Naman Shrestha
Adapted from the 2006 book titled ‘The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism’ written by Paul Kengor, ‘Reagan’ is a biographical drama movie helmed for the screen by Sean McNamara. Through Dennis Quaid’s brilliant portrayal of President Ronald Reagan, the narrative follows the journey of the former president — from his childhood to his time in the Oval Office. As Viktor Ivanov and Andrei Novikov, two former KGB agents, converse with each other about Reagan, it shows how he made his way to the world stage and beat the odds to become the 40th President of the United States with the love and support of a woman.
Besides Quaid, the historical film, which is based on the life of Ronald Reagan, also features impressive onscreen performances from other talented and renowned names in the industry, such as Penelope Ann Miller, Robert Davi, Lesley-Anne Down, and Jon Voight. What elevates the narrative further are the seemingly authentic setting and backdrops that take the viewers back to the Reagan era and raise questions about the actual filming sites.
Reagan Filming Locations
Filming for the biopic took place in the south-central region and western part of the country. To be specific, the cast and crew visited various spots such as Guthrie, Oklahoma City, and Edmond in Oklahoma as well as Santa Monica in California to tape ‘Reagan.’ The production originally began on September 9, 2020, with the COVID-19 restrictions and safety precautions in place. However, on October 22, some of the crew members got infected with the virus. Therefore, taking everyone’s health into consideration, the shooting was halted after nearly 2 months of commencement. After proper treatment and recovery, the team gathered back on set on November 5, 2020, and restarted work in full force. As per reports, additional shoots were conducted in the summer of 2021.
Guthrie, Oklahoma
Part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex, Guthrie is the primary filming location of Reagan, as most of the movie was recorded in the area. A major chunk of the shooting took place at the Scottish Rite Temple, located at 900 Oklahoma Avenue. The Masonic temple — which is an exquisite complex that boasts a Classical Revival architectural style — doubled up as the Oval Office at the White House that’s actually situated in Washington. Not just that, the historic establishment also stood in for the stunning Cocoanut Grove Nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel in Hollywood, California. The scenes that showcase several spots in Cold War Russia were also taped in the structure donning Masonic symbols.
In the Summer of 2021, the cast and crew traveled back to Guthrie and lensed some engaging scenes, such as the sequence wherein John Hinckley Jr. attempts to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981. The reshoots also involved taking shots to depict the striking water bodies from the latter’s younger days. The city also served as Illinois to represent Reagan’s childhood home, shooting for which took place in a property in the locality. Moreover, the Berlin Wall scene was also taped in the city. While the team faced some challenges due to unfavorable weather, it wasn’t severe enough to disrupt the shooting entirely.
As per reports, approximately $430,000 was pumped into the economy of the county seat in Logan County; the sum was spent on lodging for over 60 cast and crew members (depending on how far they resided from the shooting site), rental accommodations, hiring local talent, technicians, scouting, food allowances, props, equipment, set-rents, and parking. Additionally, other miscellaneous stuff includes batteries, wood, bags, trash, etc. also. On top of that, some amount was devoted to obtaining services from the police, electrical contractors, and cleaning agents.
Other Locations in Oklahoma
Aside from Guthrie, the production team was spotted filming in the state capital, Oklahoma City. Several local spots from the city can be spotted in the background of the film. In addition, the city of Edmond in Oklahoma County was also chosen as a shooting spot. The cast and crew had a great time bringing the biographical drama film to life. In an interview with Moviefone, Amanda Righetti, who plays Nelle Reagan, opened up about the vibe on set and her experience of working on the film. “It was sort of fast and furious, because I didn’t have a whole lot of time to prep the character. The film was broken up into, essentially, three different movies. She added that the director ensured they felt “a real joy to be a part of” the collaborative experience.
California
The production team of ‘Reagan’ opted to settle on the coastal city of Santa Monica and Santa Barbara as the backdrop for his time in the Bear State. A majority of the scenes that showcase the titular character’s life during that time were recorded in the region. The first half of 2021 saw a slice of taping done at Rancho del Cielo ranch, AKA Ranch in the Sky, located just northwest of Santa Barbara, California. Nestled on top of the Santa Ynez Mountain range and spanning about 688 acres, the beloved ranch of Ronald and Nancy Reagan served as the perfect spot to recreate moments from their lives for the screen.
In an interview, Dennis Quaid, who portrays the titular figure, shed light on filming at the historic site. He said that though they “drove up 5 miles of the worst roads in California” to reach the ranch, the moment he stepped into the house he developed an understanding of the psyche of President Ronald Reagan. Apart from the ranch, the team also visited the Air Force One Pavilion at 40 Presidential Drive in Simi Valley to film a few scenes featuring Ronald and Nancy. For an interior sequence, the leads — Dennis and Penelope — bagged the opportunity to be seated in the same plane Ronald Reagan flew in.
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