Ronald Reagan 'thought marijuana in movies was outrageous', new memoir reveals

The Reagans would regularly have a movie night together or with friends, according to a new book

During his presidency, Ronald Reagan would frequently visit Camp David with his wife Nancy, and the two were well known for their love of having movie nights.

A new book about the Reagans’ love of movies includes some quirky notes on the former president’s movie taste — including his apparent unease with a sex scene in “Top Gun”, and dislike of pot as a plot device.

In ‘Movie Nights with the Reagans, A Memoir’, former special adviser and press secretary to Reagan, Mark Weinberg, describes the movie nights as a beloved tradition for the presidential couple.

Having met in Hollywood — Reagan was himself a former movie star — the two loved cinema, and made sure to keep it in their lives.

As it turns out, Reagan, who was a big fan of the military, loved films that cheered the US armed services. But, while he appreciated the work of Tom Cruise in “Top Gun” as an ace pilot, the intimate scenes were a bit much for Mr and Mrs Reagan, according to Mr Weinberg.

The couple, of course, saw many a film during their time in the White House.

Another film that made them uncomfortable — or rather, one that made Reagan a bit angry — was Jane Fonda’s “9 to 5”, when the three main characters spend some time smoking weed, and bond over their mutual dislike of their boss. Reagan thought it a “distasteful endorsement of pot smoking”, and felt it would’ve worked better if the women were just getting drunk instead.

Some other films the Reagans watched include: “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “On Golden Pond”, “Chariots of Fire”, “ET: The Extra-Terrestrial”, and “Rocky IV”.

One other notable film to have been screened was the “Hellcats of the Navy” — the only movie that both Reagan’s starred in, and the last movie either made.