list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Ragtime on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Ragtime/28009/default.aspx Title: Ragtime
Year: 1981
Director: Milos Forman
Plot: E. L. Doctorow's novel Ragtime was a sprawling fictional account of American manners and mores in the years between 1900 and 1913. Among the mosaic of colorful factual and fictional characters in the novel were escape artist Harry Houdini and radical Emma Goldman. Both characters are all but eliminated in the film version, which only concentrates on three of Doctorow's many plot threads: The story of an immigrant artist (Mandy Patinkin) who becomes a movie director; the saga of "Gibson Girl" Evelyn Nesbit Shaw (Elizabeth McGovern), for whose sake playboy Harry K. Thaw (Robert Joy); kills architect Stanford White (Norman Mailer) and a lone black man's (Howard Rollins Jr.) quest for justice when his car is destroyed by a racist fire chief (Kenneth McMillan). This last subplot consumes most of the film's running time, to the overall detriment of the pacing. There are also several scenes involving an unnamed upper-middle-class family (headed by James Olson and Mary Steenburgen) who are evidently meant to be the audience's eyes and ears, but are frankly not terribly interesting. Back in 1981, Ragtime was given plenty of press coverage as the "comeback" picture for James Cagney, after twenty years in retirement. The problem is that Cagney's character (a police commissioner) isn't in the book, and his inclusion not only throws the story off balance, but necessitates the removal of several potentially interesting characters and events. Another detriment is the gratuitous (and illogical) nudity in the Evelyn Nesbit scenes, which earned the film its "R" rating. An ornate misfire, Ragtime is of interest today only for its remarkable cast of veterans and stars-to-be, including Pat O'Brien and Eloise O'Brien, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Allen, Moses Gunn, Jeff Daniels and Fran Drescher. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 7
Number of Lists: 3
Number of discussion threads: 7
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 12 May 2009 02:34:08 GMTRagtime1981Milos FormanE. L. Doctorow's novel Ragtime was a sprawling fictional account of American manners and mores in the years between 1900 and 1913. Among the mosaic of colorful factual and fictional characters in the novel were escape artist <a href="/players/P____33381/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Harry Houdini</a> and radical Emma Goldman. Both characters are all but eliminated in the film version, which only concentrates on three of Doctorow's many plot threads: The story of an immigrant artist (<a href="/players/P____55373/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Mandy Patinkin</a>) who becomes a movie director; the saga of "Gibson Girl" Evelyn Nesbit Shaw (<a href="/players/P____47478/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Elizabeth McGovern</a>), for whose sake playboy Harry K. Thaw (<a href="/players/P____96442/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Robert Joy</a>); kills architect Stanford White (<a href="/players/P___100807/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Norman Mailer</a>) and a lone black man's (Howard Rollins Jr.) quest for justice when his car is destroyed by a racist fire chief (<a href="/players/P____47905/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kenneth McMillan</a>). This last subplot consumes most of the film's running time, to the overall detriment of the pacing. There are also several scenes involving an unnamed upper-middle-class family (headed by <a href="/players/P____54070/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James Olson</a> and <a href="/players/P____67856/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Mary Steenburgen</a>) who are evidently meant to be the audience's eyes and ears, but are frankly not terribly interesting. Back in 1981, Ragtime was given plenty of press coverage as the "comeback" picture for <a href="/players/P____10165/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>James Cagney</a>, after twenty years in retirement. The problem is that Cagney's character (a police commissioner) isn't in the book, and his inclusion not only throws the story off balance, but necessitates the removal of several potentially interesting characters and events. Another detriment is the gratuitous (and illogical) nudity in the Evelyn Nesbit scenes, which earned the film its "R" rating. An ornate misfire, Ragtime is of interest today only for its remarkable cast of veterans and stars-to-be, including <a href="/players/P____53289/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Pat O'Brien</a> and Eloise O'Brien, <a href="/players/P____53349/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Donald O'Connor</a>, <a href="/players/P______997/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Debbie Allen</a>, <a href="/players/P____29258/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Moses Gunn</a>, <a href="/players/P____16881/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Jeff Daniels</a> and <a href="/players/P____20118/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Fran Drescher</a>. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide7Taggedy Taggged (6-10)373http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t49461uizbn.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Ragtime/28009/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Spout_Customer_Care/Re_Film_Content/420/39990/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Spout Customer Care
