Fiddler on the Roof

1971

3h 1m

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

614

YOUR RATING

Rate

POPULARITY

Play trailer

6 Videos

63 Images

Drama

Romance

In a pre-revolutionary Russia, a poor Jewish milkman struggles with the challenges of a changing world as his daughters fall in love and antisemitism grows.

Directors

Norman Jewison

Writers

Sholom Aleichem(original story by)

Joseph Stein(screenplay by)

Arnold Perl(adaptation by)

Stars

Chaim Topol

Norma Crane

Leonard Frey

See production, box office & company info

Top cast

Tevye

Golde

Motel

Yente

Lazar Wolf

Tzeitel

Hodel

Chava

Perchik

Fyedka

Shprintze

Bielke

Mordcha

Rabbi

Constable

Avram

Nachum

Mendel

Directors

Norman Jewison

Writers

Sholom Aleichem(original story by)

Joseph Stein(screenplay by)

Arnold Perl(adaptation by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Topol ("Tevye") is superb in this telling of a tale of an agrarian Jewish father in late 19th century Russia who has three daughters. The basic premiss is that he has to arrange suitable "matches" for them. With the aid of some classic numbers like "Matchmaker" & "If I was I Rich Man" we share his experiences and adventures as he attempts, with varying degrees of success, to find suitable husbands for his girls. Set against a backdrop of religious intolerance, and ultimately a pogrom, this is a clever, engaging depiction of the harsh conditions endured by rural Russians in general and the Jewish community specifically. Norman Jewison contrives to reconcile sometimes quite brutal stories of religious prejudice with a defiantly gentle, joyful communal spirit in a thought-provoking and personable fashion. Jerry Bock's instantly recognisable score - based around a delicate, witty and entertaining lyric from Sheldon Harnick makes this as good as any of the genre and although it does drag a bit at the start of the second act, it passes the three hour mark with considerable style.

Geronimo196729 May, 2023