Ragtime | Rotten Tomatoes

Ragtime

PG

Released Nov 20, 1981

2 hr. 35 min.

Drama

List

84%

19 Reviews

Tomatometer

76%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

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.

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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 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 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 out of 5 stars

08/25/23

Full Review

AJ B

While not as powerful as the musical and not as thoughtful as the novel, it still is an immersive story that truly integrates you to the early 20th century.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/25/21

Full Review

steve d

No one is developed enough to care.

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 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

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Milos Forman

Director

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

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Ragtime: Official Clip - Rhinelander Waldo

2:07

Ragtime: Official Clip - I Spent My Whole Life Forgetting

1:31

Ragtime: Official Clip - Atlantic City

2:01

Ragtime: Official Clip - Pay The Toll

2:06

Ragtime: Official Clip - Why Is She Tied Up?

1:24

Ragtime: Official Clip - Taking Over Morgan Library

2:11

Ragtime: Official Clip - Attack on Emerald Isle Firehouse

1:45

Ragtime: Official Clip - Baby in the Garden

1:38

Ragtime: Official Clip - Clean This Up

2:11

Ragtime: Official Clip - Such a Rage In My Heart

1:35

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

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

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

...it’s not exactly a crowd-pleaser at 155 mins, but as a consideration of the darker side of American history, specifically racism, it’s an absorbing and powerful watch for grown-up audiences...

Rated: 4/5

Jan 23, 2024

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

The film flounders in its rhythms, and the editing is sometimes jagged, suggesting that there should be more than there is

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 6, 2022

Full Review

Allison Rose

FlickDirect

There are so many terrific elements that make up Ragtime, it is difficult to figure out what to focus on first.

Rated: 4.5/5

Dec 2, 2021

Full Review

Peter Canavese

Celluloid Dreams

Somewhat disjointed, and while it doesn't quite get its hands around the novel, still enjoyable with a great cast. (Blu-ray includes the 19-minutes longer director's cut with the 4K restoration of the original theatrical release).

Rated: 3/4

Nov 26, 2021

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Although often episodic in nature, the picture manages to successfully link its various looks at a growing nation too giddy to address its mounting sins and scandals.

Rated: 3.5/4

Nov 21, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

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.

Director: Milos Forman
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Production Co: Dino De Laurentiis Company
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 20, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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