Ragtime (Film)
- James Cagney: Rhinelander Waldo
- James Olson: Father
- Mary Steenburgen: Mother
- Brad Dourif: younger brother of the mother
- Howard Rollins: Coalhouse Walker Jr.
- Mandy Patinkin: Tateh
- Moses Gunn: Booker T. Washington
- Pat O'Brien: Mr. Delphin Delmas
- Debbie Allen: Sarah
Ragtime is an American film directed by Miloš Forman in 1981, based on the novel by EL Doctorow from the year 1975. The film refers to major historical events in the U.S. between 1906 and 1914.
Action
A wealthy corporate active family, consisting of father, mother whose son and the younger brother of the mother is in her garden an abandoned dark-skinned child. The child is picked up and later returning the child's mother, Sarah busy, originally against the will of the Father and to the efforts of the mother and her brother. After some time, the child's father, Coalhouse Walker Junior tries to reconcile with the mother. Previously, he had performed no regular way of life as a musician and accordingly not taken care of the child. Since he has but now found a permanent job and enjoys some prosperity, he wants Sarah to win back what he succeeds. The two families are close friends.
During a car ride, he is supported by several racist whites, led by the captain of the fire station, stopped, refusing him onward journey. When he returns with the entrepreneur, he finds his car contaminated with feces and damaged before. Walker's attempts to gain satisfaction, fail, and finally his wife in a scuffle with police officers seriously injured and dies. Walker then applies the first time violence to get hold of the captain of the fire department and to take revenge on him. Finally, he occupied - supported by some blacks as well as the younger brother of the mother - the library of New York and threatens their detonation to blackmail the delivery of the Fire Department captain. Negotiations to be the senior police officer, among other the father to arrive, which it finally manages to convey a trade between the police and Walker. Counter -conduct for his supporters, he pledges to surrender. After his accomplices escaped under the leadership of the younger brother of the mother, Walker leaves with their hands raised to the library and will be shot on the spot.
Even the father of the family business passed his mediation work not to the advantage because his wife him - who feels abandoned by him alone - leaves with their child and their adoptive child.
Background
The name Coalhouse alludes to the eponymous main character of the novella Michael Kohlhaas by Heinrich von Kleist. Just as Coalhouse Walker Jr. Kohlhaas also goes into his unconditional pursuit of satisfaction eventually in their own demise.
It was the last film appearance of screen legend James Cagney and his friend and longtime co-star Pat O'Brien in a small supporting role.
Reception
The New York Times praised the film especially for its lead performances.
Hellmuth Karasek honors in his review of the film in 1982 at the mirror next to the acting performances, especially the directing. Milos Forman keep " in the colorful bustle of Total eye for the detail that gives the whole thing until his critical sense. " Karasek criticized, however, that in the film adaptation of Doctorow book template important novel characters " in the drop box" fell. This " painful path of a novel in its short supply in the film version of " is " not yet to see the final product on the screen." So lacked " the film" Ragtime " despite many impressive episodic and despite the engaging neatness with which Howard E. Rollins the precursor of the Black Panthers characterizes the central figure. "
Awards
The film was nominated for the Academy Awards in 1982, among others, for eight Oscars, was at the ceremony but left empty-handed:
- Nomination in the category Best Supporting Actress for Elizabeth McGovern
- Nomination in the category Best Supporting Actor for Howard E. Rollins Jr.
- Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for Michael Weller
- Nomination for Best Cinematography for Miroslav Ondříček
- Nomination in the category Best Art Direction
- Nomination for Best Costume Design
- Nomination for Best Film Score for Randy Newman
- Nomination in the category of Best Original Song for Randy Newman