“Ragtime is a loving, beautifully mounted, graceful film that creates its characters with great clarity. We understand where everyone stands, and most of the time we even know why.”
The film “Ragtime”is a tragicomic mosaic that follows several characters, including the black pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. When a group of white firemen attack and ruin Walker Jr.’s car, he unsuccessfully attempts to attain justice.
In order to defend his race’s dignity, Walker Jr. decides to ignore the advice of the police and take matters into his own hands. The film is set in the United States at the beginning of 20th century, which was a time full of hope and tragedy. This was a time when the American people were a melting pot of immigrants, groups of adventurers, artists and dreamers, and the nation was on the verge of becoming a world power.
About the movie
The film adaptation of the bestseller “Ragtime” by E. L. Doctorow takes us back to a period before the America we know was formed.
The film begins with a respectable trader who takes care of a little black boy and his lonely mother Sarah. The child’s father, the famous pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr., plans to marry Sarah, however his plans are interrupted when a group of volunteer firemen assult him and ruin his brand new car.
The police advise Walker Jr. to walk away from the crime, but he demands justice. The film culminates with the violent death of his fiancée.
Throughout the film, the trader who took care of Sarah and her son watches helplessly as everything falls apart. The trader tries to lead his life according to the principles and values of America’s founding fathers. Unfortunately, these principles fail in the face a changing society.
This material enabled Forman to work with themes that were familiar to him as an emigrant. Forman’s films typically focus on unlikely heroes who in spite of obstacles remain human. Nonetheless, Forman often focuses on the bizarre and touching rather than document a broader historical moment.
Trivia
- The legendary James Cagney came back from his acting retirement to play the role of Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo. Cagney acted in the film opposite his former co-star Pat O'Brien.
- The film depicts several historical figures (J. P. Morgan, Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, Emma Goldman and Stanford White) alongside fictional characters. For example, Evelyn Nesbit (Elizabeth McGovern) was a real beauty from high society who married the millionaire Harry K. Thaw. Thaw killed her lover (architect Stanford White) out of jealousy.
- The movie was nominated for eight Oscars, seven Golden Globes and a Grammy for best original soundtrack but it didn’t actually win any awards.
- Several celebrities appear in the film: Norman Mailer plays the role of Stanford White who was the architect of Madison Square Garden; Jack Nicholson plays an actor playing a pirate; And a young Samuel L. Jackson plays a member of the Coalhouse gang.
- Milos Forman cast a few of his Czech friends in the film: Jan Triska plays a reporter, and Pavel Landovsky plays Tateh’s wife’s lover.
- The film was produced by the famous producer Dino De Laurentiis who bought the rights for the bestseller by E. L. Doctorow.
- The producer Dino De Laurentiis considered two directors for “Ragtime”: Robert Altman and Milos Forman.
- When James Cagney appeared in “Ragtime” he was 81 years old. The real Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo was only 32 at the time the movie took place.
- Before “Ragtime” James Cagney hadn’t acted for quite a long time. During one of Forman’s visits in the actor’s house in Connecticut, he noticed that the only poster Cagney had in his house was for the original “Hair” on Broadway. Cagney’s friend declared that it as an omen and pushed the old man to read Forman’s new script. Forman offered him to choose the role he liked and Cagney chose the role of the police inspector.
- The role of Harry K. Thaw was originally meant for Jack Nicholson but he was too busy.
- Because the movie was too long a twenty-minute sequence that told the story of Emma Goldman was taken out. Although Forman defended the scene the film’s producer let the author of the novel E. L. Doctorow decide whether they should put it back it. After Doctorow watched the shortened version of the film, he said that he hadn´t missed anything, and so the sequence was omitted.
Milos Forman about the movie
- “Dino De Laurentiis had called me right after “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to ask if I’d be interested in adapting the novel “Ragtime” by E.L. Doctorow to film. I had read the book so I knew it was beautifully written. The novel was crawling with characters whose stories Doctorow sketched in and quickly moved on. There could have been several completely different movies made of the book, which was a challenge that excited me, so I took Dino up on his offer.”
- “I had some knowledge of Walker’s dilemma from Prague. In the everyday life of communist Czechoslovakia, you constantly found yourself before ignorant, powerful people who didn’t mind casually humiliating others. You risked your livelihood and maybe your life by defying them.”
