Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Reagan Movie Depicts Controlling First Lady, Often Befuddled Former President
tbo.com ^

Posted on 11/29/2003 5:06:30 PM PST by Sub-Driver

Reagan Movie Depicts Controlling First Lady, Often Befuddled Former President By David Bauder The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - If admirers of former President Reagan didn't like a television movie about him after reading leaked snippets of a script, their opinion isn't likely to change after seeing the final product. "The Reagans," which premieres on Showtime on Sunday, depicts the former president as amiable but often confused, controlled to a large extent by his wife, Nancy, and presiding over a dysfunctional family.

The movie is being aired on Showtime after CBS refused to show it earlier this month, following a campaign by supporters of the Reagans.

Showtime made copies of the film available to journalists Saturday.

The Reagans' faults are familiar to those who followed his presidency. What's striking is how they dominate this film compared to Reagan's successes; the Iran-Contra affair is given considerably more time than the Cold War defeat of the Soviet Union, and the economic boom of the 1980s is barely touched upon.

The film opens with a befuddled Ronald and tearful Nancy Reagan dealing with the fallout of Iran-Contra, in which the government traded arms to Iran for hostages. It then switches to 1949, when film actor Ronald Reagan meets actress Nancy Davis.

She's depicted as controlling from the start, scheming to get a first date with Reagan and compelling him to propose by threatening to move to New York.

In one scene, Nancy angrily shakes their daughter, Patti, after she spoiled a scene they were filming for a commercial. She refuses at one point to let Reagan's son, Michael, talk to him. The future president accedes to his wife's request to put their daughter in boarding school.

"It's up to you, Nancy pants," says Reagan's character, portrayed by James Brolin. "You're running the show."

When some prominent Republicans have trouble persuading Reagan to run for California governor, one says to another: "You've been talking to the wrong Reagan."

In "The Reagans," the buildup of his political career is seen almost entirely as a function of the hopes and aspirations of others, rather than Reagan himself. The savviest political move it shows Reagan making is underhanded: a speech at the 1976 GOP convention that's more about promoting himself than the nominee, President Ford.

The depiction of Reagan's presidency opens with a shot of him in bed, two hours before he was due to be inaugurated. Aide Michael Deaver says it's time to get up, and Reagan answers, "Do I have to?"

The movie shows several backstage rants by Nancy Reagan, although her instincts often prove correct: She sees the faults of Secretary of State Alexander Haig and Chief of Staff Donald Regan before her husband.

Reagan's efforts to stare down the Soviets during the Cold War is shown as a religious conviction, strengthened following the 1981 attempt on his life.

"I was thinking about the boy who shot me," Brolin says to Judy Davis, who portrays Nancy Reagan. "He tried to kill me, but God let me live. He spared me for a reason. He spared me because he wants me to lead our country out of the Cold War."

Perhaps the biggest irony is that the film's most controversial scene during the past month proves to be Nancy Reagan's finest moment, displaying a compassion not seen to that point.

After being rocked by her hairdresser's death due to AIDS, she meets with AIDS sufferers and is depicted, in a bedtime conversation with her husband, imploring him to do more to help people with the disease.

"If you don't talk about it, nobody will talk about it," she says. "All these children, these young boys, are going to die and the blame will be on our heads, Ronnie."

He's silent. "Ronnie, say something," she says.

He never does.

In the film's original script, Reagan was depicted as judgmental, saying, "they that live in sin shall die in sin." That line was cut after Reagan's supporters said there was no evidence he had said any such thing.

The scene is immediately followed by one of Nancy Reagan's character leading a "Just Say No" anti-drug rally at the White House.

"Why didn't I ever think about that?" Reagan's daughter, Patti, says while taking a drag on a marijuana cigarette after watching the scene on television.

The film's producers deny any political agenda, and CBS executives deny they succumbed to political pressure in dumping the film on Showtime (which is seen in some 13 million homes, compared to 108 million that have CBS). CBS President Leslie Moonves said this week that he believed the film was unbalanced and not the love story he ordered.

There are foreshadowings of the former president's Alzheimer's disease as early as 1985, according to the movie, which ends with a scene of Ronald and Nancy Reagan dancing in the White House on the final day of his presidency.

"What kind of dance is this? I can't remember," Reagan says.

"You lead and I'll follow," his wife answers.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: thereagans
i'll pass....
1 posted on 11/29/2003 5:06:30 PM PST by Sub-Driver
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
Well, hmmmmmmmmm, that's the problem with creative, make it up as you go lame-stream media --- it's now found in TV movies, "documentaries," "docudramas," and many public school text books, and oh yes, in a movie theater near you.




*Cindy's "A LIE" graphic is the exclusive property of Cindy@TRUTHUSA.com*

2 posted on 11/29/2003 5:52:22 PM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
I'll not only pass, I sent a message to Showtime that, if they show the Reagans show, I will cancel my subscription. Tomorrow is the day!
3 posted on 11/29/2003 5:52:58 PM PST by Laserman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
Dang it! I was going to subscribe to Showtime a while back so I could demand they cancel my subscription as soon as they announced an air date for this abomination!
4 posted on 11/29/2003 5:54:54 PM PST by T Minus Four
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
..in "The Reagans," the buildup of his political career is seen almost entirely as a function of the hopes and aspirations of others, rather than Reagan himself...

A bare faced lie.

There are countless accounts from those around President Reagan attesting to how immoveable he was, once his mind was made up. Peggy Noonan's book relates the way in which Mrs Reagan pulled out all stops to make him reverse his decision to go to Bitburg.

5 posted on 11/29/2003 5:59:05 PM PST by Byron_the_Aussie (http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/popup2.html)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cindy
Well shux. It seems that we already have had a lady president, and her name wasn't Hillary. Game, set, match.
6 posted on 11/29/2003 6:06:26 PM PST by billhilly (If you're lurking here from DU, I trust this post will make you sick)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Laserman
Anybody who has a subcription to Showtime should cancel it effective as of yesterday. If you know what I mean
7 posted on 11/29/2003 6:08:25 PM PST by Kaslin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
Did anyone actually watch this show?
8 posted on 11/29/2003 6:23:25 PM PST by stevem
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stevem
"Did anyone actually watch this show?"

Sorry, I didn't....I was too busy watching grass grow!
9 posted on 11/29/2003 6:32:13 PM PST by Arpege92
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
Reagan Movie Depicts Controlling First Lady, Often Befuddled Former President

And the befuddled guy takes out all of communism. Go figure.

10 posted on 11/29/2003 6:41:40 PM PST by laredo44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kaslin
"Anybody who has a subcription to Showtime..."

I don't. Do you?

Actually, I don't know anyone who does subscribe.

I think it's one of those channels that only hotel guests and health club customers actually see.

11 posted on 11/29/2003 6:50:54 PM PST by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
"depicts the former president as amiable but often confused, controlled to a large extent by his wife, Nancy, and presiding over a dysfunctional family"

This description more appropriately fits the Clintons than it does the Reagans. To me .. this movie is just more of the liberal "projection" method of blaming others for what they are doing themselves.
12 posted on 11/29/2003 9:20:40 PM PST by CyberAnt (America .. the LIGHT of the World)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
I already cancelled Showtime....never watched much on it anyway.
13 posted on 11/30/2003 6:55:56 AM PST by international american
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sub-Driver
I think I will listen to Drudge on the radio.
14 posted on 11/30/2003 9:55:59 AM PST by Uncle Hal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson