Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

"The Legend of 1900" is a movie unlike almost any other I have seen. It takes place entirely on a ship at sea, but the action spans more than 40 years. It is the story of a musical genius who is born, lives out his life, and ultimately dies on board a grand trans-Atlantic liner in the first half of the 20th century. He watches the world pass him by just a few thousand people at a time, has a fabulous piano-duel with none other than Jelly Roll Morton, is sought after by recording companies, and listens to and learns from the music of all the different cultures who are emigrating from the Old World to the New, but he never once leaves the ship. Indeed, the mere thought of setting foot on land is his ultimate nightmare. I remember having a guest over one evening who was seeing it for the very first time. His reaction (after wiping a tear from his eye) was to exclaim "what a wonderful movie! How did anyone even get a film that quirky made?" There is no Hollywood 'formula' to this film. It proceeds without any of the usual conventions: no good guy vs. bad guy struggles, no sex, no violence, and no crude jokes. It is like that really good book that you start reading one night when it is already too late but are unable to put down until you have turned the last page.