Product Details

• Actors: David McCullough, David Ogden Stiers, Joe Morton, Michael Murphy, Linda Hunt
• Writers: Adriana Bosch, Austin Hoyt, Henry Hampton, Rocky Collins
• Producers: Adriana Bosch, Austin Hoyt, Bob M. McCausland, Chas Norton
• Format: Box set, Black & White, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 2
• Studio: Pbs Home Video
• VHS Release Date: June 9, 1998
• Run Time: 240 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0780621549
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,355 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Both loved and reviled, Ronald "Dutch" Reagan rose out of the political ashes of Watergate to become one of the most popular presidents in American history. Whether you like it or not, he will be remembered along with Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy as one of the most influential and charismatic political figures of the 20th century. This epic four-and-a-half-hour documentary shows why, and it benefits greatly from the fact that many of the participants in the documented events are still alive. Tape 1 chronicles his troubled childhood with an alcoholic father, his years as a lifeguard, his eventual stardom in Hollywood, his governorship of California, and his election to the presidency in 1980. Tape 2 picks up shortly after the assassination attempt and takes off as it explains his policy toward the "evil empire." Surprising to some will be the news that privately Reagan abhorred nuclear weapons and feared Armageddon, but he firmly believed that the United States could only negotiate from a position of strength (during his administration Pentagon spending reached $34 million an hour). Long but never boring, this film is a tribute to a man infinitely more complex than the jellybean-eating figurehead many like to portray him as. Included are interviews with Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Nancy Reagan, and those wacky Reagan kids. --Kristian St. Clair

Product Description

One of the most popular presidents ever, Ronald Wilson Reagan served two terms in office and left with his reputation intact as a charismatic leader who managed to avoid many of the major pitfalls of the leaders before him. A one-time actor, he became a passionate ideologue who preached a gospel of optimism, lower taxes, less government and anti-communism. Often underestimated, his success in office surprised many of his greatest detractors.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fairly Balanced But Repeats Some Popular Myths, April 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The American Experience - Ronald Reagan [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Considering how left-leaning the Public Broadcasting System is, I considered this series to be fairly balanced. It brought out most of the strengths of the Gipper along with his impeccable integrity and character. But is also showed the negative aspects of Reagan's Presidency (e.g. Iran-Contra). There were two instances in the film that really irritated me. The first was a commentator who kept psychoanalyzing Reagan and trying to link his actions with his experience as a child of an alcoholic father. The second was a news reporter who was notorious for berating Reagan for his stance towards the Soviet Union and his belief that it would collapse. Reagan proved this reporter (and many others) wrong and outwitted their supposed insight, intelligence, and wisdom. Yet the best this particular reporter on the video could admit was that Reagan "might" have had something to do with the Soviet collapse but it also may have been a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Of course, this is pure history revisionist pap. Reagan predicted the downfall of the Soviet Union throughout his presidency and many newspaper reporters dismissed him as uninformed and out-of-touch. In fact, many reporters defended the Soviet Union and the socialist system and predicted that it would last at least as long as capitalism. It just goes to show how little they knew and how much Reagan did know (despite his appearance of being naïve and simplistic). Finally, the video wrapped up by perpetuating the myths about Reagan and the 1980s as being the "Decade of Greed." The 1980s were a decade when we had a president who put the people before government. This meant that government taxed less and people kept more of what they earned. Did the gap widen between the rich and the poor? Yes. But what the video doesn't say is that real income increased for everyone, including the wages of those in poverty. But I guess this was too much credit to give Reagan lest his policy of less government and power to the people be repeated again (heaven forbid!).

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not perfect, but good, November 2, 2000

By 

John Pate - See all my reviews

This review is from: The American Experience - Ronald Reagan [VHS] (VHS Tape)

For anyone who is interested in a detailed account of Reagan's life and presidency, this video is suggested. The creators, in my mind, did a good job of portraying Reagan's presidency and his life. There is ample opportunity for both lovers and haters of Reagan to scream at the television. Liberals are sure to assert that this video gives Reagan too much credit for the prosperous economy and the end of the Cold War; while conservatives are sure to rail that the video sometimes went out of its way to portray Reagan as an senile dope. If there was a ideological slant, it was undoubedly to the left. The condesending commentary of Anthony Lewis added absolutely nothing; and strings of amateur psychoanalysis of Reagan by Lou Cannon, Sam Donaldson, and Edmund Morris should have been cut. Of course, the creators tried to balance critics by including the observations of George Will, Ed Meese, and Mike Deaver (and others) among their docier of Reagan experts. All in all, it did a good job at giving Reagan credit where due, and condemnation where deserved. If you're looking for a 4 hour disquisition on how wonderful or terrible Reagan was - this video is not for you. If you want a lengthy account of the 1980-88 presidency as it really was, then buy and watch it. It's not perfect. But it's probably about as perfect a video on Ronald Reagan that can be found.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, March 8, 2000

By 

Leon M. Bodevin "Do right and fear no man" (Lemoore, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The American Experience - Ronald Reagan [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I was not a Reagan fan before I watched this video. After watching it, though, I have a great appreciation for Reagan and the job he did as president. The Cold War needed to end, and it would not have ended but for his presidency. I am intrigued by the things that make Reagan who he is. He is a religious man; indeed, his presidency was one long sermon against communism. His growth (particularly after the assasination attempt) is shown well in the video, climaxing at the end of his presidency when he conceded that the Soviet Union was not an evil empire (this moment was especially touching since you were able to see the emotion in Reagan's eyes). This video also deals well with the big weakness in Reagan's leadership style (e.g., delegating way too much--which led directly to the Iran-Contra scandal). It's scary how much he could be disconnected with reality, but this facet of his character is presented as only one part of this complex man. Two thumbs up for the video!