Ragtime (film)

Ragtime is a 1981 American drama film, directed by Milo Forman, based on 1975 historical novel Ragtime by E. L. Doctorow. The action takes place in and around New York City, New Rochelle, and Atlantic City early in the 1900s, including fictionalized references to actual people and events of the time. The film features the final film appearances of James Cagney and Pat OBrien early appearances, in small parts, by Samuel L. Jackson, Jeff Daniels, Fran Drescher and John Ratzenberger and an uncredited appearance from Jack Nicholson. The music score was composed by Randy Newman. The film was nominated for eight Oscars.

An unnamed family resided in a comfortable suburban home in New Rochelle. The familys Father James Olson owns a factory, where his wifes Younger Brother Brad Dourif is employed as a fireworks maker. Their passive, sheltered existence is disturbed when an abandoned African American baby is found in their garden. The childs mother, an unmarried washerwoman named Sarah Debbie Allen, is discovered, and brought to their home. When she learns that the police intend to charge Sarah with attempted murder, Mother Mary Steenburgen intervenes and takes Sarah and her child into the home, despite Fathers objections. Some time later, Coalhouse Walker arrives at the house in search of Sarah, driving a new model T Ford and acting in a brash manner unlike the subservient attitude expected of the African American community at the time. Realizing that he is the babys father, he announces to a skeptical Father that he intends to marry Sarah.Younger Brother witnesses Whites murder and becomes obsessed with Evelyn, leaving home for long periods of time to follow her throughout the city. Thaws lawyer, Delphin Pat OBrien, bribes Evelyn with a milliondollar divorce settlement to keep silent about Thaws mental instability at his trial and to testify that White had abused her. Passing through the tenements of the Lower East Side, Evelyn encounters a street artist known as Tateh Mandy Patinkin and witnesses him throw his wife Fran Drescher out of their home after learning of her infidelity. He takes their daughter and leaves New York, taking with him the flip book he has invented, which he begins to sell successfully. Evelyn, who has become fond of the little girl, is troubled by their disappearance, but distracted when Younger Brother declares his love to her. She begins an affair with him as she begins to plan her return to the stage. He assumes that they will eventually marry and plans to introduce her to his family. However, after Thaw is found not guilty by reason of temporary insanity,

Source: Wikipedia