Alexander's Ragtime Band

Despite being unevenly paced and the wide scope feeling forced it's a fun story with very enjoyable leads and good music.

Don Ameche! Ethel Merman! Tyrone Power! Jack Haley! Jean Hersholt! Paul Hurst! John Carridine! This movie couldn't get any better. Awesome actors, awesome music, but the plot has been told over and over.

Star Rating: ★★★

Story of a ragtime band, built around two people that just can't seem to get together. In love but but never lovers, the worse of the romance themes.

Lacks a bit in the story structure and I found the romance of Tyrone Power & Alice Faye a bit of an odd couple, but Alexander's Ragtime Band is otherwise a fine movie with good music, happy moments and a quality cast! The main flaw was that it tries to cover too much time. But it's Irving Berlin's ragtime music that carries the mood with Faye and Ethel Merman doing most of the singing. So it becomes a nice tribute to the music and era.

The twenty Irving Berlin songs are reason enough for seeing the film, but you have to be prepared for the persistent, mosquito-like irritation of the plot