- “I noticed that the famous architect Stanford White looked remarkably like Norman Mailer. He agreed and did a fine audition so I cast him as the architect. During the filming his scene I was as jittery at the prospect of directing the great and notorious author as he was about acting.”
Making of
Remembering Ragtime
19 min., color
© 2004 Light & Source production
Soundtrack
Ragtime (1981 Film Soundtrack)
| Music: | Randy Newman, C. Freeman, E. Woolfe |
| Recorded: | Amigo and Evergreen Studios, Los Angeles, California |
| © 1981 Elektra / Records and Types (LP) © 2002 Elektra Entertainment, Rhino Entertainment, Warner Music Group, AOL Time Warner Comp. (CD, digitally remastered) |
|
LP/CD
-
Main Title 01:30 -
Newsreel 01:31 -
I Could Love a Million Girls 02:01 -
Train Ride 01:52 -
Tateh's Picture Book 01:41 -
Lower East Side 01:09 -
Delmonico Polka 01:02 -
Coalhouse and Sarah 01:36 -
Waltz for Evelyn 01:06 -
One More Hour
Singer: Jennifer Warnes02:47 -
Sarah's Responsibility 00:54 -
Change Your Way 02:01 -
Clef Club No. 1 01:42 -
Atlantic City 02:14 -
Clef Club No. 2 01:20 -
Sarah's Funeral 01:14 -
Dénouement 05:41 -
Ragtime 02:47 -
Ragtime Theme (Demo)
(bonus on remastered CD)02:36
Reviews
English
Variety
Chicago Sun Times (Roger Ebert)
DigitalyObsessed.com (Mark Zimmer)
Time Out
Spirituality & Practice (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
DVD Movie Guide (Colin Jacobson)
Past Picks Online (Jimmy Gillman)
The Onion A.V. Club (Keith Phipps)
Time (Richard Corliss)
German
Moviepilot.de
Lovefilm.de
Cinema.de
Kino.de
Locations
USA
-
New York City, New York
- 81 West Main Street, Mount Kisco
- The house of a fireworks trader. Their maid finds an abandoned black baby. The family takes care of the baby and mother. Coalhouse meets his fiancée, Sarah.
- Public Baths and attached block of houses, East of 11th Street
- Evelyn Nesbit meets Tateh.
- Bedford
- A Firehouse. Volunteer firemen block Coalhouse’s car.
- St Luke's Place, Greenwich Village, Manhattan
- Tateh goes to Philadelphia with his daughter. In Philadelphia he sells his idea of moving pictures to a trader.
-
Spring Lake, New Jersey
- Promenade in front of Essex and Sussex Hotel
- The fireworks trader’s family takes refuge in Atlantic City with the Coalhouse’s baby.
Great Britain
-
Shepperton, Surrey
- Film Studios Shepperton
- Coalhouse barricades himself in the library and threatens to blow it up (Morgan’s Library).
-
London
- The police surround Morgan’s Library.
