Ragtime (1981)
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90% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
73% of users liked it
(2,743 ratings)
Milos Foreman's cinematic adaptation of E.L. Doctrow's sprawling pop-culture epic Ragtime follows a variety of characters whose lives intertwine during the earliest years of the 20th century. Brad Dourif plays the meek young brother in a wealthy family who ends up helping Coalhouse Walker… More Milos Foreman's cinematic adaptation of E.L. Doctrow's sprawling pop-culture epic Ragtime follows a variety of characters whose lives intertwine during the earliest years of the 20th century. Brad Dourif plays the meek young brother in a wealthy family who ends up helping Coalhouse Walker Jr. (Howard E. Rollins) when the proud black man stands up to the racism that surrounds him with a criminal act that leads to a standoff with a police commissioner (James Cagney - making his return to the big screen after fifteen years away). Secondary characters include a street artist (Mandy Patinkin) who gets his foot in the door of the nascent film business, and a flighty young woman (Elizabeth McGovern) who inspires men who desire her to violence. Randy Newman composed the score, which included a song that earned him his first Oscar nomination. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- Directed By
- Milos Forman
- Written By
- Michael Weller
- Genres
- Drama
- In Theaters
- Nov 20, 1981 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Pictures
Critic Reviews
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
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.
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Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com
Great to see very late Cagney in solid Milos Forman film.
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Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
a jumbled and largely uninteresting mess
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A robust screen adaptation of Doctorow's novel about class warfare, social change, and the gap between the rich and the poor
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Fine, sprawling period piece. A great swan song for Cagney.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
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Cast
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James Cagney
as NY Police Commissioner Rheinlander
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Brad Dourif
as Younger Brother
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Moses Gunn
as Booker T. Washington
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Elizabeth McGovern
as Evelyn Nesbit
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Kenneth McMillan
as Willie Conklin
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Pat O'Brien
as Delmas
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Donald O'Connor
as Evelyn's Dance Instructor
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James Olson
as Father
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Mandy Patinkin
as Tateh
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Howard E. Rollins Jr.
as Coalhouse Walker Jr.
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Mary Steenburgen
as Mother
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Debbie Allen
as Sarah
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Jeffrey DeMunn
as Houdini
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Robert Joy
as Harry K. Thaw
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Norman Mailer
as Stanford White
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Bruce Boa
as Jerome
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Hoolihan Burke
as Brigit
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Edwin Cooper
as Grandfather
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Jeff Daniels
as P.C. O'Donnell
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Fran Drescher
as Mameh
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Bessie Love
as Old Lady (T.O.C.)
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Herman Meckler
as Vernon Elliott
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Jenny Nichols
as Little Girl
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Max Nichols
as Little Boy
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Eloise O'Brien
as Mrs. Thaw
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Don Plumley
as Inspector McNeil
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Ted Ross
as Black Lawyer
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Norman Chancer
as Agent
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Zack Norman
as Manager
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Bill Reimbold
as Lawyer
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Frankie Faison
as Gang Member
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Samuel L. Jackson
as Gang Member
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Calvin Levels
as Gang Member No. 3
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Dorsey Wright
as Gang Member
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Hal Galili
as Police Captain
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Christopher Malcolm
as Police Captain
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Billy Mitchell
as Delmas's Assistant
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Robert Arden
as Foreman of the Jury
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Robert Boyd
as Theodore Roosevelt
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Thomas A. Carlin
as Vice President Fairbanks
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Harry Ditson
as County Clerk
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Robert Dorning
as Man with Stanford White
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Norris Mailer
as Woman with Stanford White
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Geoffrey Greenhill
as Police Guard (T.O.C.)
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Douglas Lambert
as Police Sergeant
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Ray Hassett
as Policeman
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Nesbitt Blaisdell
as Policeman
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Joel Cutrara
as Policeman
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Jeff Harding
as Policeman
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Patrick M. Hughes
as Policeman
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Andreas Katsulas
as Policeman
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Anthony Powell
as Policeman
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Joe Praml
as Policeman
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Bob Sherman
as Policeman
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Rodney James
as Sleek Male Dancer
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George Harris
as Band Leader Clef Club
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George J. Manos
as Novelty Shop Storeman
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Val Pringle
as Chef Club Manager
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Ron Weyand
as Dr. Muller
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John Clarkson
as Plainclothes Detective
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Robert Hitt
as Plainclothes Detective
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E. Brian Dean
as Fireman
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Josh Clark
as Fireman
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Jake Dengel
as Fireman
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John Ratzenberger
as Fireman
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Sonny Abagnale
as Evelyn's Driver
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Chaim Blatter
as Rabbi
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Donald Bisset
as J.P. Morgan
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John Alderson
as Waldo's Aide
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Patrick Connor
as Waldo's Aide
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Derek Martin
as Waldo's Aide
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Robert Coffin
as Desk Clerk
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Guy Gregory
as Black Butler
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Britt Walker
as Black Butler
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Pat Gorman
as Thug
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Dave Griffiths
as Thug
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Mike Potter
as Thug
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Stan Simmons
as Thug
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Barry Dennen
as Stage Manager
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Natalia Dobrer
as Woman
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Tony Sibbald
as Stock Reporter
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Peter Witman
as Stock Reporter
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Daniel Foley
as Stock Reporter
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Richard Oldfield
as Stock Reporter
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Gretchen Franklin
as Elderly Woman
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Robert Henderson
as Elderly Man
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Pavel Landovsky
as Solomon Peretz
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Al Matthews
as maitre d'
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Stuart Mulligan
as Marksman
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Colette Hiller
as Lawyer's Female Companion
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Elaine Ives-Cameron
as Ina Lawyer's Female Companion
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Nelly Polissky
as Woman in Window
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Ethan Phillips
as Guard at Family House
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John Sterland
as Library guard
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Michael Jeter
as Special reporter
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Jan Triska
as Special reporter
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Burnell Tucker
as Reporter
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Ed Wiley
as Conductor
