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The Legend of 1900
The Legend of 1900

The Legend of 1900

October 28, 1998· 2h 50m
Cinemagraphs Score8.1

Musician Max Tooney goes to sell his prized Conn trumpet to a music shop, where he plays the instrument one last time. The shopkeeper recognises the song as one on a record matrix he found and asks who the piece is by. Tooney tells the story of an infant found abandoned in the first class dining room of the four-stacker ocean-liner SS Virginian on 1 January 1900. Danny Boodman, a coal-man from the boiler room, names the boy Danny Boodman T. D. Lemon 1900, after himself, the fruit crate the boy was found in, and the year, and raises him as his own.

Critics Sentiment

Critics8.1
No audience data yet —
1 — Hated it5 — Neutral10 — Masterpiece
Critics
|
8+ Great
6-8 Good
<6 Poor
15 reviews·Last updated 1mo ago
Peak Moment

1900 plays imaginary piano as the Virginian explodes around him

9.3at 2h 45m
Lowest Moment

1900 learns about the world through various ship passengers

6.8at 1h 05m
Biggest Swing

The film jumps from its lowest point during meandering passenger sequences to the spectacular piano duel with Jelly Roll Morton.

The Legend of 1900 builds steadily from its poetic opening through magical musical sequences, reaching extraordinary heights during the piano duel and maintaining strong emotional resonance. While some middle sections drag with over-explanation and sentimentality, the film culminates in a universally praised, devastating finale that cements its status as a deeply moving experience.

15 reviews analyzed|Sources: Critic_blog, Imdb
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15.510

Rate each story beat:

Max tells the shopkeeper about selling his trumpet
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it
Abandoned baby discovered on SS Virginian by Danny Boodman
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it
Max joins the ship's orchestra in 1927 and befriends 1900
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it
1900 learns about the world through various ship passengers⬇ Lowest moment
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it
1900's virtuoso playing heats piano strings enough to light cigarette
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it
1900 creates beautiful composition inspired by mysterious female passenger
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it
The abandoned SS Virginian is scheduled for demolition
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it
1900 plays imaginary piano as the Virginian explodes around him⬆ Peak moment
5.0
Hated itNeutralLoved it

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