Fiddler on the Roof

Composite Score: 85.43

Starring: Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, Paul Mann, Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh, Neva Small, Paul Michael Glaser, Ray Lovelock, and Louis Zorich

Director: Norman Jewison

Writer: Joseph Stein

Genres: Drama, Family, History, Musical, Romance

MPAA Rating: G

Box Office: $10.41 million worldwide

Why should you Watch This Film?

                Fiddler on the Roof is Norman Jewison’s adaptation of the stage musical of the same name about a community of Russian Jews at the turn of the century, focusing on the life of a poor milkman and his daughters. The film stars Topol in the leading role of Tevye, reprising his performance from the West End and solidifying his place in the collective memory of the production. He is joined by Norma Crane as his wife Golde, Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh, and Neva Small as their daughters Tzeitel, Hodel, and Chava, respectively, and Leonard Frey, Paul Michael Glaser, and Ray Lovelock as their respective love interests – Motel, Perchik, and Fyedka. The film’s exploration of the impact of progress – both positive and negative – has made it one of the most acclaimed musicals, earning it eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Topol), Best Supporting Actor (Frey), and wins for Best Sound, Best Cinematography, and Best Score (John Williams).

Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?

                Fiddler is definitely one of those three-hour films that feels like it’s that long. While the songs and romances do a good job of keeping the action moving and the audience engaged, the film’s length certainly remains quite a daunting challenge, especially in the film’s back half when the optimism of the opening scenes begins to dwindle, and despair starts to set in. The inclusion of an Intermission between the two halves is deeply welcome and could provide a solid breaking point for someone who doesn’t necessarily have a full three hours to devote to watching the film all at once. In smaller pieces, the film won’t feel quite so daunting or heavy and becomes much more easily watchable and palatable.

So wait, why should you Watch This Film?

                Obviously, the music and story are fantastic in this screen adaptation of the iconic musical, but the true high points are Topol’s charismatic leading performance and Oswald Morris’s stunning cinematography that leaves you with a true sense of scale and beauty in the world of early 1900s Russia. Topol’s Tevye has become the quintessential performance that has defined all the performances that have come since. His sense of presence on the screen, his ability to connect so well with the audience (and God) using only his eyes, and the way that he lends weight even to the lightest of lines make this performance one of the most memorable leads in any film musical ever. He serves as protagonist and narrator, carrying the full weight of the film’s action on his shoulders, and he bears that burden easily, sucking you in even when you try to remain as detached as possible. It’s an infectious performance that gives the film exactly what it needs in every moment.

                Oswald Morris showcases perhaps the best work of his career in the way that he shoots the landscapes and the townsfolk of Fiddler on the Roof, perfectly executing Jewison’s vision for a musical grounded in realism. The vastness of the gray skies and ploughed fields keeps the audience very much in the position of the camera, which often serves as its own character within the film. He plays with angles and movement and framing in ways that fully embody the concept of the camera as God, which works perfectly with Tevye’s constant breaking of the fourth wall by talking to it, either to narrate or complain to the Lord.

                It really is the interplay between Topol’s phenomenal performance as Tevye and the gorgeous camerawork of Morris that turn Fiddler into one of the all-time greats, rewarding the audience for the time they have invested. That lengthy runtime might be more than some audiences can bear, but even broken into smaller parts, the film’s excellence still shines through. You can currently stream this film with ads via Freevee on Amazon Prime Video or rent it on most streaming services if you’d prefer to watch it ad-free.