Post Date: 1/27/2009 5:14:26 PM
Body: [quote user="seely"] I think we've been over this before, but you've see Ragtime, right? I think the Jewish-German silhouette filmmaker character in the story must have been based off of Lotte Reninger, given Doctorow's tendency to use historical period figures in thin guise, or sometimes even using their real names. [quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="seely"] [quote user="Risselada"] Could you please add this title for me? Lotte Reiniger: Homage to the Inventor of the Silhouette Film (1999) (V) [/quote] Done and done. I never ceased to be amazed at the titles you come up with... :-} [/quote] Ha! Thanks much. This was actually a documentary that was included with the DVD for The Adventures of Prince Achmed which is the oldest surviving feature length animated film that I saw recently. CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR IT! [/quote] Well it's been a long time since I've seen Ragtime and I don't even remember a character like that, but I'm guessing you are probably right. [/quote]
]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 22:14:26 GMTRisseladaSpout Customer Care1/27/2009 5:14:26 PM[quote user="seely"] I think we've been over this before, but you've see Ragtime, right? I think the Jewish-German silhouette filmmaker character in the story must have been based off of Lotte Reninger, given Doctorow's tendency to use historical period figures in thin guise, or sometimes even using their real names. [quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="seely"] [quote user="Risselada"] Could you please add this title for me? Lotte Reiniger: Homage to the Inventor of the Silhouette Film (1999) (V) [/quote] Done and done. I never ceased to be amazed at the titles you come up with... :-} [/quote] Ha! Thanks much. This was actually a documentary that was included with the DVD for The Adventures of Prince Achmed which is the oldest surviving feature length animated film that I saw recently. CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR IT! [/quote] Well it's been a long time since I've seen Ragtime and I don't even remember a character like that, but I'm guessing you are probably right. [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Spout_Customer_Care/Re_Film_Content/420/39972/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Spout Customer Care
Post Date: 1/27/2009 3:02:30 PM
Body: I think we've been over this before, but you've see Ragtime, right? I think the Jewish-German silhouette filmmaker character in the story must have been based off of Lotte Reninger, given Doctorow's tendency to use historical period figures in thin guise, or sometimes even using their real names. [quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="seely"] [quote user="Risselada"] Could you please add this title for me? Lotte Reiniger: Homage to the Inventor of the Silhouette Film (1999) (V) [/quote] Done and done. I never ceased to be amazed at the titles you come up with... :-} [/quote] Ha! Thanks much. This was actually a documentary that was included with the DVD for The Adventures of Prince Achmed which is the oldest surviving feature length animated film that I saw recently. CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR IT! [/quote]
]]>Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:02:30 GMTseelySpout Customer Care1/27/2009 3:02:30 PMI think we've been over this before, but you've see Ragtime, right? I think the Jewish-German silhouette filmmaker character in the story must have been based off of Lotte Reninger, given Doctorow's tendency to use historical period figures in thin guise, or sometimes even using their real names. [quote user="Risselada"] [quote user="seely"] [quote user="Risselada"] Could you please add this title for me? Lotte Reiniger: Homage to the Inventor of the Silhouette Film (1999) (V) [/quote] Done and done. I never ceased to be amazed at the titles you come up with... :-} [/quote] Ha! Thanks much. This was actually a documentary that was included with the DVD for The Adventures of Prince Achmed which is the oldest surviving feature length animated film that I saw recently. CHECK OUT MY BLOG FOR IT! [/quote] http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_January_19_Neighborhood_Watch/625/39796/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 1/22/2009 2:31:44 PM
Body: Ragtime Great period peice dealing with racial injustice in the 1930's set against a backdrop of some very infamous historical characters of the times. Bicentennial Man A little bit of a futuristic way of dealing with racism and ignorant fear mongering. Footloose Kevin Bacon threatens a sleepy town set in its ways with his fast footwork. Parents and other "squares" try to curb Bacon's enthusiasm.
