(Note: As a service to all four of my faithful readers, I've decided to try to summarize all 213 pages of the script for "The Reagans." I'll skip most of the dull stuff and try to highlight any juicy details. This is part one of a who-knows-how-long process. So bear with me, dear reader.)
Year: 1949. Reagan walks into the MGM studios passing two actors in black-face working on a tap dance routine. He meets a producer, Leroy, who points out Nancy Davis. She's "extremely conservative. Extremely Republican." She's also been mentioned in the Hollywood Reporter as a communist sympathizer. Leroy asks if Ronnie, since he's the president of SAG can help. (SAG, by the way, is the Screen Actor's Guild, a front for the CIA). Leroy suggests Ronnie take Nancy out to dinner. Nothing expensive but she needs to get out, she's a wreck. Reagan groans but agrees since "she doesn't look like a wreck." Rowrr.
Nancy goes on a date with Big R. Like all Hollywood actresses, she's insecure about her looks. Ronnie takes Nancy out to an expensive restaurant anyway. That's just the kind of guy he is. He had made a few phone calls ("J.Edgar? Hey, this is Ronnie over at SAG. I got a hottie here who may be a pinko, could you check her out?") and found she's no commie. She had been confused with a commie who was also named Nancy Davis (there are 3 in L.A.). He suggests she change her name. She refuses. He admires her spunk.
R. tells Nancy that the Commies are trying to take over the world, trying to take over -- he scans the room to to make sure no one is looking -- Hollywood. He suggests everybody should be scared stiff. Nancy agrees. Commies are scary.
Ronnie says that Jane Wyman divorced him because he talks to damn much. Nancy says it's okay, she likes listening. She's a Cancer.
Nancy's at her parent's house. Her dad says he doesn't understand why she would want to live in Hollywood. It's full of drug addicts and commies. "Was it this bad when you were there," Nancy asks her mom. "Hell no," says mom. "Back then it was just wall-to-wall with Jews and queers."
Nancy and Ronnie are on a date. He tells her that as a lifeguard he saved 77 lives in 7 years. He doesn't say how many drowned.
Several scenes later, they kiss. Hard. Desperate.
Nancy implies that the hard desperate kiss got her knocked her up. Mom says not to worry. She knows a pre-Roe abortionist. Does good work, doesn't kill anyone. Except, of course, for the baby.
Ronnie tells Nancy that his dad was a drunk. Came home from the YMCA and found dad passed out on the lawn. Bad stuff. Nancy says she understands. "No, you don't," says Reagan, "you come from Chicago."
Nancy says, yeah uh-huh I did so have it bad. I cried myself to sleep for six years. Six years. Reagan is impressed. Tells Nancy he loves her and will do anything for her. He'll crawl half-way across the country on his knees. On his knees! (Nancy wonders why he wouldn't go all the way across the country.)
Nancy, who is wearing a pregnancy pad for a movie role, tells him that she's pregnant. Reagan says, "Come here mommy. You want to marry me." That's the kind of guy he is: a heart of gold and an Oedipal complex.