Scott Joplin

Billy Dee Williams plays the title role in this Motown-produced biodrama about the tempestuous life of the early-20th-century pianist/composer who became famous as the "king of Ragtime," but whose private world was clouded by racism, troubled romances, and a disease that robbed him of the ability to play his music. Clifton Davis, Art Carney, Margaret Avery also star; look for jazz legend Eubie Blake. 96 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.