]]>Thu, 22 Jan 2009 19:31:44 GMTseelyWeekly Theme1/22/2009 2:31:44 PMRagtime Great period peice dealing with racial injustice in the 1930's set against a backdrop of some very infamous historical characters of the times. Bicentennial Man A little bit of a futuristic way of dealing with racism and ignorant fear mongering. Footloose Kevin Bacon threatens a sleepy town set in its ways with his fast footwork. Parents and other "squares" try to curb Bacon's enthusiasm. http://www.spout.com/groups/Community_Recommendations/Re_Historical_Drama/643/38238/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Community Recommendations
Post Date: 12/11/2008 11:34:32 AM
Body: Hm, I'm not much of a historical drama fan, but there are definitely a few that I have actually really liked. Gettysburg was one of my favorites, and one of the first historical dramas I can remember seeing. I liked that despite this being a war epic, it wasn't completely centered around the battlefield. There were a lot of moving scenes involving family and relationships that gave the film a bit more depth that most war epics I've seen. The Mission was required watching for a film class, but I've subsequently made everyone I know watch it. I find it to be a very powerful, moving story without going so far as to be cheesey or insincere. Ragtime is one of my favorite historical fictional films. El Doctorow is one of my favorite authors, and the blending of real people and real events into a quasi-fictional account is well done. The interwoven storylines are brilliant. Master and Commander was also quite good. Not a big Russell Crowe fan, but I felt like he was quite well suited for the role, and pulled it off with aplomb. Held my interest beginning to end, which is difficult to do in the context of historical drama.
]]>Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:34:32 GMTseelyCommunity Recommendations12/11/2008 11:34:32 AMHm, I'm not much of a historical drama fan, but there are definitely a few that I have actually really liked. Gettysburg was one of my favorites, and one of the first historical dramas I can remember seeing. I liked that despite this being a war epic, it wasn't completely centered around the battlefield. There were a lot of moving scenes involving family and relationships that gave the film a bit more depth that most war epics I've seen. The Mission was required watching for a film class, but I've subsequently made everyone I know watch it. I find it to be a very powerful, moving story without going so far as to be cheesey or insincere. Ragtime is one of my favorite historical fictional films. El Doctorow is one of my favorite authors, and the blending of real people and real events into a quasi-fictional account is well done. The interwoven storylines are brilliant. Master and Commander was also quite good. Not a big Russell Crowe fan, but I felt like he was quite well suited for the role, and pulled it off with aplomb. Held my interest beginning to end, which is difficult to do in the context of historical drama. http://www.spout.com/groups/Extreme_Cinema/Re_Extreme_Films/641/36167/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Extreme Cinema
Post Date: 10/10/2008 6:51:11 PM
Body: [quote user="seely"] I am indeed a Knight. I graduated '07. I actually saw Ragtime as part of my 140(?) class I believe. I had read the book but never seen the film. I'm a huge Doctorow fan, and thought the movie really did the book justice, which is rare as you undoubtedly know.[/quote] Ha! Yeah CAS 140. That's where I saw it too. I probably took that class in 2000. I guess they haven't changed the syllabus on that one too much.
