MOVIE · 1981
Ragtime
Drama155 min
At the start of the 20th century, lives in and around New York begin to collide across lines of class, race, and power. In New Rochelle, a respectable family is drawn into upheaval when a Black pianist and his companion are brutalized, turning private outrage into a public fight. Elsewhere, immigrants, performers, and wealthy socialites move through the same restless world, while real public figures brush against the story and sharpen its sense of a country changing fast. As humiliation hardens into resistance, the film follows several strands at once, showing how personal grievances grow into larger confrontations. Howard Rollins and Mary Steenburgen are among the people caught inside that widening conflict.
Find out what fits your taste.
Rate movies and shows in ReelRecs, save your next watch, and get personal recommendations from the Reel Recs online service. Free on iPhone and Android.
Where to watch in US
These offers have not all been recently verified. Check the provider for current availability.
Rent
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
Buy
- Amazon Prime Video
- Apple TV
- Fandango At Home
- Google Play Movies
- YouTube
Availability checked October 24, 2026. Offers can change. Rentals and purchases are separate from subscriptions.
More to consider
The Buddy Holly Story (1978)
Buddy Holly leaves Lubbock, Texas, determined to make rock ’n’ roll on his own terms, even as record men in 1950s Nashville try to smooth out the sound that made him stand out. Gary Busey is Holly, following the singer’…
Norma Rae (1979)
Sally Field is Norma Rae, a young single mother working in a Southern textile mill where noise, dust, and unsafe conditions are treated as routine. When a visiting union organizer, Reuben (Ron Leibman), arrives, her ang…
Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Robert Dupea drifts through oil-field jobs, bars, and roadside diners, keeping his past buried until news about his ailing father sends him back to his family home in Washington state. Jack Nicholson is Bobby, a former …
Catalogue checked October 30, 2026. Use ReelRecs with an assistant