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This film won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival. I knew this going into it and was thoroughly surprised with what I saw. When I think of a Cannes award-winning film, I think of something more artsy like ELEPHANT. William Wyler’s (THE COLLECTOR, BEN-HUR) dramedy was one before the term was invented.

Set in 1862, the film follows the Birdwell family. They’re Quakers. Eliza (Dorothy McGuire, SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON) is the matriarch of the family and a preacher for their community. Her husband Jess (Gary Cooper, HIGH NOON) is a bit of a troublemaker – at least for Quaker standards. He likes to race his horse and buggy against the Methodist Sam Jordan (Robert Middleton, THE COURT JESTER) on the way to church on a Sunday morning and he likes to play music. Eliza loves her family, but tries to keep them to the letter of the Quaker law.

The church is totally against any forms of violence, but the Birdwell son, Josh (Anthony Perkins, PSYCHO), is tormented about others putting their lives on the line in the Civil War to defend his family and property. Daughter Mattie is supposed to marry a good Quaker boy, but she falls for a Union soldier named Gard (Peter Mark Richman, TV’s DYNASTY), who “gasp” likes to dance. And son Little Jess (Richard Eyer, THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD) is a typical mischievous boy, who has a very rough relationship with his mother’s pet goose, Samantha.

The film shows how the family tests Eliza’s patience, but how in the end they must do what they individually feel is right for the given situation. Cooper’s subtle performance is magnificent. McGuire is equally as good as the conscience of the family. Perkins is perfect as the internally tortured young Quaker. The humor of the first 3/4s of the film, really highlights the emotional power and poignancy of the final 1/4 of the film. This film is surprisingly funny, surprisingly deep and surprisingly human. This is an underrated gem. Check it out.