DRAGTIME

RAGTIME (1981)
dir: Miloš Forman

DRAGTIME
Crazy #87, June 1982
w: Paul Kupperberg
a: Bob Camp

At the turn of the 20th century, architect Stanford White (Norman Mailer) unveils a nude statue atop Madison Square Garden, modeled after former chorus girl Evelyn Nesbit (Elizabeth McGovern) After learning of this, Nesbit's husband, millionaire industrialist Harry Kendall Thaw (Robert Joy), becomes convinced White has corrupted her and publicly shoots him dead.

Younger Brother (Brad Dourif) witnesses White's murder and becomes obsessed with Evelyn. Thaw's lawyer Delmas (Pat O'Brien) bribes Evelyn with a million-dollar divorce settlement to keep silent about Thaw's mental instability and to testify that White abused her. An African American baby is abandoned in their garden. Passing through the Lower East Side, Evelyn encounters street artist Tateh (Mandy Patinkin).

Ragtime pianist Coalhouse Walker (Howard Rollins) arrives in search of Sarah (Debbie Allen) and realizing he is the baby's father, announces his intention to marry Sarah. In New Rochelle, Coalhouse is targeted by bigoted volunteer firemen led by Willie Conklin, who refuse to allow his automobile to pass by. Coalhouse finds a policeman and returns to find his car soiled with horse manure. Coalhouse attempts to force the policeman to intervene, but the policeman insists that Coalhouse should clean the manure off his car and move on, giving him the choice to do so or be arrested. Coalhouse refuses, and is hauled in to the local precinct. After Father (James Olson) arranges for Coalhouse's release, they discover his car has been further vandalized. Coalhouse pursues legal action, but can find no lawyer willing to represent him.

At a presidential rally, Sarah attempts to tell President Roosevelt about Coalhouse's case but is beaten by guards and dies. After Sarah's funeral, Coalhouse and his supporters kill several firemen. He threatens to attack other firehouses, demanding his car be restored and Conklin (Kenneth McMillan) be turned over to him.

Father is disgusted at the violence but Younger Brother joins Coalhouse's gang with his knowledge of explosives. Ostracized by their own white community and hounded by reporters, Father and Mother leave for Atlantic City. They encounter Tateh, now a film director on a photoplay with Evelyn. Mother is attracted to Tateh and she and Father quarrel. Coalhouse's gang hold the Pierpont Morgan Library's collection hostage. Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo (James Cagney) sends for Coalhouse's child as a bargaining chip but Mother refuses to give him up. Father demands she turn the child over and returns to New York to assist Waldo and Mother leaves.

”Dirty rat” is a reference to Cagney's misquoted line from Taxi and the grapefruit in the face comes from The Public Enemy.

Conklin is captured by police and forced to apologize to Coalhouse. Waldo is disgusted by Conklin's bigotry but cannot submit to terrorist demands and has him arrested. Coalhouse agrees to surrender if Waldo permits his supporters to depart in his restored car and Waldo agrees after Father volunteers to stay as a hostage. Coalhouse's supporters escape and he drives Father out of the library. Ready to blow himself up, Coalhouse instead surrenders but is shot dead on Waldo's orders.

”Yankee Doodle Dandy”, another Cagney reference.