Awards
| Event | Place | Award | Category | W/N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | ||||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (7th Annual) | Los Angeles USA | LAFCA (Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award) |
Best Music Score Randy Newman |  |
| 1982 | ||||
| Oscar® - Academy Awards (54th Annual) | Los Angeles USA | Oscar® |
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Howard E. Rollins Jr. ("Coalhouse Walker Jr.") |  |
|
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Elizabeth McGovern ("Evelyn Nesbit") | | |||
|
Best Art Direction Art Direction John Graysmark, Patrizia Von Brandenstein, Anthony Reading Set Decoration George De Titta Sr., George De Titta Jr. Peter Howitt | | |||
|
Best Cinematography Miroslav Ondricek | | |||
|
Best Costume Design Anna Hill Johnstone | | |||
|
Best Music (Original Score) Randy Newman | | |||
|
Best Music (Original Song) "One More Hour" Music and Lyric by Randy Newman | | |||
|
Best Adapted Screenplay Michael Weller | |
|||
| Golden Globe Awards (39th Annual) | Los Angeles USA | Golden Globe |
Best Motion Picture (Drama) Dino De Laurentiis | |
|
Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Mary Steenburgen ("Mother") | | |||
|
Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture Howard E. Rollins Jr. ("Coalhouse Walker Jr.") | | |||
|
Best Director - Motion Picture Milos Forman | | |||
|
Best Original Song - Motion Picture "One More Hour" Music & Lyrics by Randy Newman | | |||
|
New Star Of The Year (Actress) Elizabeth McGovern ("Evelyn Nesbit") | | |||
|
New Star Of The Year (Actor) Howard E. Rollins Jr. ("Coalhouse Walker Jr.") | |
|||
| BAFTA Awards (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts) | London United Kingdom | BAFTA Film |
Best Original Song "One More Hour" Randy Newman | |
| The NAACP Image Awards | Los Angeles USA | Image Award |
Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Moses Gunn ("Booker T. Washington") | |
| Best Motion Picture | |
|||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Los Angeles USA | Writers Guild Award (Screen) |
Best Adapted Drama Michael Weller | |
| 1983 | ||||
| Grammy Awards (25th Annual) | Los Angeles USA | Grammy |
Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special Randy Newman | |
| 2003 | ||||
| The International Press Academy's Satellite Awards (9th Annual) | Los Angeles USA | Satellite Awards - New Media | Classic DVD - Paramount | |
Credits
| Paramount A Gulf + Western Company | |
| Dino de Laurentis presents | |
| A Sunley Production | |
| Based on the novel by E. L. Doctorow | |
| Screenplay by | Michael Weller |
| Produced by | Dino de Laurentis |
| Directed by | Milos Forman |
| New York Police Commissioner Rheinlander Waldo | James Cagney |
Starring |
|
| Younger Brother | Brad Dourif |
| Booker T. Washington | Moses Gunn |
| Evelyn Nesbit | Elizabeth McGovern |
| Willie Conklin | Kenneth McMillan |
| Delmas | Pat O'Brien |
| Evelyn's Dance Instructor | Donald O'Connor |
| Father | James Olson |
| Tateh | Mandy Patinkin |
| Coalhouse Walker Jr. | Howard E. Rollins Jr. |
| Mother | Mary Steenburgen |
| Sarah | Debbie Allen |
| Houdini | Jeff Demunn |
| Harry K. Thaw | Robert Joy |
| Scanford White | Norman Mailer |
| Music by | Randy Newman |
| Executive Producers | Michael Hausman, Bernard Williams |
| Associate Producer | Frederic M. Sidewater |
| Director of Photography | Miroslav Ondricek |
| Production Designer | John Graysmark |
| Costume Designer | Anna Hill Johnstone |
| Art Directors | Patrizia von Brandenstein (USA) |
| Anthony Reading (UK) | |
| Film Editors | Anne V. Coates, Antony Gibbs (UK) |
| Stanley Warnow (USA) | |
| Choreographer | Twyla Tharp |
