The Reagans (2003) (TV)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Robert Allan Ackerman

Writers (WGA):

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

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
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
Lubomir Mykytiuk	...	Gorbachev
Omari Newton	...	Angry Protester
Sean Palmer	...	Tony
Sohee Park	...	Tony's Assistant
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
Ian Halperin	...	Saloon cowboy (uncredited)
Evy Kartus-Solomon	...	White House employee (uncredited)
Mark Antony Krupa	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Guy Létourneau	...	Secret Service Agent (uncredited)
Gregory Terlecki	...	Secret Service Agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Allan Ackerman

Writing credits (WGA)
Carl Sferrazza Anthony		(book "First Ladies Volume II")
Jane Marchwood		(written by) and
Thomas Rickman		(written by) (as Tom Rickman) and
Elizabeth Egloff		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Allan Ackerman	....	co-executive producer
Carl Sferrazza Anthony	....	co-producer
Dave Mace	....	co-executive producer
Neil Meron	....	executive producer
Lynn Raynor	....	producer
Craig Zadan	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Altman

Cinematography by
James Chressanthis

Film Editing by
Michael Brown		(as Mike Brown)
Melissa Kent

Casting by
Susan Edelman
Tina Gerussi
Andrea Kenyon
Randi Wells

Production Design by
Barbara Dunphy

Art Direction by
Sylvain Gingras

Set Decoration by
Nadine Petit Clerc

Costume Design by
Nicoletta Massone

Makeup Department
Linda Bourgon	....	hair stylist: James Brolin
Diane Geraldine Courchesne	....	key hair stylist
Stephan Dupuis	....	key makeup artist
Nathalie Garon	....	hair stylist
Christophe Giraud	....	makeup artist
Francine Martineau	....	makeup artist
Marie-Ange Ripka	....	hairdresser: Judy Davis
Pamela Roth	....	makeup artist: Judy Davis

Production Management
Ginette Hoyse	....	unit manager
Hélène Ross	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anna Ferenczi	....	additional third assistant director
Matthew Jemus	....	second assistant director
Michael Johnson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Donald Beaulieu	....	set dresser
Ronny Gosselin	....	propmaker
Geof Isherwood	....	painter
Jamie Knutson	....	property master
Michel R. Lambert	....	scenic technician
Eliot W. Smith	....	assistant props buyer

Sound Department
Sylvain Arseneault	....	sound recordist
Norman Bernard	....	boom operator
Harry Cheney	....	sound editor
Wayne Heitman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Herbert Rawlinson	....	dialogue editor
Zachary Rogers	....	sound trainee
Guy Tsujimoto	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Ryal Cosgrove	....	special effects coordinator
Marc Reichel	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
David Carriker	....	visual effects supervisor
Christian Severin	....	visual effects

Stunts
Jean Frenette	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sylvain Bélanger	....	grip
Stephane Boisvert	....	generator operator
Yvan Bourdages	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Stéphane Caron	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Daniel Chrétien Jr.	....	electrician
Daniel Dallaire	....	electrician
David Dollé	....	dolly grip
Yves Drapeau	....	first assistant camera
Denis Lamothe	....	assistant chief lighting technician (2003)
Robert Lapierre Jr.	....	key grip (as Robert LaPierre)
Keith Murphy	....	Steadicam operator
Keith Murphy	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Pantazidis Panagiotis	....	additional photographer
Francis Picard	....	electrician
Nicole Rivelli	....	still photographer
Jan Thijs	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Johanne Titley	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anne-Marie Aird	....	additional extras dresser
Ronald V. Barry	....	costumer (as Ron Barry)
Colin Campbell	....	set costumer
Kate Crowley	....	costumer
Pascal Gauthier	....	extras dresser
Catherine Peña	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Christy Richmond	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Aarvold	....	scoring mixer
Vincent Cirilli	....	scoring
Michael Fey	....	music supervisor
Dan Savant	....	orchestra contractor
Scott McRae	....	music preparation (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Luc Bouthillier	....	driver
Andrée Roy	....	driver: cast (as Andree Roy)

Other crew
Ida Durand	....	production coordinator
Jean-Francois Hall	....	production assistant
Charles Jodoin-Keaton	....	assistant to director
Charles Keaton	....	assistant to director
Liam Kiernan	....	location scout
Manon Lapointe	....	first assistant accountant
Paul Legault	....	location manager
Josianne Mailloux	....	assistant to producer
Dalia Marom	....	photo double
Mark Nicholson	....	assistant to executive producer
Eva Quintero	....	production assistant
Danny Raie	....	set medic
Lucio Tomaro	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Sony Pictures Television
• Storyline Entertainment

Distributors

• Showtime Networks (2003) (USA) (TV)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• RTL Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL8) (first national airing)

Other Companies

• Elizabeth Bardsley & Associates  script annotation

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:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the debate between President Carter and Reagan the voice the actor uses is completely wrong. Carter had a very distinctive southern drawl.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

References Hellcats of the Navy (1957)

Good Docudrama, with Excellent Acting

Despite all the bad mouthing of this television movie, I was surprised by the quality of the film, the actors, the editing, and production. I think it ranks with many other good docudramas, telling the story of Ron and Nancy Reagan's life together, from mainly the perspective of Nancy and her quirky, ambitious, controlling personality. Was it a fair and balanced portrayal? Well, only those close to the Reagans can tell us, but it seemed fair to me, pointing out the strong and weak points of both characters. James Brolin did a superb job of acting --I thought it was Emmy material. And all the supporting family members and White House staff (etc.) come across fairly well drawn. Al Haig's character comes off right on! I hear criticism that the characters were one-dimensional, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. I thought it was worth an 8 out of 10.