“Ragtime” Screening | The Sembrich | Bolton Landing | July 21, 2025
- The Sembrich 4800 Lake Shore Drive Bolton Landing, NY, 12814 United States (map)
The Sembrich Film Series Presents “Ragtime”
Based on the 1975 E.L. Doctorow novel of the same name, “Ragtime” the movie takes place in early 1900s New York City amidst racial tensions, infidelity and violence, with fictionalized references to actual people and events of the era.
New York City during the Gilded Age.
Acclaimed director Miloš Forman helmed the film adaptation of “Ragtime.” It includes fictionalized references to actual people and events of the time and stars James Cagney, Mary Steenburgen, Howard Rollins, Brad Dourif, James Olson, Norman Mailer and Elizabeth McGovern.
The film featured Cagney's film appearances, as well as early roles for Jeff Daniels, Fran Drescher, Samuel L. Jackson, Ethan Phillips, and John Ratzenberger.
Interweaving fiction and history.
Norman Mailer depicted Stanford White in “Ragtime.”
"Ragtime" interweaves fictional characters with historical figures to depict early 20th-century America. The story centers on a wealthy white family in New Rochelle, a black pianist named Coalhouse Walker Jr., and a Jewish immigrant family, all of whom experience the social upheavals and racial tensions of the time.
A pivotal event is Coalhouse's struggle for justice after his car is vandalized by white firemen, leading to a dramatic conflict that exposes the racial divide. The film explores themes of social change, identity, and the pursuit of the American Dream amidst historical events, including the rise of ragtime music and the nation's growing power.
For more information about The Sembrich’s screening of the film, visit their website.
“‘Ragtime’ is a loving, beautifully mounted, graceful film that creates its characters with great clarity.”
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