| Production Manager | Pat Churchill (USA) |
| First Assistant Director | Michael Hausman |
| Second Assistant Director | Joel Tuber (USA) |
| Production Manager | Malcolm Christopher (UK) |
| Second Assistant Directors | Michael Stevenson, Andy Armstrong, Ken Touhy (UK) |
| Set Decorators | George De Titta Sr., George De Titta Jr. (USA) |
| Peter Howitt (UK) | |
| Assistant Art Directors | John Dapper, May Callas (USA) |
| Steve Spence, Ted Clements (UK) | |
| Casting | Mary Goldberg (USA) |
| Maggie Cartier (UK) | |
| Hair by | Leonard of London |
| Property Master | Joe Caracciolo Jr. |
| Gaffer Electricians | Richard Quinlan (USA) |
| Maurice Gillette (UK) | |
| Key Grip | Ed Quinn |
| Special Effects Supervisors | Ed Drohan (USA) |
| George Gibbs (UK) | |
| Makeup Artist | Max Henriquez, Joe Cuervo (USA) |
| Paul Engelen, Peter Frampton (UK) | |
| Hairdressers | Robert Grimaldi, Frank Bianco (USA) |
| Colin Jamison, Stephanie Hall (UK) | |
| Associate Costume Designers | Peggy Farrell, John Boyt (USA) |
| Wardrobe Supervisors | Marilyn Putnam (USA) |
| Ron Beck (UK) | |
| Wardrobe Assistants | Janet Tebrooke, Ian Hickinbottom (UK) |
| Bill Christians (USA) | |
| Camera Operator | Thomas A. Priestley Jr. |
| Camera Assistants | Vinnie Gerardo (USA) |
| Douglas Milsome (UK) | |
| 2nd Camera Operators | Ronald M. Lautore (USA) |
| Peter MacDonald (UK) | |
| Script Supervisor | Martha Pinson |
| Sound Mixer | Chris Newman |
| Boom Operators | Dennis Maitland II (USA) |
| Ken Weston, Roland Fowles (UK) | |
| Dubbing Mixer | Gerry Humphreys |
| Sound Editors | Les Wiggins, Archie Ludski |
| Assistant Sound Editors | Terry Busby, Nigel Galt |
| Post-Production Co-Ordinator | Roberta Friedman (USA) |
| Associate Editor | Nena Danevic (USA) |
| Assistant Editors | Leslie Gaulin, Patrick Mullins (USA) |
| Peter Honess, Chris Kelly, Patrick Moore (UK) | |
| Location Managers | Richard Brick (USA) |
| Terry Needham (UK) | |
| Production Co-Ordinator | Golda Offenheim |
| Production Office Co-Ordinator | Adeline Leonard Seakwood (USA) |
| Production Secretary | Marilyse Morgan (UK) |
| Location Co-Ordinators (USA) | David Ticotin, Lee Mayes, Shawn Hausman, Regge Life, Carol Cuddy, Christopher Goode |
| Assistant to Mr. Cagney | Marge Zimmerman |
| Assistant to Mr. Forman | Amy Ness |
| Consultant to Mr. Forman | Miroslav Hajek |
| Special Photographer | Mary Ellen Mark |
| Supervising Accountant | Len Barnard |
| Production Accountant | Mary Breen-Farrelly |
| Assistant Accountant (NY) | Martha Schumacher |
| Assistant Choreographer | Terry Gilbert |
| Researcher | Charles Musser |
| Music Coach to Mr. Rollins | Stanley Cowell |
| Casting Associate | Patricia Golden (USA) |
| Unit Publicist | Gordon Arnell |
| Publicity Assistant | June Broom |
| Still Cameramen | Bob Penn, Muky Munkacsi |
| Process Photography | Charles D. Staffell |
| Construction Managers | Vic Simpson (UK) |
| Carlos Quiles Sr. (USA) | |
| Property Master | Bert Hearn (UK) |
| Property Buyer | John Lanzer (UK) |
| Scenic Artists | Edward Garzero (USA) |
| Ted Michell (UK) | |
| Head Construction Grip | Joe Williams Sr. (UK) |
| Camera Grip | Tony Gridlin (UK) |
| Stunt Co-Ordinator | Vic Magnotta (USA) |
| Trasport Captains | James J. Fanning (USA) |
| Gerald Makein (UK) | |
| Music Recorded at | Amigo and Evergreen Studios Los Angeles, California |
| Music Editor | John Strauss |
| Music Consultant | Gilbert Marouani |
| Orchestrations | Jack Hayes |
| Song "One More Hour" | Words & Music by Randy Newman |
| Sung by Jennifer Warnes | |
| Sound Track Available on | Elektra / Asylum, Records and Types |
| Main & End Titles Produced and Designed by | R. Greenberg Associates, New York City |
