to stop him. It is clear that this not because she is a Quaker but because he is her son and she fears for his life. Cooper tells her that each person must decide these things for themselves and answer to their own beliefs.
When a fellow Quaker urges Cooper to 'pick up the rifle', his Methodist friend ( Robert Middleton ) tells him that he will fight for the both of them.
Add a love interest and some comic scenes and you have a film well worth two hours of anyones time. As a Brit it also appears to me that as America was founded on the principal of religious freedom this is a film no American should miss.
Rating:
Summary: I absolutely adore this movie.
Review: If you're not a fan of old movies, you'll find the first hour dated and probably too sugar-coated for your tastes, but stay until the end. The scenes in which each family member must decide how to deal with the approaching invasion of Rebel forces left me in tears the first time I saw it. The underlying message is that it is up to each individual to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong and because of this, you must tolerate alternate points of view. Plus, you get to see Anthony Perkins give a simply wonderful performance as a young man raised to be a pacifist struggling with the decision to fight or not to fight. It should have got him an Oscar, and it should be remembered as much as much as his performance in Psycho is.
Rating:
Summary: Humor, warmth and wisdom in a movie classic
Review: Many modern Quakers treasure this movie as it shows fairly accurately depicts our faith as well as the humor for which we are not well known. It also illustrates the need for people to face their own beliefs squarely when faced with crisises be they big or small. At the same time, this movie keeps a light-hearted pace so anyone can enjoy this extremely well portrayed story.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best
Review: My Mother and I used to watch this film everytime it came on TV. We both loved its simple message very much. Now that my Mother has passed on I watch this movie with great fondness. Gary Cooper did a wonderful job in this movie. Dorothy McGuire was incredible as the mother and head of her congregation. Of course Samantha the goose stole the movie.
Rating:
Summary: A beutiful story that made me laugh and cry
Review: No, I dont own this movie, i just watched it for the first time last night and it absolutly touched my heart. It made me feel just so good inside. This movie is helping me flesh out characters in my minds eye, my mysterious Quaker ancestors in southern Indiana. I can only hope and imagine that they were as well rounded as the characters in story
Rating:
Summary: LIFE.HEAVEN LIFE.HUMAN LIFE
Review: REAL BREAUTY. HEALTH. BALANCE.SWEET CURRENT OF THE LIFE AS IT SHOULD BE: PEACEFUL AND STRONG,EVEN IN THE WORST MOMENTS AS IT MAY HAPPEN. A DELIGHTFUL POEM WITH THE ACTORS LOVING IT AND GIVING THEIR BEST .CHRISTIANITY NOT STUPID.BEAUTIFULL MANHOOD:WHY NOT LIVE FOR BEAUTY, HAPINNESS AND FRIENDSHIP,WITHOUT "SE PRENDRE LA TETE" (I am french from France).VERY GOOD MUSIC GOING WELL ALONG WITH THE STORY AND THE PICTURES.I REALLY LIKED TO WIEW AND REWIEW MANY TIMES THIS PICTURE. WILLIAM.FERRARIS
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