The unseen director

Rick Beyer’s book, “Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told,” is filled with fascinating but little-known stories about our chief executives. I really enjoyed one Beyer shared about Ronald Reagan that began long before he occupied the Oval Office.

In 1939, Reagan starred in, “Code of the Secret Service.” He played a tough agent named Brass Bancroft. Reagan would later say it was one of the worst films he ever made. The film’s producer, Bryan Foy, was disappointed, too, and tried to shelve it before release. In contrast, many consider 1939 one of the best years ever for great movies; that year’s films included: “Gone with the Wind,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Gunga Din,” and It’s a Wonderful Life.” Compared to these, Code of the Secret Service was mediocre.

Yet, it can be argued that this was the most important movie Regan ever made. Here’s why: the film captured the imagination of 10-year-old Jerry Parr of Miami, Fla. He later recalled making his dad take him to see it multiple times, and it inspired him to become a Secret Service agent.

Parr rose through the ranks of the Secret Service and was part of the presidential detail guarding Reagan on March 30, 1981, the day John Hinckley Jr. shot the president. After the first shot, Parr placed himself between Hinckley and Reagan. He tackled the president and shoved him into the limousine. It was Parr who saw the president cough up blood and who made the split-second decision to go directly to the hospital. Parr saved the president’s life. Because of this, it’s reasonable to suggest Reagan’s worst movie was his most important.

“Code of the Secret Service” ironically shows how events that seem bad at first can eventually work out for good. The Apostle Paul made this point, writing, “…we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28, NLT)

We don’t know who coined the phrase, “Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous,” but that statement may have come from this very verse. Paul teaches us that God is working, even when we can’t see what he’s doing. It was no accident that Reagan’s worst film was destined to save his life. We don’t have to understand how God can bring something good out of something bad, or work in ways that surprise us, but we can be confident that God is always doing more than we imagine.