Summary
Reaganfollows the life of President Ronald Reagan from his childhood through his time in the White House. It delves into the mark he made on the world and history as well as the love story that played out between himself and Nancy. The movie is told from the perspective of Viktor Ivanov a former KGB agent showing the Soviet Union, now Russia’s, point of view on the President.
The movie is based on Paul Kengor’s book,The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, and directed by Sean McNamara who explores elements lesser known of Reagan’s life from a new perspective. Jon Voight delivers a complicated, layered performance as Viktor Ivanov.Dennis Quaid perfectly embodiesPresident Ronald Reagan through a performance full of depth and soul along with palpable chemistry with co-star Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan.
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Screen RantinterviewedReaganstar Jon Voight. He broke downwhyReaganhad to be toldfrom the perspective of a former KGB agent. Voight also discussed why Reagan’s speech after the Challenger tragedy showed his leadership qualities and shared why the Soviet Union was so focused on Reagan. (Note: The answers transcribed in this interview do not in any way reflect Screen Rant’s views and belong solely to the actor.)
Jon Voight Finds It Fascinating That The Soviet Union Was “The Most Focused On Reagan”
“He never found that role that put him into the spotlight, but he did have this abiding understanding of the political world.”
Screen Rant: I think this is such an interesting telling, especially because it’s through your character’s perspective, which is so fascinating to me. This isn’t a movie about politics. It’s a man that happens to be in politics. How does the telling of the story of Petrovich’s perspective offer a unique view through Reagan’s life in the events of that era?
Jon Voight: Well, I think the interesting thing is that they were the most focused on Reagan. We as Americans were focused on him as an actor. He was a good actor too, by the way, but he didn’t achieve that kind of stardom that he hoped for. He never found that role that put him into the spotlight, but he did have this abiding understanding of the political world.
He understood that, and he understood the danger of communism, and we show that in the film where it came from. So the Soviets were very alert to, especially with the United States, to looking to see who might be the next leadership and see if they could get to him or stop him or whatever it was. So they were most focused, and the people in the United States were just looking at an actor that was pretty good. That was doing pretty well.
And so when he became the head of the Union, the amazing thing is that there was something put into the congressional record in 1963, January 10th. Exactly. That was the plan of the Soviet Union, to take down the United States, the menu, and there was something like 42 things that they listed. And when you look at today’s mess with the schooling and all of that, they’ve achieved it.
Most Americans are taught to question their country, and all this antisemitism that erupted and all of this socialism that’s become popular. This socialism is a disease. It’s terrible. All the people who have been ruled under socialism and communism have only inherited misery. It doesn’t work, guys. And more than that, it’s murdered people.
In the 20th century, over a hundred million people were killed by the leadership of those countries directly from the leadership of those countries, China and North Korea and Russia. So anyway, these guys were focused on this man. And so it’s very good that you get the insights from one of their own spies.
This is what they saw. He tracked them, and he changed in the course of it. And of course, this is, he’s telling this young man much after the demise of the Soviet Union, and he’s a different man than he was when he was following Reagan. But you see how he was influenced by him as it went along. It’s interesting.
I was only a baby when Ronald Reagan was president of the United States, and I was unfamiliar with how charming, how witty, and how comedic he was to disarm people. Because that was stuff all I learned pretty much from this film. Can you talk about what you learned about Ronald Reagan throughout your process of working on this film?
Jon Voigh: I’ll tell you what, I was alert to some of these things you’re talking about. I’m going to recommend something to you. Take a look at the Challenger disaster speech, which means the day after the Challenger disaster, when we lost those brave astronauts and he had to face the nation, you can imagine what was going on with him and the expectation from the people.
They were so sad, devastated by this. He addressed it in such a way to give them hope and gratitude for the sacrifices made by so many people to take us to a higher place is very interesting. I’m emotional now talking about it because it’s so gracefully, beautifully done. And that’s what he could do. No other. He could take us in a hurt state and lift us up. And he was spiritual. He was a spiritual man.
Job Voight Hopes The Movie Deepens Ronald Reagan’s Story For Audiences
“The people in Russia today have a great regard for Ronald Reagan.”
What do you hope viewers will gain from seeing Reagan’s life and through the eyes of former KGB agent like Petrovich?
Jon Voight: I hope they just see in depth, it deepens the story for them. If it had been his buddy from the Congress or something like that, it wouldn’t be as interesting. In what he did in his life, it’s appropriate that a Russian person stands up for him because they did. When the Soviet Union was disbanded, the Russian people had a chance at life again, in some way. The people in Russia today have a great regard for Ronald Reagan.
More About Reagan’s Synopsis And Release Date
Dennis Quaid brings to lifea story that transcends the boundaries of a traditional biopic, offering a profound exploration of the enduring impact of the power of one man who overcame the odds, sustained by the love of a woman who supported him in his journey. Rated PG-13 for violent content and smoking.
Reagan
Cast
Reagon follows the life of the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan, from his time as a young boy through his tenure in the Oval Office.
