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Dominican Rep. Ragtime
- Original title
- Ragtime
- Year
- 1981
- Running time
- 155 min.
- Country
United States- Director
- Screenwriter
- Michael Weller. Novel: E. L. Doctorow
- Cast
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- Howard E. Rollins Jr.
Moses Gunn
James Cagney
Brad Dourif
Elizabeth McGovern
Kenneth McMillan
Pat O'Brien
Donald O´Connor
James Olson
Mandy Patinkin
Mary Steenburgen
Debbie Allen
Jeffrey DeMunn- See all credits
- Music
- Cinematography
- Producer
- Genre
- Drama | Racism. Family Relationships. 1900s. Jazz
- Movie Groups
- E.L. Doctorow Adaptations
- Synopsis
- Based on the acclaimed and popular E.L. Doctorow novel, RAGTIME tells the intricate story of four New York families--three of which are fictional--at the turn of the 20th century, each indicative of that time in American history, and highlighting some of the downsides of following the American Dream. Starving immigrant artist Tateh (Mandy Patinkin) will eventually set off to make his fortune in Hollywood, but not without a chance encounter with Evelyn Nesbit (Elizabeth McGovern in the role of the real-life showgirl). Nesbit was the center of the infamous (and, in the film, the very compelling) Thaw-White murder case, in which her mentally unstable millionare husband Harry K. Thaw (Robert Joy) murdered her lover, the famed architect Stanford White (Norman Mailer). Another storyline follows the disintegration of an upper-class American family headed by Mary Steenburgen (simply named Mother) and James Olson (Father). Their seemingly perfect existence is shattered when black ragtime pianist Coalhouse Walker (Howard E. Rollins), loosely modeled on Scott Joplin, begins to romance a pregnant young woman living in their home (Debbie Allen). Walker, a dignified man, turns to rage when he is tormented by local racists. One of the most impressive moments in this ambitious film is the appearance of veteran actor James Cagney who, at 81, plays feisty Police Commissioner Waldo.
- Awards
-
1982: BAFTA Awards: Nominated for Best Original Song (One More Hour)1981: 8 Nominations for Oscar, including Supporting Actor (E. Rollins Jr.), Supporting Actress (McGovern)1981: Golden Globes: 7 Nominations, including Best Film - Drama1981: New York Film Critics Circle: Nominated for Best Supp. Actor (E. Rollins Jr.)1981: Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Music Score1981: Writers Guild of America (WGA): Nominated for Best Adapted Drama Screenplay
- Critics' reviews
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"'Ragtime' is a loving, beautifully mounted, graceful film that creates its characters with great clarity."
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"The movie is sorrowful, funny and beautiful. It is also, finally, very unsatisfactory"
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"Except for the evocative sets and Randy Newman's upbeat musical score, Ragtime is better read than seen."
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"The page-turning joys of E.L. Doctorow's bestselling Ragtime (...) have been realized almost completely in Milos Forman's superbly crafted screen adaptation"
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