| Recorded at Twickenham Film Studios London | |
| Filmed in Todd-Ao® | |
| Color by Technicolor® | |
| Jerome | Bruce Boa |
| Brigit | Hoolihan Burke |
| Gent No. 1 - Agent | Norman Chancer |
| Grandfather | Edwin Cooper |
| P.C. O'Donnell | Jeff Daniels |
| Mameh | Fran Drescher |
| Gang Member No. 1 | Frankie Faison |
| Police Captaing No. 1 | Hal Galili |
| Judge | Alan Gifford |
| Delmas Assistant No. 1 | Richard Griffiths |
| Gang Member No. 2 | Samuel L. Jackson |
| Special Reporter | Michael Jeter |
| Gang Member No. 3 | Calvin Levels |
| Old Lady (T.O.C.) | Bessie Love |
| Police Captaing No. 2 | Christopher Malcolm |
| Vernon Elliott | Herman Meckler |
| Delmas Assistant No. 2 | Billy J. Mitchell |
| Little Girl | Jenny Nichols |
| Little Boy | Max Nichols |
| Gent No. 2 - Manager | Zack Norman |
| Mrs. Thaw | Eloise O'Brien |
| Inspector Mc Neil | Don Plumley |
| Black Lawyer | Ted Ross |
| Gang Member No. 4 | Dorsey Wright |
| Foreman of the Jury | Robert Arden |
| Teddy Roosevelt | Robert Boyd |
| Vice President Fairbanks | Thomas A. Carlin |
| Plainclothes Detective No. 1 | John Clarkson |
| Fireman No. 1 | Brian E. Dean |
| County Clerk | Harry Ditson |
| Gent with Stanford White | Robert Dorning |
| Police Guard (T.O.C.) | Geoffrey Greenhill |
| Policeman No. 12 | Ray Hassett |
| Plainclothes Detective No. 2 | Robert Hitt |
| Sleek Male Dancer | Rodney James |
| Band Leader, Clef Club | George Harris |
| Novelty Shop Storeman | George J. Manos |
| Clef Club Manager | Val Pringle |
| Doctor Muller | Ron Weyand |
| Evelyn's Driver | Sonny Abagnale |
| Waldo's Aide No. 1 | John Alderson |
| Policeman No. 5 | Nesbitt Blaisdell |
| Rabbi | Chaim Blatter |
| J. P. Morgan | Donald Bisset |
| Stunt Fireman | Joe Cirillo |
| Fireman No. 3 | Josh Clark |
| Desk Clerk | Robert Coffin |
| Waldo's Aide No. 3 | Patrick Connor |
| Policeman No. 11 | Joel Cutrara |
| Fireman No. 2 | Jake Dengel |
| Stage Manager | Barry Dennen |
| Woman No. 1 | Natalia Dobrer |
| Stunt Fireman | Frank Ferrara |
| Stock Reporter | Daniel Foley |
| Elderly Woman | Gretchen Franklin |
| Stunt Fireman | Nick Giangiulio |
| Thug No. 2 | Pat Gorman |
| Black Butler No. 2 | Guy Gregory |
| Thug No. 1 | Dave Griffiths |
| Policeman No. 13 | Jeff Harding |
| Elderly Man | Robert Henderson |
| Lawyer's Female Companion No. 1 | Collette Hiller |
| Policeman No 7 | Patrick M. Hughes |
| Lawyer's Female Companion No. 2 | Elaine Ives-Cameron |
| Policeman No. 3 | Andreas Katsulas |
| Police Sergeant | Douglas Lambert |
| Solomon Peretz | Pavel Landovsky |
| Lady with Stanford White | Norris Mailer |
| Waldo's Aide No. 2 | Derek Martin |
| Maitre D' | Al Matthews |
| Marksman | Stuart Milligan |
| Stock Reporter | Richard Oldfield |
| Woman in Window | Nelly Polissky |
| Thug No. 4 | Mike Potter |
| Policeman No. 9 | Anthony Powell |
| Guard at Family House | Ethan Phillips |
| Policeman No. 8 | Joe Praml |
| Fireman | John Ratzenberger |
| Gent No. 3 - Lawyer | Bill Reimbold |
| Policeman No. 10 | Bob Sherman |
| Stock Reporter | Tony Sibbald |
| Thug No. 3 | Stan Simmons |
| Libary Guard | John Sterland |
| Special Reporter | Jan Triska |
| Reporter | Burnell Tucker |
| Black Butler No. 3 | Britt Walker |
| Stock Reporter | Peter Whitman |
| Conductor | Edward Wiley |
The Producers would like to thank |
|
| The Mayor's Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, New York City | |
| The New York City Police Department, Movie-TV Unit for all their kind co-operation during the making of this film | |
Made by Tagtime Productions on location in |
|
| New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, USA | |
| London locations and at Shepperton Studio Centre, England | |
| © 1981 Sunley Holdings | |
