The Reagans

It's easy to accuse anyone who dislikes Robert Allan Ackerman's 'Looney Tune' production of "The Reagans" as a conservative biased in favor of the near-legendary President, but in all honesty, a hatchet job is a hatchet job, no matter what your political persuasion, and this film is nothing less, wrapped up in gauzy nostalgic ribbons.

From the opening scenes in late-forties Hollywood, as an already brain-dead Ronald (caricatured by a too-old-for-this-sequence James Brolin) is manipulated by a glowering, 'agenda'-driven Nancy Davis (Judy Davis, rechanneling her shrewish performance from ABSOLUTE POWER) into a date, the pair are not presented as balanced human beings, but cartooned clichés of the worst qualities their critics would accuse them of, years later (He is incapable of an original thought, she is hardly better, solely basing her opinions on 'fan' magazines, and, later, astrologers).

As the aged conservative power brokers (all pictured as rich, chain-smoking, self-serving vultures) twist the gullible half-wit Ronald into becoming their puppet, Nancy does a MOMMY DEAREST routine, callously using both their children and Ronald's by Jane Wyman to further her own ambitions (lest you feel any sympathy for the siblings, THEY are cartooned, too).

Long before the nearly nightmarish vision of Reagan's Presidential years, you are thoroughly convinced that a) Ronald and Nancy needed psychiatric help more than the Oval Office; b) the Reagan kids needed a shrink even WORSE; and c) all Republicans are either young and cynical or old and corrupt.

And how are the Democrats represented? Ah, they never appear! In a 'balanced' production, shouldn't both sides be represented? Otherwise, Reagan's personal attitudes and political beliefs cannot be rationalized...and this is just one reason why the film is really nothing more than a hatchet job.

When Reagan does something 'laudable' (like ending the 'Cold War'), it is merely a lucky accident, stumbled upon in the midst of bad decisions, between infamous 'naps', while Nancy lashes out at everyone.

I won't go on...this film is a disservice to the memories of people who, while not perfect, were certainly not idiots!

James Brolin and Judy Davis should have won Emmys for their performances as President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Davis Reagan from their first meeting to the end of their two terms in the White House. Brolin reminds me of why everybody liked Reagan. He seemed easy-going and he could talk to anybody. When Michael flunks out of school, he doesn't bash or criticize him but gets him a tutor and help with Nancy. The Reagan household is a blended one. He was married to actress, Jane Wyman, who was an Oscar winner and on Falcon Crest during his years of Presidency. Sadly, we never see Jane Wyman at all. I didn't know that the younger Patti and Ron Jr. didn't know about Michael and Maureen until Michael came to stay with them. Judy Davis as Nancy Reagan is divine in this role. She really portrays her as a wife, mother, and above all else Ron's best friend and partner in life. They really were an extraordinary couple in marriage. When he actually did die, Nancy didn't want to leave his coffin. It was a heartbreaking goodbye.

This was not a great movie, but it was absorbing and kept my attention. It bordered on campy at times. It actually could have used four episodes to tell the entire story of the Reagans, and should have covered his after White House life. His diagnosis of Alzheimers and his dramatic admission would have made for further good viewing. The story may have had a "leftward" slant at times, but overall I thought the portrait of the Reagans was sympathetic. Reagan could be cold to his children, but warmhearted toward others. He didn't like conflict and both he and Nancy were socially tolerant, having cut their teeth in show business. Reagan did have a great sense of humor which comes through and lightens the tone. Looking back, it now seems quaint that this movie was so controversial at the time.

All I can say is Bravo to Showtime for airing this picture. There seems very little doubt now (and not because of this movie) that what was depicted in this made for TV film is accurate. Ronald Reagan was a spaced out old man residing in his own private La-La Land who had a great PR campaign to buffalo the American people into believing that he was running the country. The GOP and conservatives objected to this film. Well boo-hoo! It was made and shown. Isn't that what America is all about? Or is it about what conservatives only want?

But then, Miss "Just say no" was not happy about a lot of things. There's no telling what might have really been said behind closed doors, but when one compares the historical record with this docudrama, it's hard to imagine how else it might have been. If you're a die-hard Reagan fan, you probably will not like this. Personally, I think it's dead on, but that's just an opinion.

Far more controversial docudramas have been shown, but CBS caved into pressure from the Reagan cultists. That shows the power of the Reagan myth. I might add that I used to be a Reagan supporter, but after he was elected president, I changed to independent....