[Reagan] He said to his wife,
"What do you mean change the baby?
I'm a ball player.
That's not my line of work."
And she turned around with her hands
on her hips and she communicated.
- [crowd laughs]
- She said, "Look, Buster,
you lay the diaper out
like a diamond.
You put second base
on home plate.
Put the baby's bottom
on the pitcher's mound.
Hook up first and third,
slide home underneath.
And if it starts to rain,
the game ain't called.
You start all over again."
[crowd laughing, applauding]
So I'm going to communicate.
Now, I know that we can't
make things right overnight,
but we will make them right.
Our destiny is not our fate.
It is our choice.
You and your forbears
help build this nation.
- [camera shutter clicking]
- Now, help us rebuild it.
Thank you very much.
[camera shutter clicking]
Thank you, Mr. President.
Good job, Mr. President.
Rawhide's on the move.
[officer on radio] All clear.
Went great, sir.
Boy, a trip down memory lane.
Haven't seen him in decades,
Roy, with AFL-CIO.
Oh, he said the two of you fought with
a guy in Hollywood, named Sorrell.
Sorrell. Herb Sorrell.
Yes, he was working
for the Soviets,
trying to infiltrate Hollywood
through the unions.
Roy and I used to call him
"sore-as-hell" after that.
- What's next on the agenda?
- [Brady chuckles]
[indistinct radio chatter]
- [camera shutter clicking]
- [crowd shouting]
[officer on radio] Rawhide
coming through the south exit.
Prepare the chopper...
[crowd shouting]
[Reagan] My mother used to say,
"Everything in life
happens for a reason,
even the most disheartening
setbacks.
And in the end, everything,
even seemingly
random twists of fate
is all a part
of the divine plan."
[g*nsh*t]
[two g*nshots]
[g*nsh*t lands]
[crowd shouting, screaming]
[tense music playing]
- [bleep]
- [indistinct shouting]
[officer] Get him out!
Get him out!
Details are very sketchy
at this moment.
We don't know precisely what happened.
We don't know the sequence.
First of all,
the president is safe.
That is just as--
- Pardon me please.
- [staff] Bob Berkowitz.
Hello, Bob?
I'll wait for somebody in the back
room to come up here and tell us.
We had been reporting to you that
the president was not injured.
The White House has confirmed
now just in the last few minutes
that President Reagan
has indeed been shot.
- He isn't communicating.
- [camera shutter clicking]
- [female reporter] Larry, can we ask you a question?
- [male reporter] Larry,
is there any evidence the assassin
was working for the Soviets?
- [female reporter] Larry...
- I can't say. That's it.
We have gotten confirm...
[tense music playing]
[reporter] Communists have
seized power by force in Russia.
[revolutionary] Anyone standing in
the way of revolution will be removed.
[Churchill] An Iron Curtain has
descended across the continent.
[d*ck] The seeds of totalitarian
regimes are nurtured by misery and w*r.
They spread and go on the evil
side of poverty and strife.
They reach their full growth when
the hope of a better life has died.
We must keep that hope alive!
[reporter 1] The world witnessed
a new level of destruction
in the first atomic b*mb.
This show of atomic force
is only a warning
of things to come.
[reporter 2] Soviet Union has
by violence and intimidation
bordered the rights of Poland,
Ukraine, and Czechoslovakia
holding millions in a prison
unable to escape.
[reporter 3] The world is
focused today on Berlin
where East and West face off.
The Soviet regime looks
to close its border
in East Germany
against those fleeing
the totalitarian crackdown.
[reporter 2]
Castro's takeover of Cuba
secures the Soviets a base
for nuclear aggression
aimed at the United States.
[Kennedy] Now, it is time
for this nation to take
a clearly leading role
in space achievement,
which in many ways may hold
the key to our future on Earth.
[whooshing]
[car horns honking]
[phone ringing]
[receiver thuds]
[Russian official] Do you still
worry they are listening?
[Viktor] They stopped listening
to me a long time ago.
[Russian officia] Not me.
I'm sending him to see you.
[Viktor] This is no longer
a fight for old men.
[Russian official] Perhaps not,
but he's our youngest cabinet member
being groomed
to be the next president.
He has little experience,
but some of us believe
he can be the next leader.
However, he will need to learn
from our mistakes.
[Viktor] You mean my mistakes?
[Russian official] Ah,
try to look at this as an opportunity
to make things right.
[Viktor] Does anyone else know
he's coming to see me?
[Russian official]
Let's hope not.
[knock on door]
[footsteps approaching]
- [doorknob clicks]
- [door creaks]
- Hello.
- Hello.
I'm here to see
Viktor Petrovich.
Please come in.
Thank you.
[dog barking in distance]
Thank you for seeing me,
Comrade.
"Comrade"?
We don't use that term much
any longer.
Offered in respect.
For you, and a time
that deserves equal respect.
Oh.
Special.
[mutters]
So...
what brings the rising star
of Mother Russia
to visit with a-- an old spy?
[chuckles]
To ask just one question of you.
Why?
- "Why"?
- If I'm about to regain
our rightful place
in this world, I must know
why we failed 30 years ago.
Why we gave up
without even a fight?
Why did we allow ourselves to become a
mere shadow of our once great nation?
Wiser men than I...
have already answered that.
Not to my satisfaction.
What makes you think
I am more capable?
Because of who you are,
Comrade.
[tense music sting]
What you did.
And you were there.
Yes, I was there.
I was there.
[tense music playing]
[Viktor] My official title
was Analyst
at the Committee
for State Security,
our beloved KGB.
But I was a psychologist
profiling those who could
become threats to our nation,
sometimes decades away.
[Brezhnev coughing]
- Mm, ah.
- [thuds]
[Viktor] Some say
I was responsible
- for the fall of the Soviet Union.
- [door closes]
Let's rest
this little stagnation.
Yes? What is it, Comrade?
[Viktor] The actor.
[paper rustling]
He will win.
I've been warning about this man
for many years.
Prepare a file.
Uh... Comrade Secretary,
I have prepared dozens
of these documents.
Yes, and I appreciate that,
Comrade Petrovich.
But go prepare another.
Of course.
[door opens, closes]
[Viktor] Yes, I was there.
When I began as analyst,
we had one goal:
spreading communism
to every corner of the globe.
[speaking Russian]
[Viktor] Some countries
we invaded with military force,
but we had special plans
for the USA.
We sought to break them down
from within,
strategically infiltrating
their society
even their movie industry.
[whirring]
My assignment was to track
and influence their key players
and to merge
their labor unions into one
which we could control.
But it's the wrong question
you ask.
History is never about when,
where why, how.
It always comes down to who.
- You ready?
- Yes, sir, I'm ready.
All right. Ronald Reagan,
come give us
that Hollywood smile.
[Viktor] And I just so happened
to have been assigned
to "The Crusader."
That is what we mockingly
called him.
It became my obsession
to understand what was beneath
the facade.
And I learned to never leave
a detail behind as unimportant,
because...
it is all important.
[Jane] After we get married,
how many sons are we gonna have?
Well, how many do you want?
Well, it would be nice
to have a full team.
[chuckles]
What's your favorite sport?
That's the trouble.
Football.
Cut! And print it!
Nice work, Ron and Jane.
Moving on to the next shot.
Well, that felt pretty natural.
Really? What part?
[director] Let's move
into those baby blues.
- [puffs smoke]
- [lighter clicks]
["Swinging On A Star" playing]
♪ Mmm, would you like
to swing on a star? ♪
♪ Carry moonbeams
home in a jar? ♪
♪ And be better off
than you are? ♪
♪ Or would you rather be
a mule? ♪
[Eddie] But we're more
than actors.
- We're symbols, leaders.
- Yes.
We should be speaking to the
important issues of the day.
Oh, Eddie. Give it a rest,
will you?
Leave that to the writers.
[Dalton] You're still
new here, Reagan.
Trust me, the studios control
every word I write.
And God help me,
if I don't write,
or you don't read
what they tell us to.
Uh, they're paying
the bills, Dalton.
- They should have some say.
- Yes.
I mean, we're doing
pretty well, aren't we?
- I think so.
- You don't get it, Holden.
All we are is a mouthpiece
to a system,
to a society, a society
that ignores the working man.
Trust me, it won't last.
Well, what do you mean
by that, Dalton?
Exactly what it says.
Honey, come on.
Let's go dance.
Just a second, honey.
No, no, really,
explain it to me.
I'd like to know.
Well, let's just say
this whole American Dream thing
doesn't exactly apply
to everyone equally.
And some of us
aren't sitting still for it.
We're doing something about it.
Doing what?
Dalton, maybe we should talk
about this some other time.
At some point, you're gonna
need to pick a side.
[sharp exhale] Well, not tonight.
[chuckles]
Tonight, the only thing I'm
gonna pick is my dance partner
and I'm dancing
with my beautiful wife.
If you'll excuse me,
fellas, and lady.
- [Dalton scoffs]
- We'll be back.
[Viktor] He did not initially
appear to be a great concern for us.
He was too busy
enjoying his honeymoon.
Not to mention,
the Hollywood glitz and glamour.
[camera shutter clicking]
[Viktor] To understand
what made this man unique,
I needed to understand the boy.
- [car approaching]
- [horse whinnying]
[Viktor] He grew up in a small
town in the middle of America.
[horse whinnying]
[Viktor] His father
had a nickname for him.
They called him "Dutch."
He had experience speaking
to crowds at an early age,
as his mother, Nelle,
pushed him to read poetry and
Bible verses at their church.
"If my people which are called
by my name,
shall humble themselves
and pray,
seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
forgive their sin,
and heal their land."
[Dutch] Are we God's people?
Well, anybody
can be God's people
so long as they choose Him.
How did you memorize
those verses so fast?
I don't know.
I just read it and remembered.
It's a gift, Dutch.
You have to look for those talents
because God has a purpose
for your life.
Something only you can do.
[horse whinnying in distance]
[chuckles]
[Jack] "Unfortunately, Miss
Brenda, your dear husband, Shamus,
drowned to death in the vat
at the Guinness brewery."
