Dive into a cinematic exploration of Ronald Reagan's legacy through a recent film that portrays him as a hero on a divine mission against communism. The discussion critiques the simplistic narrative presented by the film, focusing on an ex-KGB agent's perspective. It highlights how the portrayal minimizes the complexities of political action while framing Reagan's decisions as fate-driven. This captivating analysis reveals deeper insights into the conservative psyche and the hagiographic myth surrounding Reagan's role in history.
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insights INSIGHT
Reagan Movie's Odd Framing
The movie Reagan is surprisingly worse and weirder than anticipated.
It frames Reagan's life story through a KGB agent fixated on him.
insights INSIGHT
Reagan's Anti-Political Portrayal
The film Reagan is portrayed as anti-political, focusing on affective and performative aspects.
It simplifies politics to a cause-and-effect relationship between words and actions.
insights INSIGHT
Reagan's Lack of Inner Monologue
Reagan's inner monologue in the film feels inauthentic and shallow.
The movie struggles to portray any depth to his character, suggesting a lack of internal complexity.
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Drawing upon newly declassified presidential papers, untapped Soviet media archives, and new interviews with key players, Kengor traces Reagan's efforts to target the Soviet Union from his days as governor of California to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The book reveals Reagan's deep understanding of what it would take to bring down communism and his policy shifts that significantly weakened the USSR. It also includes explosive revelations, such as a memo implicating a major American liberal politician in a scheme to enlist Soviet premier Yuri Andropov to help defeat Reagan's 1984 reelection bid.
We wanted to offer something of a palette cleanser for our subscribers, so we decided to watch the recent movie, Reagan, with our intrepid producer, Jesse Brenneman. Even better, it's based on the 2006 book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, by Paul Kengor—who just happens to have been Matt's close mentor as an undergraduate student. Reagan clocks in at over two hours and twenty minutes, and it's a wild, even fantastical ride that offers a revealing glimpse into the conservative psyche and a faithful rendition of the most hagiographic version of the Reagan mythology, especially his personal responsibility for ending the Cold War and finally putting the Soviet Union on the ash heap of history.
Know Your Enemy 