]]>Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:51:11 GMTRisseladaExtreme Cinema10/10/2008 6:51:11 PM[quote user="seely"] I am indeed a Knight. I graduated '07. I actually saw Ragtime as part of my 140(?) class I believe. I had read the book but never seen the film. I'm a huge Doctorow fan, and thought the movie really did the book justice, which is rare as you undoubtedly know.[/quote] Ha! Yeah CAS 140. That's where I saw it too. I probably took that class in 2000. I guess they haven't changed the syllabus on that one too much. http://www.spout.com/groups/Extreme_Cinema/Re_Extreme_Films/641/36119/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Extreme Cinema
Post Date: 10/9/2008 6:20:46 PM
Body: [quote user="seely"] I'm going to add one more film here... Ragtime was for me an extreme film. Really, anything based on an EL Doctorow book would have to be extreme, but this really made me squirm in a few places. The main character is a pervert, obsessed with an aristocrat's trophy wife (he falls out of the closet he is watching her with her presumably lesbian/bi masseuse from, naked from the waist down)... there are some really hard-to-watch scenes involving racist hate crimes as well. Not entirely sure why, but those types of scenes sometimes disturb me the most. Anyways, the film is twisted, grotesque, graphic and disturbing nearly beginning to end in true Doctorow fashion. As I recall, it did well in the theatres and is a film-school favorite to this day, though it seems to have fallen outside the mainstream in recent years. [/quote] I think I was required to watch this for a class. It might have been some media and culture class at Calvin College. BTW, Seely, are you affiliated at all with Calvin? I know a number of people working for Spout have attended there.
]]>Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:20:46 GMTRisseladaExtreme Cinema10/9/2008 6:20:46 PM[quote user="seely"] I'm going to add one more film here... Ragtime was for me an extreme film. Really, anything based on an EL Doctorow book would have to be extreme, but this really made me squirm in a few places. The main character is a pervert, obsessed with an aristocrat's trophy wife (he falls out of the closet he is watching her with her presumably lesbian/bi masseuse from, naked from the waist down)... there are some really hard-to-watch scenes involving racist hate crimes as well. Not entirely sure why, but those types of scenes sometimes disturb me the most. Anyways, the film is twisted, grotesque, graphic and disturbing nearly beginning to end in true Doctorow fashion. As I recall, it did well in the theatres and is a film-school favorite to this day, though it seems to have fallen outside the mainstream in recent years. [/quote] I think I was required to watch this for a class. It might have been some media and culture class at Calvin College. BTW, Seely, are you affiliated at all with Calvin? I know a number of people working for Spout have attended there. http://www.spout.com/groups/Extreme_Cinema/Re_Extreme_Films/641/36079/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: seely
Post To: Extreme Cinema
Post Date: 10/9/2008 9:44:48 AM
Body: I'm going to add one more film here... Ragtime was for me an extreme film. Really, anything based on an EL Doctorow book would have to be extreme, but this really made me squirm in a few places. The main character is a pervert, obsessed with an aristocrat's trophy wife (he falls out of the closet he is watching her with her presumably lesbian/bi masseuse from, naked from the waist down)... there are some really hard-to-watch scenes involving racist hate crimes as well. Not entirely sure why, but those types of scenes sometimes disturb me the most. Anyways, the film is twisted, grotesque, graphic and disturbing nearly beginning to end in true Doctorow fashion. As I recall, it did well in the theatres and is a film-school favorite to this day, though it seems to have fallen outside the mainstream in recent years.
]]>Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:44:48 GMTseelyExtreme Cinema10/9/2008 9:44:48 AMI'm going to add one more film here... Ragtime was for me an extreme film. Really, anything based on an EL Doctorow book would have to be extreme, but this really made me squirm in a few places. The main character is a pervert, obsessed with an aristocrat's trophy wife (he falls out of the closet he is watching her with her presumably lesbian/bi masseuse from, naked from the waist down)... there are some really hard-to-watch scenes involving racist hate crimes as well. Not entirely sure why, but those types of scenes sometimes disturb me the most. Anyways, the film is twisted, grotesque, graphic and disturbing nearly beginning to end in true Doctorow fashion. As I recall, it did well in the theatres and is a film-school favorite to this day, though it seems to have fallen outside the mainstream in recent years. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/family/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily
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