"Oh, me poor Shamus,
please tell me he went quick."
"No," said the old priest.
"The old bugger got up
three times to pee!"
[laughter]
[Viktor] His father, Jack,
was a charismatic storyteller
and Dutch idolized him
for that.
[patrons shouting]
[Viktor] But he saw
that talent drown
in the bottom of a bottle.
- [Dutch] Jack.
- [Jack groans]
- Jack, come on.
- [grunts]
- [bottles clink]
- Come on, Jack.
[Dutch grunting]
[Nelle] Did you get fired again?
[Jack] They didn't fire me.
I quit.
- You quit?
- I got big things cooking, Nelle!
[Nelle] Spare me, Jack!
We are already late on rent.
Do not force our children
to move yet again.
- [Jack] Blah-blah-blah-blah!
- [thudding]
[footsteps tapping]
Why does Jack drink
so much whiskey?
It makes him forget.
Forget what?
[sighs] All he wanted to be.
All he knows he never will be.
Does God have a plan
for his life?
Oh, Dutch, of course He does.
Unfortunately,
Jack has other plans for now.
Hey.
Open this.
It's from me
and Reverend Cleaver.
[Viktor] They call it...
dime-store novel
about a boy
with a drunk for a father.
The boy finds God
and he is elected
to the American Congress.
[birds chirping]
Well, you have to be 12,
and you go through membership
and confirmation class--
I know that, sir,
but it has to be now.
I read the book
and I wanna be like that man.
Ronald Wilson Reagan,
I baptize you
in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Dutch reads this book.
This book was a roadmap for him
of the world where good
triumphs over evil.
This book. Here, look.
Russian copy.
[Viktor] But to find
what I was really looking for,
I had to go back to Reagan,
the lifeguard.
Help!
- Help!
- [woman] Somebody save her!
- Although he would later claim...
- Help!
- ...to have saved 77 lives...
- Help me!
- ...over those summers...
- Help!
- There was a question as to whether...
- Help!
Hold on, hold on.
I got you. I got you.
...those were all legitimate.
- You okay?
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Almost there.
- [man coughing]
- There you go.
[Viktor] He also learned
that performing his duty
- would not always result in praise.
- [man panting]
What the hell are you doing?
I was fine.
You trying to make me
look like a fool?
I'm sorry.
- [indistinct command]
- [overlapping chatter]
Thirty-six, thirty-two.
Set! Hut!
[grunting]
- Yeah!
- [whistle blows]
[coach] Good practice, gentlemen.
Bring it all in.
[indistinct chatter]
- [Viktor] At his university...
- Fellas, I got tough news.
...he was bringing people
together and solving problems.
- [Reagan] Hey, Coach!
- [player] Next week, right?
Coach.
How come Sal and Palmer
aren't traveling with us?
- They're colored.
- I can see that. Thanks, Coach.
- Hotel wouldn't take 'em.
- [knock on door]
[Jack] Come on in, boys.
Welcome to Hotel Reagan.
[chuckles] There's a room
upstairs for you, boys.
I hope you don't mind
sharing with Dutch.
- His brother says he snores.
- [laughter]
- [door closes]
- That there is the Reagan training table.
[Sal] Thank you, sir.
Come on in. [chuckles]
I knew you'd come through, Jack.
- [percussion chimes]
- [stick thuds]
It's 8:00 p.m., I'm Dutch Reagan.
Here now the news.
The new German Chancellor,
Adolf Hitler,
declares that his intentions
in rebuilding Germany
are peaceful and will comply with
all international agreements.
- [Viktor] And it was radio...
- Yeah, sure they are.
...through which
he began to show his skills.
But I finally traced
his disdain for communism.
It's hell on Earth.
People are frightened,
hungry, divided.
[Viktor] ...back to when a dissident
of our country visited his church.
State runs and controls
everything to the smallest detail.
Your speech, your actions,
even your thoughts.
You know what they took away
from us first thing?
God.
Church like this.
You will not find it
in the Soviet Union.
They closed down most of them.
And the clergy,
many are dead or disappeared.
Americans should know more
about the communists
because it's coming here.
Freedom is only one generation
away from extinction.
[applause]
[Viktor] And just like that,
the seed was planted.
- [alarm bell rings]
- [bugle call blares]
[Reagan] And remember,
loose lips sink ships.
This is Ronald Reagan.
So until next time,
so long,
- and God bless America.
- [director] Cut.
- That's a wrap on Reagan today.
- Excuse me?
Oh, Mr. Warner.
That's a wrap, everyone.
[bell rings]
Am I in trouble, boss?
Let's have a walk.
Congratulations.
Vice president of Screen Actors Guild, huh?
I'm impressed.
You know you stepped
into a hornet's nest, don't you?
- [indistinct chatter]
- How's that?
There's about to be another w*r
right here in Hollywood,
with the commies on one side,
the mob on the other.
And you're caught
right in the middle, son.
Okay, Jack. Hey.
Let's get one thing
straight, okay?
I'm not gonna do
any union busting for you
just because
I'm on your payroll.
It's a conflict
of interest for me.
It's not about
busting up the unions.
But it's this new group,
this, uh...
Yeah, the Conference
for the Studio of Unions.
Herb Sorrell, he's a commie.
- Yeah.
- They're not just talking strike.
They're talking about
taking over all the unions.
Well, if it's a turf w*r,
just let them work it out. That's all.
They're not gonna work it out,
they're gonna fight it out,
and that's where you come in.
The actors
are the biggest union.
If they go to Sorrell,
I'm telling you right now,
the commies win.
- That ain't happening here.
- Well, look,
I don't feel comfortable getting
into the middle of something.
Do you think you're gonna be
a leading man forever?
You need to face the facts, son.
This w*r took the best years
of your life.
You got, what, five years
of smiling for the camera
until they put you out
to pasture?
- Well, thanks for the pep talk, Jack.
- Or...
do you make a difference?
A real difference.
[soft music plays]
The movies are a platform.
That we, as actors, are proud
and privileged to be a part of.
We are the face and the
lifeblood of American movies.
And so we must be vigilant
and make ourselves
aware of others
that may seek to use
our platform
to use us
for their own purposes.
[applause]
♪ Of all the boys I've known,
and I've known some ♪
♪ Until I first met you,
I was lonesome ♪
♪ And when you came in sight,
dear, my heart grew light ♪
♪ And this old world
seemed new to me ♪
♪ You're really swell,
I have to admit you ♪
♪ Deserve expressions
that really fit you ♪
- ♪ And so I've racked my brain... ♪
- [lighter clinks]
Was it something I said?
I'm just curious. [long sigh]
Are you an actor
or a politician?
Jane, not here.
Not now. Please.
If you put as much work
into your career
as you do making your speeches,
you'd have an Oscar by now.
- Jane...
- [women laughing]
This is SAG.
This is our union.
And being Vice President
of the Screen Actors Guild
is like a gift from God.
I really feel
like I can do something
that matters here.
Is there anything worse
than an actor with a cause?
[long sigh] k*ll your career
if you must, Ronnie,
but spare me
your damn speeches.
You are an actor.
- That is your job.
- Jane, just don't.
- Not politics!
- Please don't.
[glass thuds]
["Stormy Weather" playing]
[indistinct background chatter]
- [insects trilling]
- [siren wailing in distance]
- [Reagan] No.
- What do you mean "no"?
Higher wages,
better working conditions.
That's what we all want.
That's what we're all going for.
And you wanna shut it all down?
What is it that you really want?
One union, and united.
Look, you don't wanna go
to w*r with us, Reagan.
- [bangs table]
- [suspenseful music plays]
[Viktor] But what nobody knew
was that Reagan
was an FBI informant.
His codename T-10,
and he was exposing our
growing influence in Hollywood.
[judge] Mr. Warner,
can you provide the name
of the leader
of the organization
attempting to infiltrate
your studio?
- [shutter clicking]
- [whirring]
His name is Sorrell.
Herb Sorrell.
We're not joining you, Herb.
[crowd jeering, shouting]
- [gasps]
- [g*n clacks]
Put it down. It's okay.
[man] Settle down. Settle down.
You don't get it, do you?
We own this town.
You don't own me.
You don't own them.
You wanna take a vote
right now? Go ahead.
Let's put it to a vote!
See what happens.
- See what happens.
- [crowd agreeing]
[tense music playing]
- [crowd shouting]
- [siren wailing]
- [shouting]
- [men grunting]
- [dog barking]
- [whistle blowing]
[dog barking]
[judge] Mr. Hayden,
in your opinion,
why weren't the communist's
efforts successful?
[Hayden] There was just
one problem.
They ran into the Board of Directors
of the Screen Actors Guild,
in particular, Ronald Reagan...
who was a one-man battalion
against this thing.
Let's go to work.
- [cheering]
- Yeah!
[Reagan] As a citizen,
I would not like to see
any political party outlawed
on the basis of its ideology.
Democracy is strong enough
to stand up for itself
against the inroads
of any ideology,
no matter how much
we may disagree with it.
Because I still believe,
Mr. Chairman,
that democracy can handle it.
[Viktor] He had shut us down.
He was clever in his message
that it was okay
to be communist,
but not while being paid by us.
[soft music playing]
[camera whirring]
And cut! That's lunch,
everybody.
- [crew] Okay. Nice work.
- [Jane] You were great too.
- [actor] Can I buy you lunch?
- [Jane] Sure. I have time.
- Let's grab a bite.
- Honey...
[Viktor] While his wife's career
was skyrocketing...
- [Jane] ...commissary or my dress...
- [kid] Mama!
[Viktor] ...he was reduced
to the sidelines
and their marriage...
- deteriorated.
- [kid babbling] Mama...
[Viktor] And to break more
his damaged heart,
their third child, Christine,
died the very day she was born.
[mournful music playing]
[Nelle] How's my son?
I lost a child...
marriage, a career.
How do you think your boy is?
You know, Nelle,
I think I kinda missed the boat
on that whole purpose thing.
