Ragtime (1981)

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers:

E.L. Doctorow (novel) and
Michael Weller (writer)

Release Date:

6 January 1982 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was Ragtime

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Pianist | Car | 1900s | Piano | 1910s

Awards:

Nominated for 8 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

James Cagney	...	Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
Brad Dourif	...	Younger Brother
Moses Gunn	...	Booker T. Washington
Elizabeth McGovern	...	Evelyn Nesbit
Kenneth McMillan	...	Willie Conklin
Pat O'Brien	...	Mr. Delphin Delmas
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	...	Harry Houdini (as Jeff Demunn)
Robert Joy	...	Henry 'Harry' Kendall Thaw
Norman Mailer	...	Stanford White

Also Known As:

Love and Glory (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

155 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 (f) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Trivia:

This film reunited James Cagney (coming out of a 20-year retirement following One, Two, Three (1961)) with Pat O'Brien, his frequent co-star from the 1930s and 1940s. It was the last theatrical film for both of them.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Charles W. Fairbanks was not the Vice President of the United States when he was running with Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. He was a Senator from Indiana and was chosen as Roosevelt's running mate that year. Roosevelt was Vice President when he succeeded to the presidency upon William McKinley's assassination and he had no Vice President for his first term of office.

Quotes:

Sarah: [about Coalhouse] He say one thing, and then he say another thing. And he make it all sound so good. It ain't nuthin' but talk, Ma'am. It ain't nuthin' but talk!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Le bourreau des coeurs (1983)

Soundtrack:

ONE MORE HOUR

A Wonderful Panel of Racism, Intolerance, Violence, Greed and Hypocrisy, Showing the Formation of the American Society

In the beginning of the Twentieth Century, many dramas cross in a wonderful panel, showing the formation of the American society. Evelyn Nesbit Thaw (Elizabeth McGovern) is the wife of a millionaire, and pivot of a crime committed by her jealous husband. Her mother-in-law is a hypocrite old lady, who convinces Evelyn to lie in court for money, to avoid her son to go to the electric chair. Evelyn commits perjury, but the mother-in-law does not pay her the promised amount. Mary Steenburgen is a correct woman, having a very moralist husband. Her brother (Brad Dourif) is honest and idealist. The family hires Sarah, a black and single mother, with her baby. The father is the pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. (Howard E. Rollins Jr.), who progresses in his career and comes back to Sarah, proposing her to get married with him. An incident with a group of racists makes him fighting for justice in a racist society. Rheinlander Waldo (James Cagney) is the chief of police, who is involved in the incident. This movie is another wonderful film of Milos Forman. Amazing the quantity of marvelous movies made by this fantastic director. The reconstitution of the period is magnificent. The cast is stunning. Elizabeth McGovern looks like a doll wearing those costumes. Her nude scene is also great. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): `Na Época do Ragtime' (`In the Age of the Ragtime')