November 4, 2003
CBS Is Reconsidering Mini-Series on Reagan
By BERNARD WEINRAUB
OS ANGELES, Nov. 3 — Under pressure from Republicans and conservative groups, CBS is weighing a decision to scrap a completed four-hour mini-series, "The Reagans," an unflattering portrait of former President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, according to a person involved in the production.
CBS has already demanded changes in the film, said another figure involved, the director, Robert Allan Ackerman. Although there have been reports that Mr. Ackerman had left the production, he said in an interview on Monday that he was "at this moment" still connected with it.
"I handed in my cut," he said, "and when CBS said they wanted to make changes, I said, `Let me see it when it's done.' "
It is unusual for a network to start substantively re-editing a completed film only weeks before it is scheduled to be shown.
The possible cancellation of the mini-series was first reported on Monday in Daily Variety. A CBS spokesman declined to comment, and it was unclear why the network would consider bowing to pressure.
The movie, which ranges from the early years of the Reagans' marriage through Mr. Reagan's White House years and his current battle with Alzheimer's disease, was to be broadcast on Nov. 16 and 18. Those who have read the script said it depicts a controlling and fiercely determined Mrs. Reagan, who has poor relations with her children, and a president who is cheerful, distant and a bit out of touch. The film stars James Brolin as Mr. Reagan and Judy Davis as Mrs. Reagan.
In a recent interview Mr. Brolin said that the film depicted, to some degree, Mrs. Reagan taking control of the White House as the president's health began to fail. Mr. Reagan has had Alzheimer's disease for years. "She took over," Mr. Brolin said. He said the film showed the Reagan family as troubled, with their children not especially close to their parents. An article in The New York Times on Oct. 21 described the script, which depicts Mr. Reagan as a skilled politician but is also disapproving of him and Mrs. Reagan. At the time CBS executives, including Leslie Moonves, the CBS chairman, said that the intent was to make a historically accurate story.
But over the last week Republican and conservative commentators have said that the CBS mini-series seemed to be biased and to be a distortion. As a result there was speculation that the film might not be shown on CBS but be offered to the Showtime cable network, which is also owned by Viacom.
People close to the show, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that CBS executives had approved the script in advance and had also seen the mini-series without raising a dissent. But after the Times article and the tide of criticism, CBS executives seemed to have second thoughts.
In one notably controversial scene in the film, Mr. Reagan is shown as not only indifferent to the AIDS epidemic but also hostile to those who had the disease. During one scene in which Mrs. Reagan pleads with her husband to help people battling AIDS, Mr. Reagan says, "Those who live in sin shall die in sin."
Mr. Moonves told CNBC last week, "There are things we think go too far." He also said the production was unfinished.
CBS has not distributed the film, but Reagan supporters have already voiced strong objections. Ed Gillespie, chairman of the Republican National Committee, sent CBS a letter last week requesting that associates of Mr. Reagan review it for historical accuracy. In the absence of such a review, Mr. Gillespie asked the network to place a disclaimer on the screen every 10 minutes, advising viewers that the production contained fictional material.
At the same time L. Brent Bozell III, president of the Media Research Center, a conservative watchdog group, sent a letter to 100 top television advertisers, urging them to review the script before agreeing to advertise on the mini-series. Mr. Bozell called the movie "a partisan attack against one of America's most beloved presidents." Other conservative commentators have joined in the criticism. Meanwhile Merv Griffin, the former television host and a longtime Reagan friend, called the series a "cowardly act" on MSNBC recently.
Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the producers of the mini-series, who are usually cordial with the press, declined to respond to phone calls. A spokeswoman said that they were in a "wait and see mode."