Maybe I'm just Jack
all over again.
No, Dutch.
You're not your father.
Just remember
to listen to that small,
soft voice,
the one that you can't hear
unless you're alone
and quiet,
and he has your full attention.
Remember whose you are
and whom you serve.
Yes, Sandy?
Can you give an actress
five minutes?
Uh... [exhales]
- Of course.
- Miss Davis?
Hello. [clears throat]
I'm Nancy Davis.
Hello, Nancy Davis.
I'm Ron Reagan.
- Yes, I know.
- [both chuckle]
- How about a cup of coffee?
- Oh, sure.
- Have a seat.
- Ah.
I'm afraid I've been a pest
to your secretary.
- Oh.
- But I persist when it's important.
- Cream, sugar?
- Oh, well,
- sure, uh, black.
- Oh!
- [coffee pours]
- [glass clinks]
Well... how can I help you,
Nancy Davis?
Well,
I'm listed as a signer
on a letter of support
for two communist sympathizers
but I never signed
any such letter.
There's another Nancy Davis.
Oh, I see.
Well, uh, the easiest thing
to do, is just change your name.
It happens all the time
in Hollywood.
Oh, no. No.
I cannot do that, no.
My name is very important to me.
It's-it's my family.
Oh, of course.
Uh, family's important.
Yes.
Very important.
So, uh, I guess there's
only one thing left to do,
and that is to launch an exhaustive
and a detailed investigation.
Well, of course,
I've retained an attorney.
Oh, there won't be
any need for that.
We can knock this out
over dinner.
- Excuse me?
- Yes, uh, we can discuss it then.
But I can't be late. I, uh...
Yes, I have an early studio call
tomorrow morning.
Oh, well, I'll have to check
my date book.
[chuckles] I'm just gonna--
Just give me...
Yes?
Yes. Um...
Well... Oh, I think
I can manage it,
but I have an early call too.
Well, then it's a date!
- Yeah. Yes.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
- Pleasure.
- Goodbye, for now.
[secretary] Bye, Miss Davis.
[whistles]
[bright music playing]
Okay, Bobby, thanks.
I'm gonna take care of that
in the morning.
[ballad song playing]
- Well...
- Well, it looks like
we've shut the place down.
Huh, yes, we did. Here.
- [chuckles]
- Oh...
Thank you, Joseph. Uh...
- Miss Davis?
- Yes?
I'm gonna get on this
first thing in the morning
and I'll make
all the calls myself.
Your name will be off that list.
Oh, just like that?
- Just like that.
- [chuckles]
So, um,
when-when you're not acting
or being SAG president,
what-what do you like to do
with your time, Mr. Reagan?
Well, I... I like the outdoors.
Mm-hmm.
- I-I play golf.
- Mm.
And...
I-I love riding horses.
Yes. Do you ride?
- Sure, I do. Mm-hmm.
- You do?
Well, there's nothing like a
relationship with a horse, is there?
They're beautiful animals.
- Yeah.
- Mm-hmm.
- Ooh! Ooh!
- ["Little Girl" playing]
Look, just...
- How do I slow down?
- Well, just...
- Ooh! Okay.
- You're doing fine. You're doing fine.
[both chuckling]
[breathes shakily] Oh! Oh!
- You look good on a horse.
- Oh, thank you.
[horse whinnies]
[Nancy] I have
a confession to make.
Oh, what's that?
I don't ride horses. [chuckles]
- Really? You could have fooled me.
- Oh! [chuckles]
Well, it's beautiful up here.
Come on over here.
- Yes, it is.
- It's like we're a million miles from LA.
Yes. You know, I did my first
location sh**t here in fact.
- Really?
- Yes.
I jumped on the back
of that horse,
looked around at all this,
and said, "Wow, I'm in heaven."
Oh!
Yeah, it's heaven.
You know, I have a confession
to make of my own, Nancy.
- Mmm.
- [horse whinnies]
Uh...
I'm what you call
"damaged goods."
I'm divorced, I got kids.
I haven't had
a decent role in years
and I'm just about broke.
How's that for a come-on?
We're all damaged goods, Ronnie.
What's next for you? I mean...
what do you want
out of this life?
I don't know,
I used to have big ambitions.
Dreams.
Now, I...
I don't know. I just wanna do
something good in this world.
Make a difference.
I think you've done that.
I'd like to make
a difference too.
But I have figured
something out, Ronnie.
- What's that?
- It's really hard
to make a difference
in this life
when you have to do it alone.
["Nancy [With the
Laughing Face]" playing]
[Nancy] Mmm.
- Are you sure you wanna go?
- [baby crying]
You know, this is not exactly
Academy Award stuff.
Well, you know
we don't like to be apart,
and I love to watch
my husband work.
I know, I know, work's work.
[engine starts]
Bye, Patti!
[car revs]
["This Town" playing]
[crew] Mr. Reagan,
your agent's on the line.
Look, Lou, if I go out there,
my career, it's...
it's dead.
[sighs]
Lou, listen to me.
I'm not going out there.
It is Pabst Blue Ribbon time!
- What'll you have?
- I'll have a Pabst Blue Ribbon!
- I'll take a Pabst, Bonzo!
- Oh, yeah.
[audience laughing]
[Ziggy] Looks like it's bedtime
for Bonzo, folks!
- [music cue]
- [Reagan grunts] Thank you, ladies and gentlemen,
and now the Pabst Blue
Ribbon dancers!
[audience applauds]
- Mm.
- [glass thuds]
[sighs, forced chuckle]
Ladies...
do you happen to have
an extra smoke
for a clown? Thank you.
[electricity buzzing]
[lighter clinks, flicks]
[puffs smoke]
[lighter clicks]
- Thanks.
- No problem.
- [singer singing]
- [crowd cheering]
[electricity buzzing]
- [grunts]
- [glass shatters]
[buzzing]
This season, I'm sending
all my friends Chesterfields.
[Viktor] Meanwhile,
his career as movie star
continued to fade.
Wow! I could've had a V8!
Oh, Ronnie!
That's a super smooth shave.
That's because I used Gillette.
Soothe your skin with
Campho-Phenique antiseptic powder.
At the movies or at home, honey,
they're the perfect snack.
ICEE. The coldest drink in town
...at a sweet, low price.
Come on, Colman's.
Light my fire.
[bell dings]
[Viktor] He continued to focus on his role
as the president of Screen Actors Guild
where he did quite well,
actually.
But the movie opportunities
started to evaporate.
Yes, he was a B-movie star.
This is well-known.
But what does this have to do
with losing our Motherland?
Communism is not the Motherland.
They're the Motherland.
Turgenev, Leo Tolstoy, Chekhov.
That's the Motherland!
The Motherland...
is here!
- [Viktor mumbling]
- [aide speaking]
I can't. I must be...
[phone ringing]
[Nancy] Hello?
Oh, no.
Ronnie?
Thank you, Lord, for my mother.
Take care of her.
I know you will.
Your good and faithful servant
has come home.
[Viktor] While he mourned
the loss of his mother,
and continued to struggle
with his career,
the world was passing him by.
[reporter] The United States
and Soviet Union
now face off in a new Cold w*r.
- Nuclear retaliation looms.
- [men shouting]
"The purpose of these bases
can be none other than to provide
a nuclear strike capability
against the western hemisphere."
[reporter 2]
President Kennedy's blockade
stops the advance
of nuclear weapons into Cuba.
[reporter 3] Movements across
Germany had stopped
as the East Germans
built a wall overnight,
separating not only
the country,
but neighbors and family.
[Viktor] He became host of TV
show for appliance company.
He toured across the country,
meeting factory workers
and giving speeches.
He was like politician
with no party.
So, he decided to set
his sights on something else.
Us. He devoured books
about communism, espionage,
our takeover of Eastern Europe,
and the construction
of the Berlin Wall.
You know our bed's
a lot more comfortable.
Well, unless you prefer, uh,
Whittaker Chambers to me?
- Oh, you know that's not true.
- [chuckles]
Come to bed, honey. It's late.
[sighs]
You know, all they have
are missiles and oil.
If we get them to spend money
they don't have,
they can't support themselves.
- The Soviets.
- The Soviets.
We've been going
about this all wrong.
We don't have to match them
m*ssile for m*ssile.
All we have to do
is just keep up the pressure.
We have deeper pockets
than they do.
And here I thought
I married an actor.
Well, you could always talk
to d*ck Nixon,
President Kennedy, or any
of your political friends.
But why is it that my husband
seems to know
what's gonna happen
before they do, hmm?
- Well...
- Yeah.
I was a lifeguard at a public
swimming hole on a river.
And I studied that river.
And I learned
how to read the currents.
Not just the ones
on the surface.
But also the ones that were
deep underneath the water,
flowing way under.
And I got good at it.
I knew people were in trouble
before they did.
- [metal thudding]
- [seagulls squawking]
Moon, thank you for bringing your
brother up here on such short notice.
It wasn't easy,
he's not a fan of flying.
Well, we'll remedy that.
Thank you for coming, Mr. Reagan.
Thanks for having me,
Mr. Tuttle.
[Holmes] Now, we understand
that you jumped the aisle
- and switched parties.
- Well,
my brother and I both,
we came of age under FDR.
Our dad, Jack,
he was a huge fan,
and we were proud
to be New Deal Democrats.
So why did you leave 'em?
I didn't.
- They left me.
- [laughter]
Well, how do you feel about
campaigning for Goldwater?
He's gonna get shellacked
in November.
No way he takes the White House.
Mr. Tuttle's right,
he can't beat LBJ.
I'm curious, Ron.
What would you say
is the issue of our time?
No question about it.
Communism and the Soviet Union.
Domestic issues
is what I'm more curious about.
What's more domestic
than survival, Mr. Tuttle?
Communism is the natural enemy
of freedom.
It won't stop attacking us
from the outside or the inside.
And it's spreading around the
world while we wring our hands
trying to negotiate.
What did I tell you, guys?
He's not just a pretty face.
Why don't you put your money
where your mouth is, Ron?
