Ragtime
Ragtime
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Synopsis

The lives and loves of a middle class family are set against the scandals and headlines of early 20th-century America. Howard Rollins, Jr., plays the black man involved in murder, Mary Steenburgen is the sweet middle-class woman, and Elizabeth McGovern is the beautiful chorus girl, in Milos Forman's entertaining transposition of the popular best-seller by E.L. Doctorow. Milos Forman---USA---1983---155 mins.

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  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
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   | Mark#58

Haven't watched this Milos Forman classic based on the E.L. Doctorow novel in many years but it holds up nicely. This is still quite the cinematic gem, and with an all-star (mostly) cast to boot. . The star of the vehicle, though, is Howard E. Rollins, Jr., as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., the Harlem jazz pianist whose self-righteous pride upends everybody's lives in this torrid turn-of-the-century potboiler. While Coalhouse's motivations seem somewhat dubious to many, Rollins plays him with a soulful determination that makes you root for him despite not necessarily agreeing with him. As Tateh, the Lithuanian immigrant who rises from poverty into a filmmaker, Mandy Patinkin plays him with an ebullient charm even though the character is really not as developed as he is in the musical. Plus, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-her Fran Drescher as Tateh's spurned wife who was forced into prostitution to raise money to feed their daughter! Elizabeth McGovern shines in an Oscar-nominated role as showgirl turned media whore Evelyn Nesbitt who entrances Mothers' Younger Brother (the always astounding and very much underpraised Brad Dourif), who's almost dalliance with the starlet leads to her eventual downfall. Plus, "Ragtime" boasts the final film appearance of celluloid legend James Cagney as the police commissioner who, although his scenes are limited due to failing health, still manages to light up the screen, albeit briefly. Is that Jeff Daniels in his first film role as a cop? Yes, it is! Is that Jeffrey DeMunn as Houdini? You betcha! Plus, Norman Mailer as a soon-to-be- assassinated Stanford White, with Debbie Allen as Coalhouse's doomed love, Sarah, thrown in for good measure. Wow! The movie holds up through the ages (it was made in 1981), so as a period piece it is essentially timeless. I consider this movie an epic and a classic and an essential piece of moviemaking. But in terms of storytelling, the musical is better.

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  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
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   | bigpicture#1

Definitely worthwhile. Adaptation is difficult and some major story lines were not able to be pursued but the one that was was very well done. Very fine actors.

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