Pioneers in Petticoats (1969)

When Brigham Young creates the Young Women's Retrenchment Society in 1869, the headstrong Abigail Harper is called as president in her rural community. Though bucking at the restrictions imposed upon her, she strives to serve well and fellowship and inactive girl. One night, when her parents are out of town, Abigail wears an immodest dress to a church ball. After embarrassing herself she leaves and winds up inside a tavern, where things go from bad to worse when she refuses alcohol. An unknown gentleman offers to escort her home, with the inactive girl and a non-Mormon boy secretly following. When the stranger attempts to rape Abigail they intervene and save her. Later, when the young women meet to decide what to do with Abigail as Retrenchment Society president, the inactive girl arrives and defends her, showing that we all make mistakes and need forgiveness.
This film was commissioned by the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Associate for their centennial in 1969 and was the BYU Motion Picture Department's prestige production for that year (although the sleeper hit Johnny Lingo has proven more enduringly popular). The values championed decidedly belong in 1969, not a century earlier.
Not only was it a prestige production for 1969, but it was the longest film undertaken at BYU up to that point; Judge Whitaker called it the closest thing they had done to a feature. The original version was edited down to forty-four minutes for easier classroom use, and this is that latter version.

[@starlingrd]

I was a BYU student working as a production assistant at the Motion Picture Studio when this was filmed. I went up the mountain to the Sundance Ski Resort to get a tub of snow to make the snowballs that were thrown outside the saloon. I was also the young fiddler in the background inside the saloon. Melinda Cummings who played Abigail Harper was in my student ward. This was a memorable film.

[@williemays2]

Who did the paintings, brother?

[@michelleshermer5887]

My grandpa was the fiddler at the dance - shown about minute 25. We didn’t even know he had done this film until after he had passed away. It was quite memorable to watch for the first time and recognize him.

[@KahlessTheUnforgettable]

Warren Jeffs has cited this short film as fueling his fantasies as a young plyg 🍆

[@harrisonbeckett1545]

thank you so much forplacing good history on the screen

[@ChristyHD27]

Who's here after seeing that tiktok 😳

[@moriahjmiller]

me

[@haleydiel4501]

Me lol

[@phantomrox87]

me lol

[@writerj9129]

Haha me

[@kuyalems]

Where in tiktok?

[@AnnaBellaChannel]

Good Luck getting anyone in the church to Retrench now in 2024.

[@1PulseDawg1]

My Great grandma Ruth was the town gossip and my great grandpa Nathan was the Bishop. He died before I was born so this film was the first time I heard his voice, in the flesh that is.

[@savezelda]

Thanks for all these fabulous uploads. I watch them every day.

[@TheSunOppositePluto]

Nelly is a true girl’s girl. All the religious people stood back and flapped their jaws but Nelly got right in there and saved the day.

[@AxelQC]

Lordy, Mr. Rhett! That Ain't Nothing But My Red Silk Petticoat You Done Give Me.

[@susanfarnsworth-mccarter1900]

This was such a great movie for our kids to watch. We loved it as a FHE aide.

[@myleemontag1690]

This was really interesting to watch!

[@andrellen]

All this patriarchy is frightening...….

[@suzybearheart530]

I loved this movie as a Mormon kid but now, well it's entertaining but yeah. Kind of messed up in a lot of ways.

[@iloveutah5584]

You frighten me.

[@brendabrenda6782]

I bet you don't find patriarchy fearful when millions of men have to sacrifice their lives in war to protect women and children.

[@brendabrenda6782]

I bet you don't find patriarchy frightening when millions of men have to sacrifice their lives in war to protect women and children.

[@brendabrenda6782]

If there is a war will you fight on the war front or will you wait for the fearsome members of the patriarchy to fight and die to protect you? In the Ukrainian war, even radical feminists were against women fighting. I bet you would act just like them.

[@colincofield3747]

Is it me or is the blacksmith (Nellie's dad) the Maytag man?

[@c.cannon1102]

Gordon Jump was a faithful man that lived in Southern California (Costa Mesa) and had many acting roles. As missionary I served in his ward for many months

[@colincofield3747]

@@c.cannon1102 Also known for WKRP in Cincinnati the "Big Guy".

[@natalieholt8477]

Also the actor who played the guy who molested Dudley on Diff'rent Strokes

[@beebaritter4952]

I like this movie. I remember it being my favorite ehen I was little. It's funny how little the church has changed as far as their desire to control women. I don't think they will ever change.

[@cinnamondan4984]

Someone has to do it

[@myleemontag1690]

It's not about controlling women

[@brendabrenda6782]

If it wasn't for the church, women wouldn't even have the rights they have today. You are historically ignorant. You only have to compare the position of women in indigenous, Islamic and non-Western societies in general to see that it was only in the West thanks to Christianity that the value of women and their rights increased. Thank the Church that you don't live in the same condition that women in Islamic countries do to this day. Ignorant people like you hardly know how much they have to thank the Church for the rights and benefits they have conquered.

[@rogerchambers9575]

Troll

[@ElectronicsTech09]

Was this is a TV Show ?

[@ejmorin7338]

Instant classic

[@harrisonbeckett1545]

everyone of us can learn a great lesson from this fine eposoid

[@alb958]

Heaven forbid their neck and ankles show…crazy cult

[@amyjohnston2929]

And don’t forget the victim-blaming assault

[@rogerchambers9575]

Troll

[@AnnaBellaChannel]

Mormonism is very victorian in attitude.

[@valid_sound_and_furious961]

FIDDLE DE DEE

[@TheBoss-ie8dj]

Ahh, the sin of "street corner loafing"... 1:28

[@vernonbrowne-3826]

Such as prostitution?

[@AnnaBellaChannel]

@@vernonbrowne-3826 No, just groups of young people hanging outside on street corners doing nothing. Just chilling out.

[@vernonbrowne-3826]

@@AnnaBellaChannel But, how does one define the words chilling out,in that day and age?

[@AnnaBellaChannel]

@@vernonbrowne-3826 Hanging out with friends at the dance hall.

[@johnjoesph1476]

Our morals and values have definetely changed, I see women half naked every day on facebook.

[@KahlessTheUnforgettable]

Isn’t it great?!

[@elliottcanuel2196]

23:54 True alpha male

[@sisgaia]

"OMG, you can see her collarbone!" An excellent film on the repression of women. It is as absurd as "Reefer Madness." Total self-parody. I saw one review of this that described it as a variation of "The Handmaid's Tale" but with oppression as the protagonist. I would say that description is not too far from the truth.

[@brendabrenda6782]

Where are the idiots who oppose the "oppression" of women fighting for women in Islamic societies? The Handmaid's Tale is pure bullshit. Feminists want to fight the "repression" of women in the comfort of the West where women already have all their rights (none of them conquered by feminists) while doing nothing against Islamic oppression of women.

[@rogerchambers9575]

Troll

[@rogerchambers9575]

Troll

[@aeyacastanares1034]

lol...it reminds me of something nice one...

[@semisipaea5294]

Frick

[@semisipaea5294]

You dude yeah fricken idiot

[@iloveutah5584]

You frighten me.

[@iloveutah5584]

Sorry meant for another comment.

[@semisipaea5294]

Damb

[@bookadmirer.3699]

Damb?

[@semisipaea5294]

Crap

[@semisipaea5294]

Trash A