Killing Reagan (film)

Last updated
Killing Reagan
Killing Reagan poster.jpg
Television release poster
Based on Killing Reagan
by Bill O'Reilly
Martin Dugard
Screenplay by Eric Simonson
Directed by Rod Lurie
Starring Tim Matheson
Cynthia Nixon
Joe Chrest
Joel Murray
Kyle S. More
Michael H. Cole
Composer David Buckley
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerDiane L. Sabatini
EditorChristal Khatib
Running time100 minutes
Production company Scott Free Productions
Original release
Network 20th Television
National Geographic Channel
ReleaseOctober 16, 2016 (2016-10-16)

Killing Reagan is a 2016 American television drama film directed by Rod Lurie and written by Eric Simonson. It is based on the 2015 book of the same name by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. The film stars Tim Matheson, Cynthia Nixon, Joe Chrest, Joel Murray, Kyle S. More, and Michael H. Cole. The film premiered on October 16, 2016, on the National Geographic Channel. [1]

Contents

Plot

The film opens at a Jimmy Carter re-election campaign rally in Nashville, Tennessee.

William Casey is serving as Reagan's campaign manager in 1980.

Reagan's would-be assassin, John Hinckley, is seen purchasing a Röhm gun. On October 28, 1980, Reagan and Carter debate in Cleveland, Ohio. Later, Hinckley hears about the assassination of John Lennon and develops a fascination with Mark David Chapman.

After Ronald Reagan recovers from the assassination attempt, Nancy Reagan hires the astrologer Joan Quigley.

Cast

Production

On September 22, 2015, the National Geographic Channel and Scott Free Productions acquired rights to the book Killing Reagan . [2] On May 6, 2016, Tim Matheson and Cynthia Nixon joined the cast to play Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan. [3]

Reception

Killing Reagan has a 63% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator. [4]

The Hollywood Reporter said the film was the best of the "Killing" adaptations to date, but said the film "doesn’t exactly know where to begin and runs out of energy in the aftermath of Reagan’s recovery from a killing that didn’t occur." [5] A review in People magazine said that Mathieson "captures the essence of the Reagan persona" but that "Cynthia Nixon’s Nancy is rather pointedly lacking in depth." [6]

Accolades

Killing Reagan received three Critics' Choice Television Award nominations for its seventh annual awards. [7]

YearAssociationCategoryNominee(s)Result
2017 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Actor in a Movie or Limited Series Tim MathesonNominated
Best Actress in a Movie or Limited Series Cynthia NixonNominated
Best Movie or Limited Series Killing ReaganNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Brady</span> White House Press Secretary under Ronald Reagan (1940–2014)

James Scott Brady was an American public official who served as assistant to the U.S. president and the 17th White House Press Secretary, serving under President Ronald Reagan. In 1981, John Hinckley Jr. shot and wounded Brady during Hinckley’s attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, which occurred two months and ten days after Reagan's inauguration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hinckley Jr.</span> Attempted assassin of Ronald Reagan (born 1955)

John Warnock Hinckley Jr. is an American man who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan as he left the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1981, two months after Reagan's first inauguration. Using a revolver, Hinckley wounded Reagan, police officer Thomas Delahanty, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy and White House Press Secretary James Brady. Brady was left disabled and died 33 years later from his injuries.

<i>The Reagans</i> 2003 American TV series or program

The Reagans is a 2003 American biographical drama television film about U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his family. It was directed by Robert Allan Ackerman and written by Jane Marchwood, Tom Rickman, and Elizabeth Egloff, based on the 1991 biography First Ladies Volume II by Carl Sferrazza Anthony. It stars James Brolin as Reagan and Judy Davis as First Lady Nancy Reagan. The supporting cast includes Željko Ivanek, Mary Beth Peil, Bill Smitrovich, Shad Hart, Zoie Palmer, Richard Fitzpatrick, Vlasta Vrána, Francis Xavier McCarthy, Frank Moore, Aidan Devine, and John Stamos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronald Reagan Presidential Library</span> Presidential library in Simi Valley, California

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is the presidential library and burial site of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States (1981–1989), and his wife Nancy Reagan. Located in Simi Valley, California, the library is administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Matheson</span> American actor (born 1947)

Tim Matheson is an American actor. Some of his best-known acting roles include the title character of the 1960s animated Jonny Quest TV series, Eric "Otter" Stratton in the 1978 comedy film National Lampoon's Animal House, and the recurring role of Vice President John Hoynes in the 2000s NBC drama The West Wing, which earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim McCarthy</span> Former United States Secret Service special agent (born 1949)

Timothy J. McCarthy is an American former police officer and special agent of the U.S. Secret Service. He is best known for defending then-president Ronald Reagan during the assassination attempt on Reagan's life on March 30, 1981, in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan</span> 1981 shooting in Washington, D.C., US

On March 30, 1981, then President of the United States Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded by John Hinckley Jr. in Washington, D.C., as he was returning to his limousine after a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton. Hinckley believed the attack would impress actress Jodie Foster, with whom he had developed an erotomanic obsession after viewing her in the 1976 film Taxi Driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Delahanty</span> American policeman

Thomas K. Delahanty is an American retired police officer who served in the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia. He was one of the people wounded during the assassination attempt on US President Ronald Reagan on Monday, March 30, 1981, in Washington, D.C.