Get in the game.
Support Goldwater and then run for office.
Well, he'd win State Senator
in a landslide.
State Senator.
How does that sound?
Well,
I played a senator once.
[chuckling]
But I've never played
a governor.
[laughter]
[Viktor] Seventeen years after
I had begun following him,
he made his debut
on American political stage.
Well, I'd like to suggest to you,
there is no such thing as left or right.
There's only up or down.
- Look, there's daddy.
- [Reagan] I believe that the issues
confronting us
cross party lines.
Now, one side of this campaign
has been telling us
that the issues of this election
are the maintenance of peace
and prosperity.
The line has been used.
"We've never had it so good."
Somewhere, a perversion
has taken place.
Should Moses have told
the children of Israel to live
in sl*very under the pharaohs?
Should Christ
have refused the cross?
Should the patriots
have thrown down their g*ns
and refused to fire the shot
heard around the world?
You and I have the courage
to say to our enemies...
there is a price
we will not pay.
A point beyond which
they must not advance.
We'll preserve
for our children this,
the last best hope
of man on Earth,
or we'll sentence them
to take the last step
into a thousand years
of darkness.
When great forces
are on the move in the world,
we learn that we are spirits,
not animals.
There's something going on
in time and space,
beyond time and space,
which, whether
we like it or not,
spells duty.
You and I...
have a rendezvous with destiny.
[audience applauds]
[Viktor]
Mr. Goldwater lost decisively.
But The Crusader had arrived.
And he was putting us on notice that
he was not afraid to take us on.
[audience whistling, applauding]
- [upbeat music playing]
- [camera shutter clicking]
[Betty chuckles]
- Hello.
- Hello.
Oh, hi! It's you!
- [chuckles] Well, yes.
- What are doing you here?
I-- Did I win something?
No. We're canvasing
the neighborhood,
and I'm running for governor
and I would like your vote.
Well, of course! Of course! I...
Now I'm embarrassed.
I forgot your name.
Do his initials help? RR?
[gasps, breathes out]
[inhales deeply]
Honey! Roy Rogers is here!
And he's running for governor!
["Wild Thing" playing]
[crowd whooping, applauding]
[camera shutter clicking]
[Viktor] He was
on the US stage now.
But my colleagues still refused
to take him seriously.
After all, they said,
"What could state governor
do to us?"
[crowd cheering] Reagan! Reagan!
[upbeat music playing]
The police are overburdened.
There's just too many of them.
Where are these kids' parents?
Well, they're not all students.
Mostly agitators.
They don't even know
what they're protesting.
They're just doing it to do it,
and they're getting
outside help.
They've issued
a new set of demands.
Of course they have.
They want you to present them
to them personally.
- The National Guard... is on standby.
- [Reagan sighs]
They can be on-site
within an hour.
That's going federal.
Ramifications for that.
Communities, schools,
especially the press.
If they wanna talk,
let's go talk.
[bells tolling]
- [siren whooping]
- [crowd shouting]
[protester] Love rules!
Governor Reagan!
Make love, not w*r!
From the looks of him,
he can't do either right now.
Bill's gonna meet us inside.
Lead the way.
Peace now! Peace now!
We want to hear you speak openly
about this to the state of California!
Well, what do you think
I'm doing here?
If you would come out against the
police escalation, they might listen.
When did you ever stand up
in front of your students
and beg them not to do this?
They told you that they were
going to destroy the university
if you sought to go ahead
with this construction.
- But they offered to negotiate!
- Negotiate what?
All of this happened, professor,
the very first time
that some of you who are
old enough to know better
let students think that
they have the right to choose
which laws they were gonna obey,
as long as it was done
in the name of social protest.
I've had enough.
- I'm calling in the National Guard.
- [door closes]
[overlapping chatter, shouting]
[footsteps tapping]
Shh!
[protesters laughing]
[Viktor] The protestors
pushed him hard,
but he pushed them harder.
- [film clicking]
- He was controversial governor,
but limited in what
he could accomplish.
At least, as far as the things
he cared most about, like us.
He enraged many sympathetic
to our cause,
but he also inspired
many fanatics
who would go to great lengths
to get a glimpse of their hero.
[dog barking in distance]
Ron, who's this?
Young man, uh...
why are you in my yard?
Hey, Mrs. Gov!
I'm, uh, I'm Dana.
I'm the head writer
for Youth for Reagan.
And they're shutting us down.
I just want five minutes with the Gov.
Oh, for heaven's sake.
I-I'll be respectful,
scouts honor.
I-I won't swear
or throw anything.
- And I don't burn buildings.
- [Nancy] No, the problem is,
is that the governor
is on a very tight schedule
and he won't give you
five minutes.
- He'll give you an hour.
- Sweet!
No, it's not sweet.
You need to go home.
Please, just call the office and I'll
make sure you get an appointment, okay?
- Honey? Is everything all right?
- Hey, Gov!
These young people
spent the night in our yard.
I just wanna talk.
Five minutes.
You look tired.
How about a cup of coffee?
- Oh.
- Hell, yeah, dude!
Thank you. I'm sorry,
I mean, Governor.
[whimpers]
[Reagan] So the politician says,
"What did I do to deserve this?"
Saint Peter said, "Well,
we didn't know what to do with you,
because you're the first
politician we've had up here."
[Viktor] Nelle had been gone
for a decade,
but The Crusader
managed to find others
who shared
her fundamentalist beliefs.
And one evening,
our surveillance picked up
one of the strangest exchanges
I ever heard...
- [camera shutter clicking]
- ...involving a pop star,
a preacher,
and a prophecy.
If you continue to walk
uprightly before me,
you will dwell
at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Amen.
[exhales]
Well, that was something.
All right, well,
we should probably head out.
- Yes, yes.
- Thank you, Governor.
- Thank you, Pat.
- Yeah, thanks for coming.
Yes. [chuckles]
You can't possibly believe this.
Doesn't matter if I believe it.
Did he believe it?
Who knows?
[tense music playing]
[sighs]
[birds chirping]
[soft music playing]
Well, Bill, there she is.
That sounds about enough.
How much they asking?
Too much for an honest politician.
[chuckles]
Well, there's nothing like stomping
around on your own piece of dirt.
Work and sweat,
think about your next move.
[sneers] Next move.
You know, they taunt,
unfortunately.
Won't last.
The Soviets,
they're here to stay.
There's nothing a retired
governor can do about The Soviets.
Well, you got a point. Not much.
But a president...
Now, he can do a thing or two.
[chuckles]
[hopeful music playing]
"So multiply that by a billion,
double that,
and that's only the surface
of how deep it really is.
'It' being my love for you.
I really love you
mucher than that.
ITWWW..."
- In The Whole Wide World.
- In The Whole Wide World.
- [chuckles] Aw.
- [chuckles]
Reminds me
of one of your old movies.
I should have a parasol
and a mint julep.
Well, Nancy Pants,
I can row back and get you one.
[chuckles, breathes deeply]
Bill thinks I should run
for president.
- Oh, Bill thinks so, does he?
- What?
- You think I'm too old?
- No.
You look 20 years
younger than you are.
Your mind is sharp as a tack.
Well, you know I can't do this
without your support.
You'll always have my support.
I know I can't just let you chop
wood for the rest of your life.
- Why not?
- [both chuckle]
I've actually been thinking about
what that preacher said by the pool.
You thought he was a kook.
I still do.
But maybe he was onto something.
You just may need to save us.
[newscaster] Good evening.
Tonight's showdown
might be the most thrilling
convention we've ever seen.
It's a true toss-up
between the incumbent president
and a serious challenger
from within his own party.
- d*ck thinks if he can talk to Drew--
- What?
d*ck thinks that if he can talk to
Drew, Pennsylvania might go our way.
Okay. I heard James Baker
had Pennsylvania on lock before.
- He said they're in play.
- We lost Oregon.
- Oregon?
- It's gone. All right?
Ohio, Indiana, Florida,
or Pennsylvania,
- they'll have to break our way.
- Anyone else looking for a Ford hat? How about you?
I think you need to change
that hat. Here you go.
Oh, that's gonna look good.
I'll get rid of this.
Okay, we may need to rethink
that strategy.
Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania.
I'll get Schweiker to connect
with Drew about Pennsylvania.
- I'll circle back to Ohio.
- Okay. I will take Florida,
and, Mike, why don't you go
talk with Rich and Marilynn...
- Marilynn. Okay.
- ...about Indiana? Okay?
Hey, hey. We gotta win one
for the Gipper.
- Huh?
- Come on!
- One, two, three! For the Gipper!
- Ready, go... What?
[newscaster] For the next
President of the United States,
California casts all 167
for Governor Ronald Reagan!
[cheering]
- Thank you, California.
- [laughter]
The Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania
has 93 votes for Gerald Ford!
[crowd cheering]
The state of West Virginia
proudly presents its vote
on behalf of our party's
candidate for the presidency...
Twenty votes
for Gerald R. Ford.
[crowd cheering]
[buzzing]
[Viktor] There is no defeat
more bitter
than a political defeat,
especially if you think
it is your last chance.
[Ford] And right now, I predict
that the American people
are going to say that night,
"Gerry, you've done a good job!
Keep right on doing it!"
Ford stole it, sir.
He was handing out
ambassadorship
and rides on Air Force One
like candy to babies.
[Reagan sighs]
Backstage politics.
[grunts, exhales]
What I really wanted, Mike,
was to be the guy
who finally got to say "nyet"
to the Soviets.
Guess it wasn't God's will.
[Viktor] Democrats
and Republicans
presented a united front
against us for 30 years.
But we sensed an opportunity with
the election of Jimmy Carter.
Then, in 1979,
my worst fears
began to take shape.
It is a crisis of confidence.
Yes, Jimmy, it's a crisis
of confidence, all right.
Are you listening to this?
We can see this crisis
drawing down...
We are the greatest country in the
world and we have just forgotten it.
[Jimmy Carter continues
speaking over TV]
Like I didn't see this coming.
It's okay to say it, Ronnie.
