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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 27 February 2018
Review: 'Movie Nights' memoir connects Reagans to '80s films

By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL president. "Movie nights prompts Weinberg to
"Movie Nights with the Rea- were a diversion from the speculate about whether
gans: A Memoir" (Simon & business of governing — or it might have led Reagan
Schuster), by Mark Wein- the business of campaign- to think about his difficult
berg.The Aspen Movie Club ing — and a chance for the relationship with his daugh-
may well have been the Reagans to relax and enjoy ter Patti. Reagan found
most exclusive gathering the art form that brought inspiration in "Chariots of
of its kind. Most weekend them together in the first Fire" (1981), and Weinberg
nights in the 1980s, its mem- place." "Movie Nights with uses the film to discuss Rea-
bers appeared at 8 o'clock the Reagans" adds valu- gan's affection for British
at Aspen Lodge, the presi- able touches to the warm culture as well as his rela-
dential residence at Camp personal images of the tionship with British Prime
David, Maryland, to watch Reagans already estab- Minister Margaret Thatcher
a film. The hosts were Ron- lished elsewhere. The presi- and the royal family. There
ald and Nancy Reagan, dent wasn't too busy to call are too few instances in
the guests were their staff Weinberg into the Oval Of- which Weinberg can of-
and others on hand. fice to return a pen he had fer meaningful memories
The screenings offered the borrowed a few days ear- of the Reagans comment-
Reagans an opportunity to lier. He wasn't too big to tell ing on a film, a disappoint-
stay in touch with what had the movie group that he ment given the book's title.
been the family business. was sorry for a crack he'd One worth noting: Both
Reagan began his film ca- made the night before were unhappy with the pot
reer in the late 1930s and about Weinberg sounding smoking in the comedy "9
was more successful than like a communist while dis- to 5" (1980) and Mrs. Rea-
his political critics would cussing the Soviet invasion gan even referenced it in
give him credit. Nancy Da- film "Red Dawn" (1984). And her "just say no" campaign
vis first appeared on-screen the president never ap- against drug use. On the
in 1949 but may have found peared unhappy to meet other hand, Weinberg pro-
her true calling supporting a member of his staff's fam- vides enough anecdotes
her husband's ambitions. ily. Such personal moments away from the screenings
Most of all, however, mov- are more telling and com- to give his book an insider's
ies at Camp David offered pelling than many of the vibe and to add to our un-
the former actors the same public ones Weinberg revis- derstanding of Reagan the
kind of escape most peo- its as he tries — sometimes man if not Reagan the fan. This cover image released by Simon & Schuster shows "Movie
ple seek in a dark theater. too hard — to connect the Weinberg says the Rea- Nights with the Reagans," a memoir by Mark Weinberg.
"He didn't screen movies films the Reagans watched gans screened more than Associated Press
based on their ideology. to the Reagans themselves. 360 films in their eight years
That's not what our movie "The Untouchables" (1987) in Washington. They pre- (1986) were among their president remained a fan
nights were about," Mark becomes a platform to ferred those that were light, favorites — and had little of the lively art that gave
Weinberg observes in a discuss the president's dis- humorous and fun — "Raid- to say for one driven by him a career and the skills
modest memoir about his taste for organized crime. ers of the Lost Ark" (1981) violence and sex. Even as to communicate his vision
years as an aide to the "On Golden Pond" (1981) and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" the industry changed, the for the nation's future.q

Bill Cosby's daughter Ensa, 44, dies in Massachusetts

By BOB SALSBERG to life in prison without pa- dia," she said.
BOSTON (AP) — Bill Cosby's role. "Boys will be boys" was an
44-year-old daughter Ensa Bill Cosby, 80, owns a home apparent reference to
Cosby died in Massachu- in the western Massachu- President Donald Trump ex-
setts from kidney disease, a setts town of Shelburne Falls. cusing as "locker room talk,"
spokesman for the come- Ensa Cosby spoke out on lewd remarks he was re-
dian said Monday. her father's behalf before corded making in footage
Spokesman Andrew Wyatt his trial last year on charges released during the 2016
did not immediately of- he drugged and molested presidential campaign by
fer other details about her a woman at his suburban "Access Hollywood."
death on Friday. Philadelphia home in 2004. Cosby is due in court next
"Please keep the Cosby He has pleaded not guilty Monday for a pretrial hear-
family in your prayers and and remains free on bail ing as his lawyers and pros-
give them peace at this ahead of his retrial sched- ecutors clash over how
time," he said. uled for April 2. His first trial many other accusers can
Bill Cosby lost another of his ended with a hung jury last In this Aug. 22, 2017, file photo, Bill Cosby departs after a pretrial testify at his retrial.
hearing in his sexual assault case at the Montgomery County
five children in 1997 when year. Courthouse in Norristown, Pa. In the wake of Ensa Cosby's
his 27-year-old son, Ennis, Ensa Cosby and her sister, Associated Press death, Bill Cosby could
a graduate student at Co- Erinn, recorded statements ask to postpone the pre-
lumbia University, was shot that aired on New York hip- a big role in aspects of the but passes off 'boys will be trial hearing or wave his
to death while changing hop radio station Power scandal. boys' when white men are right to be in court for it.
a flat tire near a freeway 105. Ensa Cosby said she "How my father is being accused, and how the poli- Cosby's lead attorney,
off ramp in Los Angeles. A strongly believed in her fa- punished by a society tics of our country prove my Tom Mesereau, did not
22-year-old man was later ther's innocence and be- that still believes black disgust. My father has been immediately respond to
convicted and sentenced lieved that racism played men rape white women publicly lynched in the me- messages.q