Ragtime Reviews

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... Read more

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... Read more

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.... Read more

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... Read more

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... Read more

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,... Read more

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,... Read more

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... Read more

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... Read more

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... Read more