All You Need Is Love 2 / Various (DVD), Tony Palmer Films, Music & Performance

Volume Two covers the genre that underwent a revival during the mid seventies. Thanks to the hit movie, "The Sting", everyone reckons they know about Ragtime. But do they? This Episode includes the oldest known piece of film (1898) showing what the cakewalk was really like. There is also rare early film of Irving Berlin (Alexander's Ragtime Band) as well as film of Scott Joplin's birthplace and of the madhouse where he died. Although reference is made to other early ragtime composers, this episode is essentially the story of Scott Joplin - an extraordinary tragedy of failure, frustration, pride, and the black man's struggle to achieve for himself a proper place in American society. This episode features music from Eubie Blake, Scott Joplin and Irving Berlin.