RAGTIME - The Movie

It's very different from the stage musical. I can think of few similarities besides Nesbit making an appearance in Atlantic City and Tateh introducing himself to the family there as the Baron. In spite of that, the Tateh-Little Girl storyline is really quite marginalized in the film. Some reviews from 1981 stated that the two major storylines were the "WASPs encounter with a black family" and "the adventures of showgirl Evelyn Nesbit." You should see it. It has a wonderful score and some memorable moments -- especially the shooting at Madison Square Garden and the opening sequence that involves Coalhouse playing ragtime piano for a silent newsreel. By no means is it a great film; the pacing is a bit off and unless you're a historian or have read the book, you won't understand the significance of most characters. But it's decent and has some strong points. I'd like to see it remade as a miniseries for HBO, A&E or another cable network that's comfortable with sex-heavy period pieces.

But anyway, it's good that you ask now because the film just came out on DVD. Cut scenes, a featurette on the making of the film, and commentary from the director and actors are included on the disc.

Updated On: 11/20/04 at 05:14 PM