premise: Ragtime features James Cagney.
hypothesis: James Cagney . He exited retirement , 20 years later , for a part in the movie Ragtime ( 1981 ) , mainly to aid his recovery from a stroke . Ragtime (film) . The film features the final film appearances of James Cagney and Pat O'Brien ; early appearances , in small parts , by Samuel L. Jackson , Jeff Daniels , Fran Drescher , Ethan Phillips and John Ratzenberger ; and an uncredited appearance from Jack Nicholson .