Okay. I'll say it.
I want to run again.
[sighs]
What do you think about that?
If I can do it all again...
[sighs]
The public scrutiny,
the attacks on your character,
all the lies.
But mainly,
I want you to be happy.
Well, you've already made me
the happiest man in the world.
[both chuckle]
I've had to share you
my whole life.
But... that's what
I signed up for,
and who I fell in love with.
Hmm.
[exhales]
It's not over for you, Ronnie.
You know what you have to do.
And this time...
- Win it.
- Win it.
[Nancy chuckles]
No, Mr. President,
we don't have
double-digit inflation
because the people
are living too well.
We have double-digit inflation because
the government is living too well.
Our first priority
must always be world peace.
The use of force
is always the last resort.
These are the kind of elements
of a national health insurance
important
to the American people.
Governor Reagan, again,
typically is against such a proposal.
[sneers]
- There you go again.
- [audience laughs]
Next Tuesday, you will all go to
the polls and make a decision.
And when you make that decision,
I think it would be well
to ask yourself,
are you better off
than you were four years ago?
Is it easier to buy things in the
store than it was four years ago?
Is there more or less
unemployment in the country?
Is America as respected
throughout the world?
Do you feel as safe?
Are we as strong
as we were four years ago?
If your answers are "yes,"
then I think it is obvious
who you will vote for.
But if you don't agree...
then may I suggest
another choice.
...and will,
to the best of my ability.
[Berger] Preserve,
protect and defend.
Preserve, protect and defend.
The Constitution
of the United States.
The Constitution
of the United States.
- So help you God.
- So help me God.
Congratulations, sir.
[crowd cheering]
[Reagan] We will again be
the exemplar of freedom
and the beacon of hope for those
who do not now have freedom.
As for the enemies of freedom,
they will be reminded
that peace
is the highest aspiration
of the American people.
We will negotiate for it,
sacrifice for it,
but we will not surrender
for it.
Now or ever.
[crowd cheering]
[tense music playing]
[hopeful music playing]
James Baker whips our butt
in '76 working for Ford,
- now he's Chief of Staff.
- Well, that's why he's Chief of Staff.
Ed, someone who agrees with you
is an 80% friend,
not a 20% enemy.
Excuse me.
- Mr. Speaker.
- Mr. President.
Congratulations.
Welcome to the Bigs.
Now you enjoy tonight
because tomorrow, we go to work.
Well, I've been well-briefed
on you, Tip.
I've been told I better get
a pretty good head start.
- Ah, that's very Irish of you.
- Yes.
You plan on going ten rounds every
day, that's how we do things here.
All right. Just remember,
every day has a 6:00 p.m.
What do you mean by that, sir?
Well, after 6:00,
we're not political enemies.
We're just two Irishmen
having a beer.
Deal.
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the First Lady and President
of the United States
of America.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
- Would you do me the honor?
- Of course.
♪ My eyes adored you ♪
♪ Though I never laid
a hand on you ♪
♪ My eyes adored you ♪
♪ Like a million miles
away from me,
♪ You couldn't see
how I adored you... ♪
Everyone's here for you,
excited for a new tomorrow.
Oh. They're just watching me dance
with the prettiest girl in the room.
Huh.
You know, I've thought
about this moment a lot.
And after '76...
Well, I just didn't think
it would happen.
I knew.
I always knew.
♪ 'Til we grew
into the me and you ♪
♪ Who went our separate ways ♪
- ♪ My eyes adored you ♪
- [crowd exclaims, cheers]
♪ Though I never laid
a hand on you ♪
♪ My eyes adored you... ♪
Ladies and gentlemen,
The President of the United States.
[Reagan] Thank you, thank you.
Everybody, just be seated.
Good morning, everyone,
good morning.
Now the father can't find
his little optimistic son
so he calls out to him and the little
boy pops out of that huge pile of manure,
says, "Yes, Dad?"
The father says,
"What are you doing in there?"
And the little boy says,
"Well, with all this manure,
I know there's gotta be a pony
in there somewhere."
[laughter]
Anyway, that was my father's
favorite joke.
And, ladies and gentlemen,
we have a pony ourselves,
and it's the American people,
and we're gonna do everything
for them that we can.
We just have to dig 'em out. Mm.
He wasn't President
for one half-hour
before Iran released
the American hostages
they had been holding
for a year and a half.
It was morning in America,
as his supporters would say.
But in just a few days,
that morning nearly disappears
as quickly as it had come.
You and your forbears
built our nation,
now help us rebuild it.
Thank you very much.
- [applause]
- [camera shutter clicking]
No, I like it brighter.
Oh, and the yellow,
- you know, Ronnie loves--
- There's been a sh**ting at the hotel.
- What?
- It's all right, ma'am.
Your husband wasn't hit.
Get me there.
Ma'am, I can't do that.
Get me there now
or I'm walking.
[tense music sting]
[indistinct,
overlapping chatter]
A little hard to breath.
[muffled, indistinct chatter]
- Right here under his arm.
- [Reagan grunts]
[siren whoops]
You told me he wasn't hit.
- No, he was.
- Where was he hit?
I don't know.
They're looking for the b*llet.
- What?
- And Jim Brady was shot in the head.
Miss Reagan, I'm sorry,
no one's permitted back there.
- You don't wanna see him--
- He has to know I'm here.
- Yeah, okay.
- Yes. Excuse me. Excuse me!
We've given him another 300 cc.
He's lost a third
of his blood already.
Okay. Get him prepped.
Where-- where's Nancy?
- [gasps] Ronnie?
- Oh, hey, honey.
- I forgot to duck.
- Oh, honey...
Try not to talk.
- I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
- You're gonna be okay.
- You're gonna be okay.
- I'm fine.
[nurse] Mrs. Reagan.
[tense music playing]
[machine beeping]
[surgeon] Good evening,
Mr. President.
- Please tell me you're Republicans.
- [laughter]
Today, Mr. President,
- we're all Republicans.
- [laughter]
[car horns honking]
Come here... Nancy...
[machine beeping]
[labored] Hi, Nancy Pants.
Mmm.
I brought you jelly beans.
I knew you'd want them
when you woke up.
I had to believe
you were waking up.
I don't do so good without you.
[sniffles, sobs]
I should have been there.
I always walk
on your left side.
No, no.
No.
But then it would have been you.
[birds chirping]
[machine beeping]
Boy, you'll do anything
to get that damn tax cut.
I left specific orders.
No democrats within 100 yards.
You'll have to grin and bear it.
- How you doing, pal?
- Well,
- I don't recommend getting shot.
- No.
[sighs] You know, Tip,
I think there is...
I think there is a reason
for all this.
There's a big job left
to be done, and...
whatever time I have left, it...
belongs to Him.
Ah. [inhales]
"Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil,
- for thou art with me."
- "...with me."
"Surely goodness and mercy
will follow me all
the days of my life.
And I will dwell
in the house of the Lord
forever."
[both chuckle]
You know, you may have been an actor
if it wasn't for that mug of yours.
[laughs] Well, there were
too many leading men.
[Viktor] It should have
k*lled him and it almost did.
Most people don't know
how close it came.
Did we do it?
No, we didn't do it,
which isn't to say that
some version of a similar plan
didn't exist
in a drawer somewhere,
as it certainly does
to this day.
[upbeat music plays]
- [Mike] You're who?
- I'm Dana.
- I start work today.
- [laughs]
It's... Yeah, right.
Is this Nofziger's
idea of a joke?
I suggest you leave before
the Secret Service get here.
The Secret Service let me in.
I mean,
you're Mike Deaver, right?
A speech writer?
For the President...
- [door closes]
- ...of the United States?
- I think that there's been...
- Dana, you're finally here.
Just flew in, sir. I don't even
have a place to stay yet.
Did not spend the night
on the lawn, Mr. President.
- So you know this gentleman?
- Yes.
We go way back.
Soviet grain report.
Nice nap. I'll trade ya.
Well, Dana, I want you
to hurry up and settle in
'cause we have
a lot of work to do.
[door opens]
[door closes]
We wear suits here.
Right on, Mike. Yeah.
Would you maybe have an extra
I could borrow before payday?
Wh--
Let me know.
[door closes]
[Stockman] First quarter numbers
are below expectations.
Unemployment hasn't budged.
I think we should reexamine
some of the revenue enhancers
on the table, sir.
Revenue enhancers?
Re-- Is that what you're calling
tax increases
these days in Washington?
- [laughter]
- I told the American people
that I would lower taxes.
So if that's what
you really think,
then what the hell are you doing
in my administration?
Mr. President, we simply
have to balance this budget.
You know, I've learned a thing
or two about economics.
I majored in Economics
at Eureka College.
Now, it wasn't
your Ivy League college,
but there I learned
about Ibn Khaldun,
he was a ruler in Egypt.
And he had a philosophy
that really hit home
when I was in the 94%
tax bracket in Hollywood.
And that is when taxes are low,
people have more money.
And when people have more money,
they buy more things.
Now, these things
have to be made by other people
who have to hire more people
to help them do that.
And as for taxes,
well, the good Lord
only asks for 10%,
why should Uncle Sam
ask for more?
- [laughter]
- Mr. President,
the Air Traffic Controllers
are threatening a strike.
- Well, can they do that?
- No, sir.
- Legally?
- Essential public service,
they have all signed
a no-strike contract.
A contract is a contract.
That's the way I learned it.
They forfeited their jobs.
[Viktor] If he was willing to
risk chaos in his own country,
we could only imagine
what he might do to us.
- [shutter clicking fast]
- [clacks]
The Soviets are conducting full
exercises right out in the open.
German border is quiet
but it looks like they're moving
some brand new SS-20s by rail.
That's confirmed.
They're 20 miles east of Berlin.
Each rail car contains a ballistic
m*ssile with a nuclear warhead.
John, how many nuclear missiles
do they have?
Thirty-five thousand.
- Officially.
- And us?
Twenty-five and change, sir.
So roughly 60,000
nuclear warheads
pointed at each other,
each one can take out a city.
