 friendly persuasion is a 1956 civil war film starring gary cooper, dorothy mcguire, anthony perkins, richard eyer, robert middleton and phyllis love. the screenplay was adapted by michael wilson from the 1945 novel the friendly persuasion by jessamyn west, and was directed by william wyler. the film tells the story of a pacifist quaker family in southern indiana during the american civil war. the father of the family is gradually converted to supporting the war. the film was originally released with no screenwriting credit because wilson was on the hollywood blacklist. his credit was restored in 1996. ==plot== jess birdwell (gary cooper) is a farmer and patriarch of the birdwell family whose worldliness conflicts with his being a quaker. jess's wife eliza, (dorothy mcguire) a quaker minister,is deeply religious and steadfast in her refusal to engage in violence. jess's daughter mattie (phyllis love) wants to remain a quaker but has fallen in love with dashing cavalry officer gard jordan (peter mark richman), a love that is against her mother's wishes. jess's youngest child "little" jess (richard eyer) is a feisty child whose comical feud with his mother's pet goose causes her heartache. jess's elder son josh (anthony perkins) is torn between his hatred of violence and a conviction that to protect his family he must join the home guard and fight the invaders. we are introduced to the family via its youngest member, "little" jess, who is forever at war with his mother's pet goose. the story begins as an easygoing and humorous tale of quakers trying to m
1950s_drama_films 1956_films Allied_Artists_films American_Civil_War_films American_films English-language_films Films_about_Christianity Films_about_Quakers Films_based_on_novels Films_directed_by_William_Wyler Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer_films Palme_d\'Or_winners