- Release Date: 1982
- Runtime: 155 min
- Genre: Drama
- Starring: James Cagney, Brad Dourif, Moses Gunn, Elizabeth McGovern ... see all
- Director: Milos Forman
- Plot: 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... Read more
User Reviews
Ragtime: A cinematic good time
May 28, 2008
uk6strings-1 - imdb.com
May 28, 2008uk6strings-1 - imdb.com
Known for more unconventional beats and melodies, Ragtime was the first musical genre that was completely American, preceding Jazz in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Milos Foreman's film entitled Ragtime, from E. L. Doctorow's novel of the same name, incorporates... Full review
Ragtime Era Tragedy
Oct 23, 2006
bkoganbing - imdb.com
Oct 23, 2006bkoganbing - imdb.com
Back in the day when Hollywood was grinding out B westerns it wasn't unusual at all to see famous folks of the west in stories that had absolutely nothing to do with their own lives or to see many famous... Full review
One of my all time favorites
Dec 31, 2005
patriciah777 - yahoo.com
Dec 31, 2005patriciah777 - yahoo.com
Perhaps because of the compelling story, or maybe the acting, but this has been one of my favorite films of all time, exceeded only by Reds.... Full review
Great To See Cagney But Don't Overlook Olson
Nov 10, 2005
ccthemovieman-1 - imdb.com
Nov 10, 2005ccthemovieman-1 - imdb.com
I never saw this film until 2005 and after I had become a big James Cagney fan and wanted to see the movies of his I had missed. Thus, I had to check this out, especially since it was his... Full review
Samuel L. Jackson was a bad mother even then.
Oct 18, 2005
Lee Eisenberg - imdb.com
Oct 18, 2005Lee Eisenberg - imdb.com
This look at the changing America of the early twentieth century is a triumph for all involved. There are several stories going on at once: there is Mother (Mary Steenburgen) and Father's (James Olson) family; immigrant Tateh's (Mandy Patinkin) eventual... Full review
Fantastic in every way
Apr 28, 2005
Idocamstuf - imdb.com
Apr 28, 2005Idocamstuf - imdb.com
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,... Full review
It doesn't do the impossible, but so what?
Sep 16, 2004
Randy Scholl - imdb.com
Sep 16, 2004Randy Scholl - imdb.com
A short commentary: Having read through a few of the comments here, I note that there are several which express disappointment that the movie didn't do the book justice. Personally, having read the book some time after seeing the movie,... Full review
A Wonderful Panel of Racism, Intolerance, Violence, Greed and Hypocrisy, Showing the Formation of the American Society
Jan 22, 2004
Claudio Carvalho - imdb.com
Jan 22, 2004Claudio Carvalho - imdb.com
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... Full review
A Flawed Beauty Is Nonetheless A Beauty
Feb 02, 2002
Paul Dana - imdb.com
Feb 02, 2002Paul Dana - imdb.com
I finished reading Doctorow's novel just before it was announced that production had started on the movie. I remember thinking, "How the hell do you make a movie of a book where the central characters are named 'Mother,' 'Father,' and... Full review
Love this film.
May 17, 2001
suzy q123 - imdb.com
May 17, 2001suzy q123 - imdb.com
This is one of the last great epics featuring James Cagney, Donald O'Conner, and oh yeah- some terrific younger actors too. An amazing score by Randy Newman, a great script based on a book, and lovely cinematography. I highly recommend... Full review
Critics Reviews
| Apr 26, 2009Washington Post
In its glorious opening tableau, "Ragtime" finds its purest, most exhilarating expression.....And yet, this $4.4 million revival looks and sounds so good, the moments that prompt complaint are ultimately drowned out by sheer musicality.....Director-choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge arranges the huge cast, nearly three dozen strong, in formations that snake with goosebump-raising authority around the Eisenhower Theater stage.....Ragtime" seems to work a bit better when the intermingling subplots, expertly k ... Full Review
| Nov 16, 2004PopMatters
And the sets are beautiful.....Even during poignant scenes, including Coalhouse's eventual breakdown.... ... Full Review
| May 21, 2002Fashion.ie, Ireland
The excelent Milos Forman timepiece on the 20's based on the Doctorow novel has a marvelous musical translation in this soundtrack close to perfection.
Ragtime" (the song listed on the soundtrack) is hauntingly beautiful - it really captures the feeling and mood of the time, and puts you right back there.
... Full Review
| Nov 24, 2000The Land of Eric
Ragtime" is easily as good as either of them.....The cast is excellent....the show is virtually flawless, from music to staging to the performances.....Mother and her Younger Brother (Sam Samuelson) are particularly strong characters amidst the larger-than-life historical ones..... ... Full Review
| Jan 01, 1981Chicago Sun-Times
That might have been a good film, too.....Pat O'Brien has two great scenes as a corrupt, world-weary lawyer.....The story develops quickly into a confrontation.....RAGTIME is a loving, beautifully mounted, graceful film that creates its characters with great clarity..... ... Full Review
News
Casting Announced for 'Ragtime' Revival
nytimes.com –
2009-08-27
The Washington, D.C. production of Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Terrence McNally's Ragtime is eyeing a Broadway berth, according to The Washington Post . The production, directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, is selling out at the Eisenhower Theatre... ... Full Article
Ragtime , the Tony Award-winning musical that fans say got a too-short Broadway run after its 1998 launch - in the same season as The Lion King - is coming back to the Great White Way. ... Full Article
Harry Potter Is PG Again! WATCHMEN Supplement TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER Is A "Grisly" R!
aintitcool.com –
2009-01-07
Last by sloanist Jan 7th, 2009 01:21:05 PM Loser Half Blood Prince had some dark stuff by Nickn328 Jan 7th, 2009 01:23:08 PM Like the scene where Dumbledore had to swallow that potion and he was in like all kinds... ... Full Article
Ragtime
popmatters.com –
2004-11-16
The Center under prez Michael Kaiser inserts at least one self-produced musical each season into its crowded schedule, invariably as polished as the touring productions that visit. ... Full Article

Ragtime (1981) 09/16
Ragtime (1981) 15/16

