There was one line in Oliver Stone's perceptive 1986 film "Salvador" that capsulated the tragic American post-World War Two road to economic calamity.

James Belushi, playing the sidekick to James Woods, who seeks to resuscitate his career as an international political reporter amid the dangers of war torn El Salvador, asked Woods an important question of what it says about America's and the world's future when the U.S. was preparing to elect "a guy who played straight man to a chimp."

The scene occurred on Election Day 1980.  Belushi and Woods were attending a party given by the American Embassy in San Salvador to view U.S. election results.  

As those who followed Reagan's movie career know, he played in the 1951 comedy "Bedtime for Bonzo" in which he was cast opposite a chimp.  Those critical of his fitness for political office, beginning with governor of California and eventually the presidency, have used the film and Reagan's role in it to underscore what they deem to be the futility of a B movie leading man undertaking such awesome responsibilities.