That's about the size of it,
Mr. President.
So while we have been,
over the past ten years,
reducing our military,
they've been building up
their arsenal
and thumbing their noses at us,
violating every treaty
that we have with them.
More than possible, sir,
that's exactly what's happening.
And what have we done about it
except take a picture of it?
Well, after you fire off
the first thousand or so,
there's no one around
to keep score, is there?
It's insane.
One little mistake,
somebody has too much vodka,
none of this matters.
[tense music playing]
- [clacks]
- [crowd cheering]
[reporter] Thousands were
gathered in St. Peter's Square
at the Vatican today,
cheering the arrival of the Pope.
But soon, g*nshots turn
the celebration into horror,
as the Pope collapsed
into the arms of his A*DS.
He's in surgery.
The official story
is that he was grazed
but it's worse than that.
- They gave him his last rites.
- [newspaper thuds]
What do we know?
[Casey] John Paul is from Poland
under Soviet control.
Polish people want self-rule
and democracy.
Solidarity movement
is taking over the nation.
The Pope is with them,
basically giving Moscow the
middle finger because he can.
Visit to the homeland
is basically the second coming.
The writing's on the wall, this comes
from Moscow via Bulgaria, Mr. President.
This is KGB all the way.
Well, that doesn't
make sense, Bill.
They're either gonna
create a martyr
or they're gonna unleash
the Catholic Church
against themselves.
They're scared.
[Viktor] The Pope lived.
And now, The Crusader
and the Pope
shared a bond of having
survived an assassin's b*llet.
And his new ally just happened
to have a billion followers.
[crowd cheering]
[Viktor] Get out of Poland.
Get out of Afghanistan.
Throw away
ten years of treaties
and eliminate
all nuclear missiles.
As they say in America,
Brezhnev's mind was blown.
He scribbles
a personal note to me
on yellow paper?
The President
of the United States?
Now we know who shot him.
His own State Department.
[grunts softly] Eh?
[Viktor] No, thank you.
- [chuckles]
- [alcohol pours]
[Viktor] And now, enter
his new Secretary of State,
- George Shultz, the Tiger Man.
- [Andrei] The who?
He had a tattoo
of a tiger on his a*s.
How do we know that?
KGB. Here.
[Reagan] We'll just get
this little ceremony over with.
This is what I used to quit
smoking back in the '60s.
[chuckling]
Oh, I knew it.
- I knew it.
- [Shultz] What?
Well, you can tell a lot
about a man's character
by if he chooses just one color
or if he grabs a handful.
[Shultz] I see.
And, uh, what does this say
about my character?
It says that you're focused,
you're determined,
and that you're not
easily distracted.
You're gonna do great here.
Okay, then. [laughs]
[Reagan] America has hired us
to do two things.
Let them be prosperous again,
and keep them safe.
Peace through strength.
May I speak freely?
I expect it.
Clarity is power.
Now, I believe you are clear
in these objectives.
Now, the rest of the world
needs to be.
As long as those objectives
are your objectives.
They are, Mr. Clark.
Which isn't to say
that I won't push back
or voice opinions
if I see conflict
in those objectives.
That's exactly why I chose you.
Peace through
strength is, it's--
It's just a-a bit opaque.
I-I need you to articulate
a message about the Soviets
that I can take to the world.
Well, that's simple.
We win.
They lose.
And you can quote me.
[laughter]
Well, that's a clear message.
[chuckles]
[hopeful music playing]
- Hey, Dutch, where you going?
- Come on, Dutch!
[laughter]
- Scaredy-cat!
- Four eyes!
[Nelle] That's the boy
that's been threatening you?
- [Dutch] Every day.
- [bully] Get over here!
- Mama's boy.
- He'll be there tomorrow too.
That's what bullies do
until you stand up to them.
It's time for you
to settle this, Dutch.
Go on.
[bully taunting]
Come on, Mama's boy.
- [bully taunting]
- [sidekicks laughing]
- Get him.
- [punch lands]
- [taunting]
- [punches landing]
- [grunting]
- [punches landing]
[police siren wailing]
[sighs]
[pen scratching]
It's a little soft.
We'll get it there, sir.
- Dana? A word.
- [door opens]
- [pen holder clinks]
- [door closes]
Well, I see you still have
one foot in California.
I am about to start
the biggest w*r of this century.
Maybe of all time.
And I'm not gonna fire
a single shot.
I'm gonna fight it with words.
And they have to count
every single one of them.
So say what you mean,
mean what you say.
I need the guy
who camped out in my yard.
You understand?
- [hopeful music playing]
- [birds chirping]
[audience applauds]
[Reagan] And let us pray
for the salvation
of those who live
in that totalitarian darkness.
Let us pray
that they will discover
the joy of knowing God
and let us be aware that while
their unelected leaders
preach the supremacy
of the State,
declare its omnipotence
over individual man
and predict
its eventual domination
of all the peoples of the Earth,
they are the focus of evil
in the modern world.
It was C.S. Lewis,
who in his magnificent
Screwtape Letters wrote,
"The greatest evil is not done
in those sordid dens of crime
that Dickens loved to paint
nor is it done in the concentration
camps and labor camps.
In them,
we see its final result.
But it is conceived and ordered
in clear, carpeted, warmed,
and well-lighted offices
by quiet men with white collars
and cut fingernails
who do not need to raise
their voices,
but speak in soothing tones
of brotherhood and peace."
Beware the temptation
to ignore the facts of history,
and the aggressive impulses
of an evil empire.
[crowd cheers, applauds]
Yes!
I think the President's words
were a little irresponsible.
Last thing we need to do
is heat this Cold w*r up.
- [scoffs]
- While the President clearly thought tonight...
What is wrong
with these people?
I mean, whose side
are they on, anyway?
Oh, honey, you can't pay
any attention to that.
But I have to. Most of the country
is paying attention to them.
Well, if you think that got their
undies in a wad, you just wait.
We have prevented nuclear w*r
for more than three decades.
Recently, however,
it has become clear we cannot rely solely
on offensive retaliation
to maintain peace.
I call upon
the scientific community,
those who gave us
nuclear weapons
to turn their great talents now to
the cause of mankind and world peace.
To build this defensive
"m*ssile shield,"
rendering these weapons
impotent and obsolete.
If we take these measures...
[Viktor] He got the idea from
a movie he starred in, in 1940.
And with his economy booming,
he now had the money to spend.
But it didn't exist.
Small detail.
- Small detail?
- Let's just say
he was characteristically
optimistic.
So he was lying.
Here. Eat something.
Viktor Petrovich,
it didn't exist.
It was science fiction.
But the missiles, missiles did!
Doesn't matter.
The Crusader
was making his move.
And we knew it.
And then something happened.
Like what?
[engines whirring]
[FA speaking Korean]
[whooshing]
[pilot] Korean Airlines,
you are in Soviet airspace.
Move out now.
[call button chimes]
[chattering in Korean]
[tense music playing]
[pilot] Command,
there is no response.
Appears to be
commercial flight.
- [comm officer] sh**t it down.
- [pilot] Are you sure?
I see flashing indicators.
- [comm officer] sh**t it down.
- [pilot] Copy that.
[distant screaming]
A civilian airliner?
[Anatoly] CIA spy plane.
They were warned repeatedly.
It was a commercial flight!
Two hundred
and sixty-nine people
are dead, Anatoly,
including one
of our congressman!
- [man] George...
- You crossed a line.
[reporter 1] Tensions between the Cold
w*r adversaries continue to escalate.
[reporter 2] President Reagan
called it an act of barbarism.
[reporter 3] NATO forces
remain on alert across Europe.
[reporter 4] Many are concerned
at home and abroad
that these actions bring the
United States and the Soviet Union
a step closer
to a direct military conflict.
[Viktor] And three weeks later,
our radar systems detected
the unthinkable.
[clanks]
[Viktor] Triggering a terrifying
response of action.
- This is not a drill.
- Do we have confirmation on this?
Soviets are heating up
six sites.
That's 18 million
American lives.
They think we're launching, sir.
Prepare for DEFCON 1.
I need confirmation.
Mr. President, if this is real,
we won't have time for confirmation.
We need a decision.
[computer beeping]
[beeping]
[tense music playing]
[phone rings]
They're aborting, sir.
They're standing down.
- [sighs of relief]
- Okay, sir. I'll let them know.
- [sigh]
- We're that close.
Looks like a flock of geese
triggered a positive radar hit.
- Ah, Jesus.
- Ah.
I can't believe it.
[Viktor] The Cold w*r
was in full swing.
The Crusader knew he had
to keep the pressure on us,
but making sure
there were no more mistakes.
But before he could resume
his crusade against us,
he would have to face
his voters.
And let's just say, not everyone
thought he was the right choice.
[geese quacking]
["Land of Confusion"
by Genesis playing]
Ah. Goody two-shoes.
[protesters chanting]
[protesters chanting]
[videogame sound effects]
[protesters chanting]
[videogame sound effects]
[gurgling]
["Land of Confusion"
continues playing]
Mr. Mondale's poll numbers
have been steadily rising.
Concerns have been raised
as the President has stumbled,
appearing tired
in the last debate.
President Reagan
could very well end up
a one-term president.
So how do you adjust
for inflation, uh,
between the six
and twelve percent projections?
Well, you know,
that with the adding
of four million...
- [staff coughing]
- [paper rustling]
Three million new jobs
and the rate
of unemployment being...
[sighs deeply]
Okay.
Stop. Stop.
I need a break.
- [switches thudding]
- [electricity buzzing]
[indistinct whispering]
- [exhales]
- Mr. President, we really feel that...
w-we just need to do this
all over again.
No. I've had enough, Ed.
Say, M-Mr. President, I forgot,
what's your favorite movie?
The Sound of Music.
What do you say,
you and Mrs. Reagan
get together
and watch it tonight?
Relax, calm your mind.
You'll be back
in the saddle tomorrow.
And we'll be ready to go.
- That's a great idea.
- [Reagan] Well...
when God closes a door,
He opens a window, doesn't He?
