Fiddler on the Roof-1971

Director Norman Jewison

Starring Topol

Top 250 Films #29

Scott’s Review #123

Reviewed July 21, 2014

Grade: A

Fiddler on the Roof is a fantastic 1971 musical based on the popular stage version.

It tells the story of a Russian Jewish family living in tumultuous times, both before and during the Russian Revolution.

The film has everything and is very well made, truly doing justice to the stage version. It contains dancing, drinking, festive parties, love, and sing-alongs. It also includes politics, hardships, and tragedy.

Led by the family patriarch, Teyve, played fantastically by Topol, he explains (often narrating directly to the audience, which is a goldmine in style) life in his Russian village with five daughters, no sons, and an overbearing wife.

They are a low-income family and struggle to make ends meet.

They navigate life through song and dance, dealing with romance, focusing primarily on the three oldest girls, and the political upheaval surrounding their country.

It is tough for a film version of a famous musical to be top-notch and even compare to the stage version, but the film is excellent- “Tradition”, “Matchmaker,” and “If I Were a Rich Man” immediately stick in the viewer’s head.

The film has a rich, earthy feel, with a predominance of brown and grey colors. It explores Russian history, adding complexity and an educational quality rather than offering a simple, feel-good experience.

Simply put, the story is layered and not one-note.

Politics, progressive thinking versus conservatism, and the generation gap are explored, and the characters learn and adapt to a changing world, especially the parents.

One interesting aspect is the progressive buildup to the Russian Revolution.

Fiddler on the Roof is quite lengthy (179 minutes), but it doesn’t feel that long.

This film (and play) is a marvel.

Oscar Nominations: 3 wins-Best Picture, Best Director-Norman Jewison, Best Actor-Chaim Topol, Best Supporting Actor-Leonard Frey, Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score (won), Best Sound (won), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography (won)

Golden Globe Nominations: 2 wins-Best Comedy or Musical (won), Best Director-Norman Jewison, Best Actor-Comedy or Musical (won), Best Supporting Actor-Paul Mann