Reagan and His Love Story Surpass His Politics

Living in Washington D.C., as a Howard University student, taking the bus or the Metro was my regular mode of transportation.  One day a man excitedly boarded and exclaimed Reagan had been shot.  The only standing room bus erupted into cheers.

After all, his relationship with people of color was complicated. He vetoed the Civil Rights Act (the first veto since Andrew Johnson vetoed it in 1866) and reduced funding for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) hitting the African American community hard since 56% of that population lived in central cities.

On the other hand, he did sign the Tax Reform of 1986 removing several tax breaks and the Immigration Reform Act of 1986, which granted amnesty to three million illegal immigrants.  Not to mention his stance of AIDS and the LGBTQ+ community – which was not a positive one.

So, what does a feature film about this controversial head of state look like in 2024?  Starting with him getting shot , the film segues into how his relationship with the Soviets was solidified and how his marriage and meeting of Nancy Reagan not only changed his life, but changed his politics.

As an audience, we know a great deal, but here’s what you don’t know. He came from an extremely religious family led by an alcoholic father.  During segregation, he helped two Black Boys with travel knowing it was against the law. One of them, “Burgie” Burghardt was elected to the Eureka College Hall of Fame and passed away seven months after watching his friend and teammate become President.

Reagan was a staunch Democrat for decades and the rumors about Nancy running the show while he slowly descended in Alzheimer’s was more true than the public would know until the former President shared the news himself with the American people.

Clocking in at over two hours, the film is a bit of a mess.  Jumping timelines, not speaking of his kids at all (except the one that passed away) nor going into depth of his relationship with Nancy makes it difficult to keep track.

Director Sean McNamara, screenwriters Howard Klausner and Paul Kengor seem to go out of their way to make Reagan look empathetic with Black people when in fact during a large part of his administration his policies resulted in great harm to that particular community.

Having said that, Dennis Quaid and Penelope Ann Miller should be lauded and applauded for their performances, which are beautifully crafted and executed.  A poignant scene where the true nature of their love story is on full display as he fights for his life in the hospital is a moment that resonates viscerally.  It illustrates that in the midst of the political chaos and their very public lives, their love stood the test of time. In hindsight, a film about that aspect would have been much more welcoming and grounded than a film instigated from the USSR point of view.

Ending with his funeral procession, Reagan is a reminder of a life and politician who had a more than complicated relationship with the country he served as President.  Having watched this in real time, regardless of my personal politics and point of view, no one can deny how heartbreaking it was to watch Nancy hug his casket saying goodbye to her beloved ‘Dutch’ one last time.