By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
These days, the use of the word “chill bumps,” or “goose flesh,” or “goose bumps” (or if you are from Hawaii, “chicken skin”) can be inspired by everything from music to a movie to a movement. In the case of the film, Reagan, I think it applies to all three.
We have a presidential election coming up in a couple of weeks, and there are many who wish Ronald Reagan could be raised from the dead and come back to help us. Ronald Reagan, a true American success story, who was an actor in Hollywood, served in WWII, became governor of California, and served for two terms as the president of the United States. He survived an assassination attempt, effectively ended at least the outward manifestation of the Cold War, and above all, was a man of deep faith and a consummate gentleman.
Enter Dennis Quaid in the effort of “resurrecting” Ronald Reagan. The man gives a remarkable performance; some say it’s the role of a lifetime for him, and from what I understand, portraying someone else is the hardest job an actor can ever do. The hours and hours of practicing gait, voice, hand gestures, facial gestures, and micro-expressions allegedly are daunting. Quaid said that he was “scared to death” to play the role. He felt that he just couldn’t do it, but the film’s “parents” saw something in Dennis that he didn’t see in himself. And while it took years for the film to come to fruition, Quaid says that it’s his favorite role of his career.
Ironically, Quaid said in an interview that one of the things about which he was dogmatic was that the film not come out in an election year. Well, he didn’t get his wish, and he doesn’t want the film to be seen as a political statement, given its release being so close to the election itself. He wanted people to know about the man, who, as Quaid said with emotion, “was everybody’s dad.” He also was a hopeless romantic; he literally wrote love notes or letters to his wife, Nancy, on a daily basis.
The “reading the currents” statement is drawn from Reagan’s experience as a lifeguard as a young man. He talked about the fact that you needed to learn to “read the currents” in order to be a good lifeguard, and when it came to the geo-political arena, Reagan was a master at “reading it,” calling everyone’s bluff, and remaining unflappable. Senator Patty Murray referred to Reagan as being made of Teflon — “nothing stuck.”
What is little known about Ronald Reagan was that in 1983, he encouraged everyone in America to read the Bible, to read it in a year or re-read it in a year. Can you imagine if any president proposed such a thing these 40 years later? To say that there would be a hue and cry would be an understatement. So, it is to that end that I encourage you to go see Reagan—not for the politics, but to see what happens when someone has principles and the strength to stand on them.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
December 20, 2024
