The Patriot Post® · 'Reagan': The Movie
Hollywood loves to celebrate American political figures. From Kennedy to LBJ to Obama, our understanding of these leaders has been shaped to a large degree by what we see on the big screen or on television.
But Tinseltown doesn’t make many movies or shows about Republicans unless it’s through a leftist prism. When TV documentaries or movies do portray Republicans, it’s often done to distort their record or mock their character.
Later this month, though, a rare movie about one of our nation’s greatest presidents will open in theaters around the country. And that president happens to be a Republican. Titled “Reagan,” the movie’s website reads, “From dusty small-town roots, to the glitter of Hollywood, and then on to commanding the world stage, REAGAN is a cinematic journey of overcoming the odds.”
The short description alone makes it worth considering. After all, the Left has spent more than 40 years tearing down Reagan’s legacy, diminishing his contributions to domestic and global affairs, and portraying him as “an amiable dunce.”
The truth, of course, is that Reagan was both a visionary and a revolutionary, and his writings, as cataloged in the 2001 book Reagan, In His Own Hand, make this indisputably clear.
Despite this, objectivity isn’t to be expected in Hollywood. But the good news is that actors like Jon Voight and Dennis Quaid are starring in the film. Both Voight and Quaid are known for their criticism of Tinseltown’s entrenched political correctness and its blacklisting of conservative actors.
Quaid plays the role of Reagan, which gives the movie more credibility from the start. Quaid, after all, is well aware of the one-sided nature of Hollywood when it comes to telling stories of American historical figures. In a recent podcast, Quaid named one of the main problems with Hollywood today: “Everybody’s trying to be so politically correct. Back in the ‘70s, Hollywood may have been skewed to the Left, but everybody was trying to be politically incorrect back then. That was the thing, and it was an exciting time. We had a real dialogue with people instead of trying to fit into a mold.”
Quaid, who describes himself as an independent voter but is planning to vote for Donald Trump in 2024, isn’t the only prominent voice in the entertainment industry to express concerns about bias in Hollywood productions.
The World of Reel reports, “An assortment of filmmakers and actors have recently come out with practically the same conclusions as Quaid, including Quentin Tarantino, Terry Gilliam, Kenneth Lonergan, Paul Schrader, Martin McDonagh, Walter Hill, Vince Vaughn and Jerry Seinfeld, among others, who also railed [against] PC, woke, or whatever you want to call it, as stifling creative expression.”
They add, “Are all of these creatives correct? Has PC stifled movie quality? It’s no big secret that quality American filmmaking has been struggling this decade, and the major studios’ obsession with franchises has surely not helped. However, it’s not just the mainstream — indie filmmaking has also seen a dip in great films. There’s definitely the need to be less offensive, less edgy, in terms of storytelling and character. As a whole, people are now too scared to offend.”
The problem is that anything the Left doesn’t like is considered offensive, which constrains moviemaking into a narrow box of politically acceptable topics.
Quaid calls Reagan his favorite president, but “he was initially hesitant to take on the role of President Ronald Reagan, citing his iconic status and the challenge of portraying him authentically,” The Daily Wire reports. “The actor revealed that visiting Reagan’s ranch was a turning point in his decision to accept the role, and emphasized the importance of capturing Reagan’s essence beyond mere impersonation.”
From all accounts, it’s a movie worth seeing. But you may not have heard much about it. Quaid claims Facebook has censored ads for the movie as well as podcasts in which Quaid talks about his role in the production.
According to the Washington Examiner, “Eric McClellan, director of digital marketing for the Reagan film, had attempted to ‘boost’ an ad on the platform but discovered that he could publish the ad but could not turn it into a paid advertisement to garner a broader reach for the film.”
It’s not surprising. The Left will do anything to keep new generations of Americans from knowing the real Reagan and appreciating his leadership.
Longtime conservative columnist Cal Thomas writes, “If you are under 40, go see it and learn something beyond what biased historians and the media have said about the man. If you are over 40 and lived through his presidency, go see it and be reminded of what real leadership looks like and how one man, in collaboration with a British prime minister and a pope, helped bring freedom to millions in Eastern Europe and restored the faith of many Americans in their country.”
For those who might be discouraged that Reagan’s legacy has been tarnished over the years by the media, historians, and film producers, the film “Reagan” gives us hope that time will be on his side.
For more about our nation’s 40th president, visit our comprehensive resource page.