[chuckling]
Gentlemen,
instead of cramming his head
with useless numbers,
why don't you let
Ronnie be Ronnie?
Okay?
[sighs]
Uh, anybody else have...
Aha. Martha?
[Martha] Yes, Father.
You tell me.
Friedrich told you, Father.
We were berry picking.
[von Trapp] I forgot!
You were berry picking.
- [kids] Yes!
- We love berry picking.
- [von Trapp] All afternoon?
- Mm-hmm!
- [Martha] We picked thousands.
- Thousands?
They were all over the place.
[von Trapp]
What kind of berries?
- [Maria] Blueberries, sir.
- Blueberries!
- Yes!
- Yes! Blue!
[von Trapp] It's, uh,
too early for blueberries.
[Maria] They were strawberries.
[host] Mr. Trewhitt,
your question to President Reagan.
Mr. President, I wanna raise an issue
that I think has been lurking out there
for two or three weeks,
and cast it specifically
in national security terms.
You already are the oldest
President in history
and some of your staff say
that you were tired
after your most recent encounter
with Mr. Mondale.
I recall yet that President
Kennedy had to go for days on end
with very little sleep
during the Cuban m*ssile Crisis.
Is there any doubt in your mind
that you would be able to function
in such circumstances?
Not at all, Mr. Trewhitt.
And I want you to know
that, also,
I will not make age
an issue in this campaign.
I will not
for political purposes,
exploit my opponent's youth
and inexperience.
[audience laughing, applauding]
[Viktor] And with that
one thrust of wit...
he turned the tide.
[upbeat music playing]
[crowd cheering]
[chanting] USA, USA, USA, USA!
[indistinct chatter]
- He'll be there.
- You wanted to see me, sir?
No, we'll figure it out.
- Yeah. Yeah, John.
- [sighs]
Uh, there's a rumor around here
that you're a... a horse guy.
Yup, I rode for Boston PD.
I've been riding my whole life,
really. Why?
We've been having some issues
at the Western White House
- out in California.
- What kind of issues?
Nobody can ride.
Yeah, Rawhide isn't gonna say
anything but it's pretty embarrassing
when one of ours has to walk
his horse when he wants to run.
You mean gallop.
Yeah. Whatever.
But, uh, do you wanna head up
that detail when we travel?
So I'd be riding horses
with the... with the President?
Giddyap.
- Okay.
- All right.
- [coughing]
- [Viktor] Unlike other presidents,
The Crusader was in no rush
to meet with us.
- This created a problem.
- [coughing]
[funeral march playing]
Here's the latest.
[grunts, groans]
[funeral march playing]
This here,
this is only...
[coughing]
[funeral march playing]
How can I talk to them
if they keep dying on me?
We are starving for energy, Ron,
and we've got to get it somewhere
and we can't afford
what we've been paying.
But buying it
from the Soviet Union?
You know that that money is going
directly into a m*ssile pointed at you.
Mr. President,
give me an alternative.
The Saudis have agreed
to increase oil production,
as long as we buy it from them,
not the Russians.
And if we can get our friends
to go along with us.
And you can sell this at home?
To your Texans?
It will drop oil
to under ten dollars a barrel.
Oh, I'll take a political hit
for it, that's for sure.
And Texans love to make money,
yes, they do.
We all do.
But they love
their freedom even more.
First, the Evil Empire
and now this.
You're certainly not looking
to make friends.
No, I'm not.
But perhaps you should.
I met their new man, Gorbachev.
He is a very different
kind of Russian.
And I told him you were
a very, very different kind
of an American.
- Pushing up the draft. All right.
- Ah!
- Ow! Oh, oh.
- Hey, hey. Quiet. Shh!
Good evening. President Reagan
is in Geneva tonight
ready for the Gorbachev summit.
[tense music playing]
The baron is honored
to have you stay at his home
- for this occasion.
- Thank you.
Please let him know
how much we appreciate it.
Uh... [chuckles] The goldfish.
It seems that the baron's son
is very attached to it.
It needs to be fed
twice every day.
Well, I will, uh,
do it personally.
[Nancy chuckles]
There are a few things
I can do myself, you know?
- [aide] They've arrived.
- Oh.
Oh, then... Yes.
Here we go.
Oh, no. Coat off.
It's below freezing out there.
The whole world is watching
this meeting, George.
He needs to look his best,
and that overcoat is not working.
Well, you guys
are in charge of policy,
but even the leader
of the free world has a boss,
- and she's in charge of presentation.
- [chuckles]
[Viktor] And before
the summit had begun,
we found ourselves already
at a disadvantage,
as the President looked better
than the General Secretary.
[indistinct chatter]
[speaking Russian]
- Let me state at the outset.
- [continues in Russian]
You should have no illusions
that you can bankrupt us.
[Viktor] The Crusader
took it all in stride...
- We can match you on land...
- ...hearing it for what it was.
- [speaking Russian]
- [interpreter] ...and air and space.
[speaking Russian]
[Viktor] Mandatory messaging
from the Party.
[clears throat]
As I see it,
we don't mistrust each other
because we're armed.
- [translating in Russian]
- We're armed
because we mistrust each other.
But I think that we both agree
on the most important thing.
A nuclear w*r can never be won
and must never be fought.
- [translating in Russian]
- [soft music playing]
He's definitely ambiguous.
It's perfectly clear, there's
nothing ambiguous about it.
You come out ahead
as you usually do.
Violation after violation
of SALT I and II.
Violation? This is nothing more
than you militarizing space.
[indistinct,
overlapping chatter]
["This Is How The World Ends"
playing]
[Viktor] I saw a gentle smile
that never left his face.
He was disarming,
but still he was the zealot
that called us an Evil Empire.
And we could not let
our guard down.
You know, I used to do
a little acting
a couple hundred years ago
back in Hollywood.
Let me show you how we used
to handle this sort of thing.
Take two.
Hello, Mikhail.
My name's Ron.
How would you like to go
for a little walk?
[indistinct chatter]
[Gorbachev] What they say
about you, Mr. President,
"He picks your pocket and
makes you feel good about it."
Well, I've had much worse
said about me before, way worse.
As have I. Hazard of our job.
I want to let you know
that we seek
the same thing, Mikhail.
Do we, Ron?
We are not here
because we need to be.
We desire peace,
just as you do.
But your proposal
is not so simple.
Oh, actually,
it is very simple.
It's just not easy.
But I believe that you and I,
we can do it.
In fact, we must.
The world demands it.
And after all,
isn't that who we work for?
The people and the man upstairs.
Ah. The man upstairs.
My grandmother
was a Christian woman,
go to church every day.
And after, would say,
"Mikhail,
I went to church today.
I prayed for the atheist.
I prayed for you."
Well, I think that
your grandmother and my mother
could have been
very good friends.
[Russian official]
So you're the Tiger Man.
Excuse me? Tiger Man?
I like American baseball,
very much.
Oh, yeah?
Who's your favorite team?
New York Yankees. And you?
Uh, St. Louis Cardinals.
Game 7, World Series.
Very sorry, but what series?
Oh, next time you're in the States,
I'll make sure you get to a game.
No, no, no, no.
Let them talk.
You go in there, you're fired.
Tiger Man.
My proposal...
is this.
That you and I,
by the time that I leave office,
can reduce
our m*ssile counts by half.
Hmm.
I'm not a patient man either.
I do not intend to leave office
before they are gone,
completely.
[hopeful music playing]
[Reagan] Oh, no.
Honey, look what I've done.
Oh, dear.
Maybe we can find another one.
Uh, Mr. President, we-we go live
in five-five minutes.
Oh, I-I think we should
find another one.
Oh, no!
Every kid knows his goldfish.
I'm gonna write him a note.
W-we need to go now.
I mean, the entire world
is waiting.
The world can wait.
I'm going to write him a note.
- [grunts, mouths] Nancy...
- That's my Ronnie.
- We have to wait.
- [Viktor] Nothing was really agreed to yet
beyond agreeing to meet again.
But the Soviet Union and USA
were talking to one another
instead of at one another.
- [indistinct]
- [camera shutter clicking]
[hopeful music playing]
[Viktor] Reagan's allies
against us included the Pope,
Thatcher, the Iron Lady,
and leaders of West Germany
and Japan, Cole and Nakasone.
We stand firmly behind you.
When you speak
with Secretary Gorbachev,
you are speaking
for us in free world.
[Reagan] Well, we understand
that you are surrounded
by communists,
and we appreciate
you standing with us.
[Nakasone] Be careful. Remember,
communists have no problem with
lying to achieve their goals.
They are testing you
to see if you will stand firm.
Don't worry. I dealt with
these guys back in Hollywood.
I even have the scars
on my back to prove it.
And I promise you,
we're not going to lose.
[reporter] In other news, President
Reagan has landed in Reykjavík, Iceland
to continue discussions with Soviet
Premier Gorbachev over nuclear disarmament.
Fifty percent
across the board reduction.
All weapons groups,
tactical, INF, ICBM.
In exchange, suspension of your
Strategic Defense Initiative.
"Star Wars," some refer to it.
Counter proposal.
We share all SDI technology,
we develop it together,
we'll even pay for it.
And we eliminate
all ballistic missiles
in ten years. Together.
You refuse to share
oil-drilling technology
and you offer this?
SDI is a completely
defensive system.
This is the line,
Mr. President.
If you walk away,
you will have missed the chance
of going down in history
as the president who paved the
way for nuclear disarmament.
How will you explain this
to your "free people?"
Mr. President,
I'm offering you the biggest win
of your presidency.
Just drop SDI.
[tense music playing]
[exhales deeply]
Nyet.
[thuds]
Let's go, George.
You would lose the whole deal
over this one thing?
This is a fair offer.
As was mine.
I don't know what more
I could have done.
[exhales]
You could have said yes.
[Viktor] After he walked away
from the negotiating table,
we were in a very dark place.
We knew it was over,
unless something
extraordinary happened.
