Reagan Redux

I’m writing this review with my one good eye, having undergone a cornea transplant and cataract removal just two weeks ago, because this movie is that important. Critics have given Reagan, the new biopic starring Dennis Quaid in the title role and Penelope Ann Miller as the indefatigable Nancy Davis Reagan, a scathing 19% cumulative rating, a humiliating pan normally relegated to the cheesiest of horror flicks or smarmiest of romance comedies. Yet audience response to Reagan is an astounding 98%, and box office for opening weekend put Reagan in third place for gross sales. Friends and colleagues are asking me, “What’s the deal? Is it worth seeing?”

My answer is a resounding “Yes!” The movie sings from start to finish, moving at a fast pace from highlight to highlight in Reagan’s childhood and career. For those who might not remember these highlights, the story line is given additional context through the creation of a fictionalized Soviet narrator (Jon Voight) lamenting the fall of the Soviet Union as he explains to a young Russian researcher how Reagan’s unflinching determination brought down the Berlin Wall — and with it, the Soviet Union. Flashbacks to Reagan childhood provide insight into the faith and guiding principles that shaped him, and Nancy’s unwavering support proclaims the power of their partnership. Much of the movie is filmed on location at Reagan’s beloved Rancho de Cielo. Reagan is a stunning piece of work.

Quietly and reluctantly, never becoming maudlin or melodramatic, Donovan captures the difficult task of telling Reagan that he can’t ride horses any more.

So why the pans by the critics? Okay — the anti-aging technology is a bit off, and some of the acting of very minor characters in very short scenes is a bit stilted. But 19% approval? For a script and set design and cinematography and rogue heroism as stunning as this? The reason is pretty obvious. Like so many in the legacy (née mainstream) media, the legacy critics came to this film with a mission and an agenda: stop this film. Stop this message. Stop this return to the ideals of liberty. And stop this legacy of Reagan’s accomplishments as a freedom fighter, which is, my libertarian readers, the point of the film.

The film doesn’t cover up the low points of Reagan’s life. It includes the downward spiral of his acting career, the protests against him as president, and the Iran-Contra affair that nearly led to his impeachment. Reagan was elected on domestic issues similar to those we face today — high inflation, crime, and concerns about education and cultural conservatism. But most of the film centers on Reagan’s fight against communism and “the Evil Empire,” as he called it, including his confrontation with communist unionizers in Hollywood as SAG president, his stint as governor of California, his decision to run for the presidency, and his peace negotiations with Mikhail Gorbachev. In the international arena he sought peace, not war, but he would not compromise on basic freedoms for all. The climax of the film is his unscripted, ill-advised, undiplomatic, and utterly world-changing command, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Xander Berkeley is especially good as George Schultz, and Lesley-Anne Down nails it as Margaret Thatcher. Down herself was converted to free-market conservatism during Thatcher’s time as prime minister, and calls it a privilege to have portrayed the Iron Lady. Another standout in a small role is Trevor Donovan as John Barletta, Reagan’s top security man for more than a decade (because he could ride horses). Quietly and reluctantly, never becoming maudlin or melodramatic, Donovan captures the difficult task of telling Reagan that he can’t ride horses any more, with the dignity and respect befitting a former president. And yet — my tears flowed in this scene and the one that follows, as they take that final ride across the rolling hills of Reagan’s beloved Rancho de Cielo and Reagan bids farewell to the American people.

Our narrator laments the fall of the Soviet Union, but Gorbachev smiles. It was time.

And wait till you hear who sings “Don’t Fence Me In” as the two enjoy that final ride — Bob Dylan! Producer Mark Joseph told me that Dylan performed the song as a special favor to Joseph, and I’ve never heard Dylan’s voice more mellow, melodious, and sweet. It could become the new anthem for the Libertarian Party.

Two scenes stand out as examples of the chemistry not only between Ronnie and Nancy but between Dennis and Penelope Ann. One is the scene where Nancy is told of the assassination attempt. “Take me to him!” she pleads. “He has to see me! He has to know I’m here!” Emotion surges as Reagan grips her waist, his fingers tight against her sweater and then weakening just a bit. And then, because Reagan always knew how to defuse tension, he quips to his surgeons, “I hope you’re all Republicans.” The very private side of Nancy’s love for Ronnie is seen as she stands in the doorway, watching Reagan and Barletta take that final ride. A different side of the difficult and much-maligned Nancy is seen as she confronts him on how to address the Iran-Contra scandal. He owns up to it, and notes the propensity of the American people to forgive. And because of that, Reagan remained president, and the Berlin Wall came down. Our narrator laments the fall of the Soviet Union, but Gorbachev smiles. It was time.

In his inaugural address as governor of California, Ronald Reagan famously warned, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Today we face similar conflicts, chiefly assaults on our freedom from the resurgence of socialism. This well-made film could not be more timely.

* * *

Review of Reagan, directed by Sean McNamara, produced by Mark Joseph. Rawhide Productions, 2024, 135 minutes.