The Reagans (2003) (TV)

Director:

Robert Allan Ackerman

Writers (WGA):

Carl Sferrazza Anthony (book)
Jane Marchwood (written by) ...

Release Date:

30 November 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The film they didn't want you to see!

Plot Keywords:

Cold War | Reagan Assassination Attempt | Scandal | Suicide Attempt | Governor

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 win & 10 nominations

Cast

Judy Davis	...	Nancy Reagan
James Brolin	...	Ronald Reagan
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Michael Deaver
Mary Beth Peil	...	Edith Davis
Bill Smitrovich	...	Alexander Haig
Shad Hart	...	Ron Reagan Jr.
Zoie Palmer	...	Patti Reagan
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kyle Allatt	...	Angry Student
Alicia Bacile	...	Patti Reagan (teenage)
Tom Barnett	...	Michael Reagan
Rodger Barton	...	Bud McFarlane
Claudia Besso	...	Doria Reagan
Stewart Bick	...	Lew Wasserman
Brandon Blue	...	Ronald Reagan at 17
Terence Bowman	...	AFL-CIO Leader
Lorne Brass	...	Surgeon. Dr. Greenberg
Tatiana Chouljenko	...	Raisa Gorbachev
Leslie Cottle	...	Woman at Party
Elizabeth de la Chevrotière	...	Protestor
Christopher Dyson	...	Bernie Leadon
Tod Fennell	...	Michael Reagan
Richard Fitzpatrick	...	Ben Weldon
Mariah Inger
Don Jordan	...	Dance Teacher
Patrick Kerton	...	Stunt cowboy
Marina Lapina	...	Russian Translator
Sean McCann	...	George Schultz
Frank Moore	...	Don Regan
John Sanford Moore	...	Debate Moderator
Lisa Bronwyn Moore	...	Kathy Reynolds
Michael Daniel Murphy	...	Dancer
Lubomir Mykytiuk	...	Gorbachev
Omari Newton	...	Angry Protester
Sohi Paku	...	Tony's Assistant
Sean Palmer	...	Tony
Mike Paterson	...	Homeless Activist #2
Laura Press	...	Betsy Bloomingdale
Kevin Ryder	...	Campaign Aide
Linda Smith	...	Doris
John Stamos	...	John Sears
Ryan Tilson	...	Michael Reagan Age 5
Linda Tomassone	...	Dorm Girl
Tanya Trombetta	...	Young Patti Davis Reagan
Harald Winter	...	Kohl's Assitant
Kevin Woodhouse	...	Hinckley
Brian Wrench	...	Reporter

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

Sony Pictures Television

Trivia:

The producers could not find any house in Montreal that looked like a "California modern" 1950s house, so they had to build the Reagan family's house on a set. The crew was always running into its many glass walls.

Goofs:

Factual errors: President Jimmy Carter phones Reagan to concede the 4 November 1980 election when there is still bright afternoon sunshine at Reagan's house in California. In actuality, Carter called to concede about 6pm Pacific Time, which would have been dusk at Reagan's house.

Quotes:

President Ronald Reagan: If you don't mind, this administration has to pee.

Movie Connections:

Features "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962)

A well made, well acted, well shot mini-series subverted by its script

If you're reading this, you probably are aware of the controversy that kept this mini-series off of CBS. At the time, this movie was made out to be a character assassination. After watching it, I realize that's not what it was, and why Reagan supporters hated this movie.

The problem with this mini-series is that it's the dreaded docu-drama. Any insightful viewer who watches "The Reagans" will be left asking themselves how truthful this movie really was. This is the problem with the docu-drama in general. It's not a documentary, so it doesn't have to be held to any standard of fact (though Michael Moore somehow gets his movies labeled as documentaries, go figure).

So this ends up being a hodge-podge of things that have been inferred about the Reagans' lives from tell-alls and public record. The script of this film tries to neatly fit tidbits of the Reagans' lives into 15 second exchanges of dialogue. For example, it's been long known that Nancy is/was interested in astrology. The way we get introduced to this is having Nancy get told about astrology at a party in 1958 or something like that. It's just a little too neatly put together. It's similar with the dialogue between Reagan and his political advisor's.

Bottom line is, it's worth watching, though is too long, like mini-series always are. James Brolin does a very nice job of showing us the Reagan we all know. He also takes it past the Rich Little level -- he tweaks the character to show us someone that's just a bit deeper than the man we saw on television.

At the end, you'll probably be left thinking it was entertaining, maybe informative, but you'll want to read a more detailed biography that might be a little more rock solid in fact. Did Reagan really not want to get out of bed on the day of his inauguration? Once again.. very hard to believe.