We've intercepted two more
shipments of Soviet RPGs and AK-47s
coming out of Cuba,
headed for Nicaragua.
The freedom fighters
are holed up in the mountains.
It's David and Goliath,
but they're making a go of it.
Well, I like these guys.
They remind me of Washington
and the Continental Army.
What do they need?
What do they always need?
Band-A*DS, g*ns, and money.
Well, give them what they want.
Mr. President, we won't have the
Congress with us on this one.
[exhales deeply]
[judge] And nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
- I do.
- Please be seated.
[Viktor] The American Congress
had said no
to giving money to his friends
in Nicaragua.
And The Crusader had hostages
in the Middle East
and needed to free them.
But it was American policy never
to negotiate with t*rrorists.
But somewhere,
a plan was hatched.
Reagan's Iran-Contra situation
comes down to this.
What did the president know,
and when did he know it?
And if you, people of the press,
want any more answers,
you ask President Reagan.
[Viktor] Five decades
of his struggle against us
and it came down to whether he
could survive a domestic scandal.
In spite of the wildly
speculative and false reports,
we do not negotiate
with t*rrorists
and we did not trade arms
- for hostages.
- [reporters indistinct]
[reporter] These accusations are
potentially impeachable offenses.
And if true, some observers
believe his presidency
could be hanging
in the balance.
For W News 4 at the White
House, I'm Carl Long.
[tense music playing]
Ronnie, you have
to do something.
Have you seen this?
[Reagan] Yes, I've seen it.
[Nancy] Are you listening
to these people?
They want nothing more
than to see you burn.
You know, they may smile and call you "Mr.
President," but they hate you.
They hate what you say,
what you believe in, who you are.
Honey, I just can't accept that.
No, no, you never could.
You're the optimist. You're the one
who wants to see the good in people.
But it's my job to see
through them and protect you.
Well, that's why
we're such a good team.
[mutters]
Honey, you know Washington.
You know the way it works.
- It's politics, that's all.
- Ronnie, they're talking impeachment!
- No impeachment.
- Yes, they wanna destroy you!
They're putting you on trial,
removing you from office!
This isn't about
politics anymore.
This is about you.
Everything is at stake.
One more headline,
one more star witness, one more
arrest, and they will do it.
I have cooperated with them.
I appointed
a special prosecutor.
I've turned over
every document I have.
What would you have me do?
I want you to fight
or this is all over!
[sighs]
[grunts]
[horse whinnying in distance]
You could always hire someone.
Ha!
Why, you looking
for work? [grunts]
I got a job for you
back in Washington.
You're the president.
You could always order me back there.
Are they gonna impeach me, Bill?
Well, it's moving
in that direction, sir.
Mr. President,
you're my friend.
I can only speak
to you straight.
Some laws got broken,
for sure,
whether you broke them
or somebody else did.
So now you're clamming up
and lawyering up.
It's the wrong move.
It confuses everybody,
even the ones that love you.
People are thinking
that maybe you're...
I'm losing it? Yeah.
I've heard it.
What do you think
I should do, Judge?
What you do best.
Tell 'em the truth.
[horse whinnying]
[Reagan] A few months ago,
I told the American people
that I did not trade arms
for hostages.
My heart and my best intentions
still tell me that's true
but the facts and the evidence
tell me it is not.
Now, what should happen
when you make a mistake is this.
You take your knocks,
you put things in perspective,
you pull your energies together,
you make changes,
and you go forward.
[Viktor] Americans.
You do them wrong,
you'll pay for it.
But look them in the eye,
admit you made a mistake,
they forgive you every time.
[grunts, exhales]
[Andrei] He was president.
He had to know.
[chuckles]
He was still the lifeguard.
He was going to get
his people home.
[soft music playing]
I'm not pleased with you, Ron.
Let's just get that said right up front.
Well, I can't imagine
how I've upset you, Margaret.
Are we gonna go
over Grenada again?
Well, you're certainly
not walking away
from what happened
at Reykjavík...
- No.
- Looks like you're picking a fight.
No, but I'm not afraid of one.
Perhaps that is why
Mitterrand calls you
a "dangerous cowboy."
Well,
at least I have
Margaret Thatcher on my side.
- He wants to say it.
- He does, but we'll never get it past Shultz.
I mean, it's the one thing they
don't want him talking about.
My family in Germany
is talking about it.
Everybody is talking about it.
He needs to talk about it.
He's going to Camp David,
then he's back here for a day,
then he's going to Europe.
We have one shot to have him say this.
It's now or never.
[breathes deeply]
[whirring]
Hey, give me this!
I-I'll take that. Thank you.
Mr. President,
some light reading.
- Shh!
- [Nancy chuckles]
[Nancy] Good afternoon.
Hello, fellas, good day to fly.
No barrel rolls though.
[hopeful music playing]
Well, I think that's
a First Lady question, actually.
Why would you do this
to Gorbachev?
You know how long it's taken us
to get to this.
They're at the table.
They're ready to make a deal
and you wanna embarrass him?
Gorbachev's the first friend
we've had over there in 70 years!
- [door closes]
- [sighs] You can't say this.
I'm-I'm begging you
to listen to me.
You know, I stood by you
with SDI when it was ridiculed.
I supported you
with the Contras.
I even walked out of Reykjavík
with egg on my face.
But this goes too far.
This is worse than Evil Empire.
You're gonna blow up Geneva,
you blow up eight years of diplomacy.
We'll be right back
where we started from, or worse!
"Clarity is power."
You know, a very great man
once said that to me.
What are we here for, George...
but to win?
[soft music playing]
[Reagan]
Behind me stands a wall.
Part of a vast system
of barriers
that divide the entire continent
of Europe.
A gash of barbed wire, concrete,
dogs, and guard towers,
imposing the will
of a totalitarian state.
As long as this gate is closed
and this scar
is permitted to stand,
there is a question of freedom
for all mankind.
[cheering, applauding]
[Reagan] The totalitarian world
produces backwardness
because it does such violence
to the spirit.
Thwarting the human impulse to
create, to enjoy, even to worship.
Here in Berlin,
like the city itself,
symbols of love,
symbols of worship
cannot be suppressed.
[whooping, cheering]
There is one sign
that the Soviets can make,
that would unmistakably
and dramatically advance
the cause of freedom and peace.
General Secretary Gorbachev,
if you seek peace,
if you seek liberalization
and change,
come here to this gate.
[crowd cheering]
Mr. Gorbachev,
open this gate.
Is he gonna say it?
Mr. Gorbachev,
tear down this wall.
[cheering, applauding]
Whoo!
[yells] Whoo!
[laughs]
[whooping, yelling]
Well done, cowboy.
[cheering]
[hopeful music playing]
[Viktor] In the chess game
of the Cold w*r,
it was checkmate.
["Sweet Child O' Mine" playing]
[reporter 1] The unimaginable
is happening
right now in Berlin.
[reporter 2]
Shocking developments overnight
as East Germany
announced its citizens
can travel freely
to West Germany.
[reporter 3] What no one thought
could happen
is happening right now.
[crowd cheering]
[reporter] Within hours,
the city erupted in celebration
as East and West Germans
took hammers to the wall
that had separated them
for 30 years.
[crowd cheering]
[Viktor] Two years,
after the wall fell,
the Soviet Union was no more.
I knew he was the one.
He was the one
who would bring us down.
Not with missiles or g*ns
or even politics.
Something much greater.
[soft music playing]
[horse whinnying]
[Viktor] People will not give
their lives for power,
or a State, or even ideology.
People give their lives
for one another,
for the freedom to live those
lives as they choose and for God.
We took that away.
The Crusader...
gave it back to them.
And that is the answer
to your question.
[exhales deeply]
Thank you, Viktor Petrovich.
[Viktor] Take it.
Thank you.
Good night.
What's going on there,
Mr. President?
This means something to me.
[Nancy] I know
what you're saying, John,
but I'm not gonna do it.
Ma'am, I need you to tell him
we can't do this anymore.
I can't. I can't. I can't do it.
He got lost yesterday.
I couldn't find him
for half an hour.
Horses know when a rider doesn't
know what he's doing, okay? He's...
He's gonna get thrown again.
I can't tell him
that he can't ride anymore.
He loves it too much.
Please.
Okay.
He loves you more, ma'am.
[door opens, closes]
Mr. President?
What is it, John?
You know, uh...
I don't think we're having as
much fun riding as we used to.
Oh, the agent on, uh... [sniffs]
- On Mrs. Reagan, she is...
- What do you want, John?
Mr. President, I don't--
I don't think
we should ride anymore.
Oh.
[sighs deeply]
[pats saddle]
One more ride.
Yes, sir, Mr. President.
Mm.
["Take Me Home,
Country Roads" playing]
[Reagan] My fellow Americans.
I have recently been told that I
am one of the millions of Americans
who will be afflicted
with Alzheimer's disease.
At the moment,
I feel just fine.
I intend to live the remainder
of the years God gives me
doing the things
I have always done.
Unfortunately,
as Alzheimer's disease progresses,
the family often bears
a heavy burden.
I only wish there was some way
I could spare Nancy
from this painful experience.
I will continue to share
life's journey
with my beloved Nancy
and my family.
I plan to enjoy
the great outdoors
and stay in touch with my
friends and supporters.
When the time comes,
I am confident
that with your help,
she will face it
with faith and courage.
In closing, let me thank you,
the American people,
for giving me the great honor
of allowing me to serve
as your president.
When the Lord calls me home,
whenever that may be,
I will leave with the greatest
love for this country of ours
and eternal optimism
for its future.
I now begin the journey that will
lead me into the sunset of my life.
I know that for America,
there will always be
a bright new dawn ahead.
Thank you, my friends.
May God always bless you.
Sincerely,
Ronald Reagan.
[drums beating]
["Amazing Grace"
playing on bagpipe]
["Don't Fence Me In"
by Bob Dylan playing]
[song fades]
["Walls Will Fall" performed
by BJ Thomas playing]
[little boy reading the letter]
[song ends]
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Reagan (2024)
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Biographies Movie Collection