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The Legend of 1900 (1998)
"La leggenda del pianista sull'oceano" (original title)

7.9
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Ratings: 7.9/10 from 25,382 users   Metascore: 58/100
Reviews: 222 user | 67 critic | 28 from Metacritic.com

Shortly after the Second World War, Max, a transplanted American, visits an English pawn shop to sell his trumpet. The shopkeeper recognizes the tune Max plays as one on a wax master of an ... See full summary »

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Title: The Legend of 1900 (1998)

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Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 17 wins & 6 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Danny Boodmann
...
Jelly Roll Morton
...
The Girl
Gabriele Lavia ...
Farmer
...
'Pops', the Shopkeeper
Niall O'Brien ...
Harbor Master
...
Mexican Stoker
Luigi De Luca ...
Neapolitan Stoker
Femi Elufowoju Jr. ...
Black Stoker (as Femi Elufowoja Jr.)
Nigel Fan ...
Chinese Stoker
Roger Monk ...
Irish Stoker
Leonid Zaslavski ...
Polish Stoker
Bernard Padden ...
Boatswain
Edit

Storyline

Shortly after the Second World War, Max, a transplanted American, visits an English pawn shop to sell his trumpet. The shopkeeper recognizes the tune Max plays as one on a wax master of an unreleased recording, discovered and restored from shards found in a piano salvaged from a cruise ship turned hospital ship, now slated for demolition. This chance discovery prompts a story from Max, which he relates both to the shopkeeper and later to the official responsible for the doomed vessel, for Max is a born storyteller. Though now down on his luck and disillusioned by his wartime experiences, the New Orleans-born Max was once an enthusiastic and gifted young jazz musician, whose longest gig was several years with the house band aboard the Virginian, a posh cruise ship. While gaining his sea legs, he was befriended by another young man, the pianist in the same band, whose long unlikely name was Danny Boodman T.D. Lemons 1900, though everyone just called him 1900, the year of his birth. ... Written by GMBaxter

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

ship | 1900s | piano | jazz | pianist | See more »

Taglines:

A beatiful story of a man who could do anything... except be ordinary. See more »

Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

28 October 1998 (Italy)  »

Also Known As:

The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean  »

Box Office

Budget:

$9,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$39,200 (USA) (29 October 1999)

Gross:

$259,127 (USA) (10 December 1999)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

,  »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (international)

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

There was actually a registered ship named the SS Virginian which was built in 1904 and scrapped around 1954. The ship had one funnel with the Allan Liner's colors on it. The SS Virginian also had a vital part in the Titanic disaster in April 1912 as she was reported near the vicinity of the sinking and within radio contact. See more »

Goofs

At the beginning of the film, the immigrants are happy to be entering America through New York. However, the ships are shown passing from right to left in front of the Statue of Liberty. This would be taking them out of New York harbor, not into it. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Max: I still ask myself if I did the right thing when I abandoned his floating city. And I don't mean only for the work. The fact is, a friend like that, a real friend - you won't meet one again. If you just decide to hang up your sea legs, if you just want to feel something more solid beneath your feet - and it's then you no longer hear the music of the gods around you. But, like he used to say, you're never really done for, as long as you got a good story, and someone to tell it to. ...
See more »

Connections

Featured in The 57th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2000) See more »

Soundtracks

"The Finger Breaker"
(aka "Finger Buster")
Written by Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton (uncredited)
Performed by Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton (as 'Jelly Roll' Morton)
Edwin H. Morris & Co., a division of MPL Communications Inc.
Tempo-Music Publishing Company
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
A wonderfully wistful mixture of melodrama and music.
9 February 2001 | by (Orange County, CA USA) – See all my reviews

"The Legend of 1900" wistfully tells its creative, capriciously unpredictable, and musical tall tale with excellence in all aspects of film from sets to sound, costume to casting, and script to screenplay. Roth and Vince work well together in this plaintive, simple story which will captivate those who can make the leap of faith required to "buy in". A good film for all but critics, "Legend" will likely resonate most with those who equate living with musical expression. La vita è musica.


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