Ragtime (1981)

A young black pianist becomes embroiled in the lives of an upper-class white family set among the racial tensions, infidelity, violence, and other nostalgic events in early 1900s New York City.

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers:

E.L. Doctorow (based on the novel by), Michael Weller (screenplay),

Stars:

James Cagney, Brad Dourif, Elizabeth McGovern

Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Cagney	...	New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
Brad Dourif	...	Younger Brother
Moses Gunn	...	Booker T. Washington
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Evelyn Nesbit
Kenneth McMillan	...	Willie Conklin
Pat O'Brien	...	Delphin
Donald O'Connor	...	Evelyn's Dance Instructor
James Olson	...	Father
Mandy Patinkin	...	Tateh
Howard E. Rollins Jr.	...	Coalhouse Walker Jr.
Mary Steenburgen	...	Mother
Debbie Allen	...	Sarah
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Houdini (as Jeff Demunn)
Robert Joy	...	Henry Thaw
Norman Mailer	...	Stanford White

Storyline

The story runs in the 1910's New York. Coalhouse Walker Jr. is a black piano player. He has won fame and fortune playing with a jazz band. Some white men do not like this situation, and one day they assault him and spoil his brand new car. Walker tries by all means to get justice, without an answer...

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Plot Keywords:

car | 1910s | pianist | piano | new york city | 

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Taglines:

Young, beautiful, passionate, and scandalous. She was America in the time of "Ragtime."

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 January 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bir Zamanlar

Filming Locations:

81 West Main Street, Mt. Kisco, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 3,022,477 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company, Sunley Productions Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

155 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Milos Forman hired Donald O'Connor at the request of James Cagney. O'Connor had been having personal and professional problems, and Cagney wanted to help him.

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Goofs

In the scene where Sarah is in the back of the crowd at the train station, trying to listen to Vice President Fairbanks, a small 50-star American flag can be seen to the right of her. The 50-star flag was not official until 4 July 1960.

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Quotes

Younger Brother: What kind of music do you play?
Coalhouse Walker Jr.: Anything they ask me to, and then I play ragtime.

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Connections

Featured in James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy (1981)

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Soundtracks

"ONE MORE HOUR"
(1981)
Words & Music by Randy Newman
Sung by Jennifer Warnes

User Reviews

Fantastic in every way

This a truly terrific period piece directed by Milos Forman(Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus) and starring terrific cast. The film takes place in the very early 1900's and follows the lives of at least four different people/families. As the movie gets going, it begins to focus mostly on an African American man and his struggle to be heard in society after he is mistreated by a group of firemen. Everything that follows is equally powerful and fascinating as the man tries to find justice in the turn of the century America. This fine film is richly textured with turn of the century atmosphere, music and actual newsreels from the period which all contribute to this fascinating story. Also nice to see James Cagney one more time. This is a film that I would recommend to anyone who is interested in what life was like at the turn of century. A fantastic film. ***3/4 out of ****.