<i>A Very Brady Sequel</i> 1996 film by Arlene Sanford

A Very Brady Sequel is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Arlene Sanford, with a screenplay by Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan, James Berg and Stan Zimmerman, and starring Shelley Long, Gary Cole and Tim Matheson. It also features cameos from RuPaul, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Rosie O'Donnell, Barbara Eden, David Spade, and Richard Belzer.

<i>Going Berserk</i> 1983 film by David Steinberg

Going Berserk is a 1983 American-Canadian comedy film starring John Candy, Joe Flaherty, and Eugene Levy and directed by David Steinberg.

<i>The Killing of John Lennon</i> 2006 British film

The Killing of John Lennon is a 2006 biographical film about Mark David Chapman's plot to kill musician John Lennon. The film was written and directed by Andrew Piddington and stars Jonas Ball, Robert C. Kirk and Thomas A. McMahon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Parr</span> American Secret Service agent (1930–2015)

Jerry S. Parr was a United States Secret Service special agent who is best known for defending President Ronald Reagan during the attempt on the president's life on March 30, 1981, in Washington, D.C. Parr pushed Reagan into the presidential limousine and made the critical decision to divert the presidential motorcade to George Washington University Hospital instead of returning to the White House. He was honored for his actions that day with U.S. Congress commendations, and is widely credited with helping to save the president's life.

<i>The Day Reagan Was Shot</i> 2001 American TV series or program

The Day Reagan Was Shot is a 2001 American made-for-television film drama film directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh and co-produced by Oliver Stone. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss as Alexander Haig and Richard Crenna as Ronald Reagan, and co-stars Michael Murphy, Holland Taylor, Kenneth Welsh and Colm Feore. The film premiered on Showtime on December 9, 2001.

<i>I Want Your Money</i> 2010 American film

I Want Your Money is a 2010 American documentary film by filmmaker Ray Griggs. It contrasts Barack Obama to Ronald Reagan.

<i>The Butler</i> 2013 American historical drama film by Lee Daniels

The Butler is a 2013 American historical drama film directed and co-produced by Lee Daniels and with a screenplay by Danny Strong. It is inspired by Wil Haygood's Washington Post article "A Butler Well Served by This Election".

<i>Killing Reagan</i> 2015 popular history book

Killing Reagan: The Violent Assault That Changed a Presidency is a book written by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard about the attempted assassination of U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981. It is the fifth in the Killing series, following Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, Killing Jesus, and Killing Patton. The book was released on September 22, 2015, and topped The New York Times Best Sellers List.

<i>No Letting Go</i> (film) 2015 American film

No Letting Go is a 2015 American drama film directed by Jonathan D. Bucari. It is Bucari's directorial debut and is based on his 2013 short film Illness. It is also based on the true story of the producer and co-screenwriter Randi Silverman.

Without Warning: The James Brady Story is a 1991 American television film directed by Michael Toshiyuki Uno and starring Beau Bridges as James Brady, the White House Press Secretary who was shot during the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981. The film is based on Mollie Dickenson's 1987 biography about Brady titled Thumbs Up.

<i>The Evening Hour</i> (film) 2020 American film

The Evening Hour is a 2020 American drama film, directed by Braden King from a screenplay by Elizabeth Palmore. It is based upon the 2012 novel of the same name by Carter Sickels. It stars Philip Ettinger, Stacy Martin, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Trotter, Kerry Bishé and Lili Taylor.

<i>Reagan</i> (2024 film) 2024 film by Sean McNamara

Reagan is a 2024 American biographical drama film directed by Sean McNamara and written by Howard Klausner, based on Paul Kengor's 2006 book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism. The film stars Dennis Quaid as President Ronald Reagan. Penelope Ann Miller, Robert Davi, Lesley-Anne Down, and Jon Voight feature in supporting roles.

References

  1. Hipes, Patrick (2016-08-02). "'Killing Reagan' Gets October Premiere Date On Nat Geo". Deadline. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  2. Whitney Friedlander (2015-09-22). "Bill O'Reily's 'Killing Reagan' to Be National Geographic Movie". Variety. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  3. Lisa de Moraes (2016-05-06). "Tim Matheson, Cynthia Nixon Cast As Ronald & Nancy Reagan In 'Killing Reagan'". Deadline. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  4. "Killing Reagan". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  5. Fienberg, Daniel (2016-10-16). "'Killing Reagan': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  6. Gliatto, Tom (2016-10-16). "Killing Reagan Review: Tim Matheson, Cynthia Nixon Star in a True-Life TV Movie". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  7. "Critics' Choice Television Awards: HBO Leads 22 Nominations". Indie Wire. November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.