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Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

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Ragtime Photos

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Movie Info

A kaleidoscope of tales from E.L. Doctorow's eponymous novel evokes life in pre-World War I New York City. A white family find a black baby in their yard and takes on the mother as a maid. A black pianist, Coalhouse Walker Jr. (Howard E. Rollins Jr.), returns for his woman and child after finding success in a Harlem jazz band. Firefighters, dismayed to see a black man own a Model-T Ford, deface it, and Walker demands retribution. The white family becomes involved in Evelyn Nesbit's trial.

Rating:

PG
Genre:

drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

Milos Forman
Producer:

Dino De Laurentiis
Release Date (Streaming):

Nov 30, 2016
Runtime:

2h 35m
Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Cast & Crew

James Cagney
Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo

Howard E. Rollins Jr.
Coalhouse Walker Jr.

Elizabeth McGovern
Evelyn Nesbit

Brad Dourif
Younger Brother

Moses Gunn
Booker T. Washington

Kenneth McMillan
Willie Conklin

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Critic Reviews for Ragtime

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (1)

The great achievement of Ragtime is in its performances, especially Howard E. Rollins, Jr. and the changes he goes through in this story.

October 23, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Forman's deft handling of Weller's teeming screenplay is a testament to his skill as a filmmaker.

May 27, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Larry Vitacco
Philadelphia Gay News
A most enjoyable and sometimes splendid movie, which blends its artistic and social concerns with assurance, ingenuity and an unfaltering sense of rhythm.

November 20, 2019 | Full Review…

Rick Chatenever
Santa Cruz Sentinel
The main attraction of this movie is its ability to surprise the public. [Full Review in Spanish]

August 22, 2019 | Full Review…

Diego Galán
El Pais (Spain)
Sporadically engaging, Milos Forman's chronicle of American society and culture in the beginning of the twentieth century is too sprawling and dramatically diffuse, though some of the acting is excellent.

July 10, 2011 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Great to see very late Cagney in solid Milos Forman film.

March 22, 2008 | Rating: 4/5

Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com
Quote not available.

March 1, 2008 | Rating: 5/5

David Kaplan
Kaplan vs. Kaplan
Quote not available.

July 3, 2005 | Rating: 3/5

Brandon Judell
PopcornQ
a jumbled and largely uninteresting mess

November 15, 2004 | Rating: 3/5

Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com
A robust screen adaptation of Doctorow's novel about class warfare, social change, and the gap between the rich and the poor

July 1, 2004 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality & Practice
Quote not available.

June 19, 2003 | Rating: 4/5

Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
Fine, sprawling period piece. A great swan song for Cagney.

May 12, 2003 | Rating: 4/5

Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

View All Critic Reviews (13)

Audience Reviews for Ragtime

Apr 18, 2018

Doctorow's novel is a tricky thing to adapt, especially with its deliberately elusive ideas about America. Inevitably a lot of materiel was cut or truncated in this movie but there is a lot to admire in Forman's vision here. His focus on the characters inspires a lot of empathy, more than usual in these kinds of period pieces.

Alec B Super Reviewer
Jan 02, 2008

It drags here and there but mostly a fine epic film

jay n Super Reviewer