‘Friendly Persuasion’ Blu-Ray Review – William Wyler’s War Melodrama Is An Unassuming Classic

For two years the Civil War has been elsewhere. Now Confederate forces are nearby, looting and burning. It’s time to fight back, Jess Birdwell’s neighbors insist. Yet Birdwell, a Quaker, know there must be a better way to settle things. In a role ideally suiting his stalwart persona, Gary Cooper plays Jess in William Wyler’s beloved and acclaimed film of Jessamyn West’s novel Friendly Persuasion. The film earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Leading lady Dorothy McGuire was named Best Actress by the National Board of Review for her outstanding performance as Eliza Birdwell, and 24-year-old Anthony Perkins became a rising star, giving his first major film appearance in the integral role of the Birdwell’s son Josh. Friendly Persuasion is a timeless classic, and a testament to the great artistry of all those involved in creating this masterful film.

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Video Quality

Warner Archive presents Friendly Persuasion with a stunning 1080p master transfer sourced from a brand new 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative. Warner Archive treats this period drama with the utmost respect including a newly revitalized picture that makes it look more glorious than the day it was first completed. The level of detail and clarity is astonishing with the ideal amount of natural film grain intact. 

The film is completely free of dirt and damage, which replicates the experience of watching the pristine picture on opening day. The film exhibits sumptuous colors within the costumes and production design that radiate off the screen with power. Black levels are very deep with favorable stability throughout. Highlights are never a problem with no moment succumbing to blooming. There are no unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. Warner Archive hits it out of the park every time.   

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray release comes with a first-rate DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that holds up almost as favorably as the video side of the equation. While mostly dialogue-driven, a handful of dramatic sequences pop up that are more active and add some texture to the low end. There is a good sense of distinction between the environmental sounds without becoming a sonic swirl. Exchanges of dialogue never stumble at any point as they come through crisp and clear in perfect harmony with the sound effects and the music. 

The score from Dimitri Tiomkin emerges with great strength as it radiates throughout the room with no strain in the upper registers or other harsh inflections. There do not appear to be any obvious signs of damage or age-related wear and tear. The audio presentation is in great shape thanks to the thoughtful preservation efforts. There are optional English SDH subtitles available on the disc for those who need them. 

Special Features

• The Making of Friendly Persuasion: A nearly 11-minute Wide Wide World archival special that promotes the film with a behind-the-scenes visit to the set. There are some rewarding moments when you get to see Wyler directing the performers and other unique moments from the set. 

• Trailer: The nearly two-minute trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

Friendly Persuasion is a unique “war picture” that chooses to focus on a community not actively in the fray of conflict but still feels the effects in its own way. For much of the picture, you almost mistake this for a time of normalcy, as the problems are so gentle and personal. Yet war has a way of disrupting harmony, and in this time the characters have to decide whether the convictions they hold are what they truly stand for. Gary Cooper does a fine job in the main role, as does the rest of the family. The film has a sizable runtime, but it uses the runway to get you invested in the characters. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top-tier A/V presentation and a couple of supplements. William Wyler is one of our best old-school filmmakers, and this is a gem worth watching. Recommended 

Friendly Persuasion can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.