Based on a 1911 song written by Irving Berlin, Alexander's Ragtime Band was a return to live action success for Hollywood. The studios were embarrassed by the huge success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and they were happy that 1938's biggest film was a live action film. Walt Disney Productions was seen as barely better than the poverty row studios and its massive success in 1937 sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Alexander's Ragtime Band was a true return to form.
