Ragtime

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Mark P It was a good watch, but didn't capture the feel of the book it came. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/09/24 Full Review Alec B 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. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/05/24 Full Review matthias s "Ragtime" is a mixed bag of cinematic delights, deserving a solid three stars. The film boasts exceptional acting that truly brings its characters to life. From Coalhouse Walker's passionate portrayal to Mother's endearing grace, the cast excels. The soundtrack is a standout feature, weaving the titular genre into the narrative seamlessly. It's a toe-tapping delight that adds to the film's charm. The setting and costumes transport you to the early 20th century with incredible detail. However, the story's slow pacing can make it hard to stay fully captivated throughout. The film's portrayal of racism, while well-executed, might leave you with a heavy heart. The third act is where "Ragtime" shines the brightest, wrapping up the tale with a satisfying crescendo of drama and emotion. All in all, it's a film worth watching for its strong elements, even if it doesn't hit all the right notes. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/18/23 Full Review John A This early 80's historical drama taking place in early 20th century America deals with some bold themes to varying effects. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 08/25/23 Full Review steve d No one is developed enough to care. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member How does one follow up films as wonderful as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) and Hair (1979)? In Milos Forman's case he adapted E.L. Doctorow's doorstop novel into a film that cuts out multiple storylines and chooses instead to take on racial divisions and the greatness of America as a cultural melting pot. He brings together an eclectic, talented cast for a film that provides them with a diverse set of roles to play that essentially serve as a cross section of American society in the early 20th century. I was fascinated by the film but as with any anthology film there are certain characters and storylines that you are more interested in than others and some that you wish the film had dropped. Fireworks producer Younger Brother, Brad Dourif, has an affair with childish showgirl Evelyn Nesbit, Elizabeth McGovern, who is married to the volatile businessman Harry Kendall Thaw, who had killed her former lover Stanford White, Norman Mailer. Nesbit breaks up with him after Thaw is acquitted of his charges and he is left saddened but he is supported by his sister, known as Mother, Mary Steenburgen, and her husband Father, James Olson. His family interacts with poor African-American musician Coalhouse Walker Jr., Howard E. Rollins, Jr., when they are asked to adopt his child but Walker chooses to take on the child himself. When Walker is the victim of an attack on his car by a racist fireman and a police officer he and several other African-Americans murder firemen and then hold a library hostage. Father and political figures like Booker T. Washington, Moses Gunn, try to bargain with Walker but he is resolute and is shot dead for his actions. Meanwhile a romance blossoms between the shy Mother and Jewish immigrant and single father Tateh, Mandy Patinkin. Tateh is the character that we most identify with as he begins the film down on his luck but achieves the American dream through hard work and persistence. His quiet romance with Mother is also compelling as she breaks free from societal expectations by marrying him and finds somebody who understands her progressive political views. Steenburgen plays Mother as a quiet little woman who fears defying her husband but has enough good sense and intelligence to know that he is not always correct. We often view her from afar as there is a mysterious air about her as well as a power but in a few revealing close ups Steenburgen displays all of the turmoil she is experiencing as she considers an extramarital affair. Forman intelligently never foregrounds the relationship as although he acknowledges the attraction between the two characters he cares about them more as individuals and so we see how their frustration with the restrictions of society builds before being let go when they meet one another. Forman has an eye for the look of the time period as there is a richness to the elegant homes on the New York seashore and the comparatively rural house inhabited by the central family. The production designer clearly worked hard to add specificity to all of the little touches in the rooms that the characters inhabit from paintings on the wall to the toys crafted by Tateh. The moody cinematography of Miroslav Ondricek could easily have submerged the film in an overly bleak tone as the blues and whites present on screen can become suffocating after a while but the interiors of the film have a warmth that brightens up the film and gives us glimpses at the humanity of the most deplorable characters in the film. As a director he could never be faulted for the technical direction he provides and this film is no exception as it is handsomely mounted and expertly shot. There are significant flaws however as McGovern gives a dreadful performance as Nesbit and the film is overly long. In her role as the infamous showgirl who entranced so many men you want McGovern to show why this woman was such a sensation and what drives her in life. Instead she plays her as a brain dead, childlike girl with her ugly downturned mouth barely managing to get out the words in scenes where she is meant to be dominating a room. Her Best Supporting Actress nomination is confusing and I am glad that her career largely died before the television show Downton Abbey became popular in the 2010s. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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