Heartland audiences found a lot to love in hit biopic Reagan, catapulting a late-August release to $30M+ in box-office receipts. The film recently arrived on video-on-demand platforms.
Directed by Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer), the acclaimed biopic on President Ronald Reagan earned more than such talked-about “true life” presidential biopics as Oliver Stone’s W., with Josh Brolin as George W. Bush, and LBJ, starring Woody Harrelson.
But you wouldn’t know it from mainstream coverage.
In fact, the Reagan movie made history as having the largest gap between audience score (98%) and critics’ score (18%) ever recorded by movie-review site Rotten Tomatoes. It’s an honor befitting the Hollywood liberal-turned-conservative icon, who united a fractured nation.
“What's gonna appeal to the audience is you're getting the whole story,” star Dennis Quaid told Family Theater Productions. “We show his successes, his triumphs, and his failures. We don't sugarcoat anything here.”
That includes a significant focus on the Christian faith of the 40th president.
A Man of the People
The son of an electrician, Quaid recalls a little-known chapter from the life of Ronald Reagan, one that informed the actor’s performance as the iconic U.S. president (who had also been an actor).
Starting in 1954, Reagan became the spokesperson for General Electric and host of the TV program General Electric Theater.
“He took it upon himself to go around to every GE factory, and go out on the floor and talk to all the workers on their lunch breaks,” said Quaid.
He “got out into the country and really found out what was on their minds, what were the issues in their lives.” added the actor, speaking in a recent interview.
Years later, in 1964, the Quaid family was on a road trip to Galveston and Reagan’s speech in support of conservative-libertarian Barry Goldwater came on the radio. .
“My dad was pounding the dashboard, (yelling), ‘Go Ronnie!’ and stuff like that,” recalls Quaid.
Decades later, when he was asked to portray Reagan, Quaid recalled that personal connection his dad had with Reagan.
4 Questions with Dennis Quaid
Known for his past roles in The Right Stuff and 2021’s Blue Miracle, Quaid answered a few questions about how he became “the Gipper” in the feature film Reagan.
In all the incredible moments you've had on film, including at the Reagan Ranch, what experience stands out to you?
Quaid: We were shooting in the Reagan ranch, and there's a scene where we're watching Jimmy Carter give a speech on television, and that's when Reagan decides to run for office again.
There was just something about being there and where we were. We're in the place where this scene happened, and it's really going on. Reenacting it, it was like shivers going up your spine, because that's where all these events took place.
What aspects of your own life did you draw on in portraying Reagan?
Quaid: Well, he was an actor, and I really relate to him in that sense. He never really fulfilled his career of what he wanted to do as an actor. He was a B-movie actor; he never got that kind of stardom. He was married to Jane Wyman, who did get that kind of stardom.
I think he felt a little "less than" with that in his life, and not that he showed on the outside, but that's just a natural human thing of not being able to get as far as you want with something. I've felt that at times in my life, but if you stick around long enough, the wheel turns. And he was patient, he really planned it.
Why is it important for this film to focus on Reagan's faith and moral vision?
Quaid: In this film, we present the whole story. I know Reagan asked for prayer for just about every act as president. When you're in that kind of situation, it’s good to be able to go to God –- at least for consultation.
He's a human being, but I know that God was present during the crises and decisions of those years, watching over his shoulder. His mom put that in him.
What's your favorite scene in Reagan?
Quaid: My favorite scene to shoot with Penelope Ann Miller (as Nancy Reagan) was the first time we go horseback riding, and they really open up to each other. Each allows themselves to be vulnerable.
From what I hear, that's the way it was, he just really opened up to her, and they were like that.
Rated PG-13 for brief violence and smoking, Reagan is available now on video-on-demand platforms, and will release on DVD/Blu-ray on November 19.
Freelance journalist Josh Shepherd writes on faith and culture for several media outlets. He and his family live in central Florida.
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