Ragtime-Milos Forman-1981
Dino de Laurentis recruited Forman for this film. Forman gathered together many of his behind the screen team to make the film. E.L. Doctorow was a very prominent novelist best known for historical fiction which mixed historical characters with fictional ones. "Ragtime" has multiple stories. Forman wanted to work with him, but Doctorow wanted to cover all the stories. He hoped for a mini-series, Forman wanted to make a movie. ghtght
I like this film much more than most critics and the IMDb responders. This is a beautiful film with some top flight performances. However, the sumof the parts is greater than the whole. I failed to find a free streaming option. If your library has a copy, the extras are excellent.
For many actors including Samuel Jackson, Jeff Daniels, Elisabeth Montgomery this was there first film. Harold Rollins made the most of his role as Coalhouse Walker a ragtime pianist who worked with a popular band. Walker had a child with Sarah (Deborah Allen), but he l
leaves her because he is without steady employment. When he gains full time employment with a popular band; he seeks out Sarah and his child.
Sarah and her son were taken in by a wealthy white couple ( Mother -Mary Steenbergen and Father-James Olson). Walker's manners and behaviors initially put off the family because he is self confident and well spoken. He also pushes himself forward; although he is polite; he is not deferential. Rollins portrayal is nuanced, but early on there are signs that his pride makes him his own worst enemy. He has prospered enough to buy one of the first Model T's. He drive out from the city to New Rochelle. His route takes him past a volunteer fire house. The firemen are Irish American and very racist. They block the road. Coalhouse leaves to get help from the police. He returns with a sergeant (Jeff Daniels). The car is no longer in front of the fire station, The fireman have dirtied it including putting horse manure on the seats. The policeman tries to convince Coalhouse to drive away, but his pride makes him demand the firemen clean his car. The firemen claim that he was blocking the road and preventing the fire engine being able to answer a call. The policeman knows if this goes to court that Coalhouse will lose. He can't ignore the claim and is forced to arrest Coalhouse. He is a true tragic hero in the Greek tradition ;his fatal flaw is his pride. This prevents his marriage to Sarah; she dies trying to bring his case to the highest authority. Coalhouse tries valiantly to gain legal redress; when this fails he turns to seeking "Justice" through violence.
Walker recruits a gang and engages in attacks on fire stations which result in several deaths. He leaves his job and goes into hiding. The brother-in-law (Brad Dourif) designs fireworks and says he will make explosives for Walker. The gang seizes the J.P. Morgan library. Coalhouse makes two demands: 1) his car is returned in pristine condition, and 2) that the firehouse captain, Willie Conklin (Kenneth McMillian) be turned over to him for his justice.
The film begins with newsreels showing famous figures like Harry Houdini. We see Walker playing the piano to accompany the news reel.
There is one story in the newsreel which connects several strands of the story. Stanford White, a prominent architect and serial abuser of young women, is publicly executed by Henry Thaw (Robert Tory). Thaw a Pittsburg millionaire who was emotionally disturbed,was married to Evelyn Nesbit who was one of White's victims. Evelyn Nesbit is used as a bridge to other stories. The brother-in-law becomes romantically involved with her. Nesbit meets a street corner silhouette artist who later becomes a movie director (Mandy Patinkin). He becomes involved with the wife.
Probably the most remarkable piece of casting was convincing James Cagney to play Rhinelander Waldo, the commissioner of police. Waldo is a real character, but he was 32. Cagney hadn't made a film since "One, Two, Three" twenty years before. He was 80, in constant pain,and he couldn't walk. The film needed a big name to sell in Europe. I love Cagney, and this is a fitting way to close a great career. Of course the Coalhouse Walker story is fiction, but the settings are period accurate as are the costumes.
This film has an almost endless series of good stories. Doctorow hated everything but the first 10 minutes. It of course was a rare prestige film with major roles for black actors. How often does the main protagonist become a terrorist? I'm not sure why I fail to give this film my highest rating. Ebert gave it 3 1/2 stars, not 4. His review is a little confused as to the why. Very highly recommended. Making this film was a huge challenge; Forman in his comments 15 years ago, says the film wouldn't be made today. Forman was drawn to the Coalhouse story because of his experiences under the Nazis and Communists in Czechoslovakia. People just didn't stand up for their rights. The score by Randy Newman captures the emerging popular music of the early 20th century. Scott Joplin is only the most famous composer; the music crossed over the oceans and even into classical music. Don't encourage me further.
