Star of the new film, 'Reagan,' Dennis Quaid, discusses the legacy of the former president, the film's perspective and its audience reception.
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Dennis Quaid on Ronald Reagan's Legacy: 'He Left Several'
DENNIS QUAID, ACTOR: I had a bolt of fear go out my spine when I first got offered this role because everybody knows what Reagan looks like.
BREAM (voice-over): Actor Dennis Quaid is no stranger to sinking his teeth into iconic American characters, from astronauts to rock and roll pioneers. But capturing the legacy, patriotism and wit of our nation's 40th president presented an unprecedented challenge.
QUAID: I just remember a bolt of fear going up my spine when I was offered the role because everybody in the world, and they're going to know who he is, had - probably have an opinion about him as well.
He was also my favorite president. So, when I was offered the role, I didn't say yes and I didn't say no. I took some time to think about it. And I went up to the Reagan Ranch and I could really feel him there. And that's - that's when I knew I had a way into portraying his humanity or just - him, as a person, behind - behind the public persona.
BREAM (voice-over): "Reagan" paints an intimate portrait of the president's story, from his early days in Hollywood at the height of the Red Scare to the historic moments that shaped his presidency, including the 1981 attempt on his life, the end of the Cold War, and opening of a new chapter in American foreign policy.
BREAM: What would you say you think his legacy is?
QUAID: He left several. At the time of the 1980 election, we were - we all felt we were a nation in decline. And he came along and said, no, we're not. We're going this way. And we all followed him.
And his legacy would be that he won the Cold War. It was Reagan who really followed a strategy and principles to end the Cold War.
BREAM (voice-over): The film is told from a decidedly unfamiliar perspective, an ex-KGB operative played by Jon Voight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was a brand-new KGB officer, given my first intelligence assignment. A certain actor and union leader.
QUAID: It's such a great way to tell this story from the kind of Soviet point of view. And it really points up what I think the main thrust of his presidency was about.
It took a cold warrior to be able to negotiate with the Soviets.
BREAM (voice-over): But what will be familiar to audiences is "the Gipper's" one-of-a-kind sense of humor.
QUAID: It will not, for political purposes, exploit my opponent's youth and inexperience.
BREAM (voice-over): And, of course, those seminal moments that altered the course of history.
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT (June 1987): General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev -
QUAID: Tear down this wall!
BREAM: Do you get sort of a kick out of the fact that critics really don't love this movie, but people have gone bananas for it?
QUAID: Yes, I know. We had the largest gap in cinema history between critics and audiences. Ninety-eight percent of the audience loves the movie and I think it was 19, 20 percent of critics like the movie. You know, the rest not only panned (ph) it, but basically attacked it. So, I guess we must be doing something right is the way I feel.
BREAM: It is a fully fleshed out, very interesting portrayal. A lot of things people may not have known about Reagan they're going to find out in this movie. Thanks for making time to stop in with us.
QUAID: Yes. I'll tell you what, go see this movie, especially you baby boomers out there. If you were born before 1985, you'll be able to remember how great this country was. And if you were born after 1985, you can see how great this country still can be.
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