Norman Jewison Filmmaker Documentary Fiddler on the Roof 1971 Behind the Scenes Interviews Making of

Fiddler on the Roof is a 1971 American period musical film produced and directed by Norman Jewison from a screenplay written by Joseph Stein, based on the stage musical by Stein, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick, which premiered on Broadway in 1964. Set in early 20th-century Imperial Russia, the film centers on Tevye (Chaim Topol), a poor Jewish milkman who is faced with the challenge of marrying off his five daughters amidst the growing tension in his shtetl. The cast also features Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, Paul Mann, Rosalind Harris, Michèle Marsh, Neva Small and Paul Michael Glaser. The musical score, composed by Bock with lyrics by Harnick, was adapted and conducted by John Williams.

Filmed at Pinewood Studios in England and on-location in SR Croatia, Fiddler on the Roof was theatrically released on November 3, 1971, by United Artists to critical and commercial success. Reviewers praised Jewison's direction, the screenplay, and the performances of the cast, while the film grossed $83.3 million worldwide on a $9 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1971.

The film received a leading eight nominations at the 44th Academy Awards, including for Best Picture and Best Director, and won three: Best Score Adaptation (Williams), Best Cinematography (Oswald Morris) and Best Sound (Gordon K. McCallum, David Hildyard).[3] The film also won two Golden Globes: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Topol.

The film has continued to receive acclaim since its release and is often considered to be one of the greatest musical films of all time.[4][5][6][7][8] An independently produced documentary about the making of the film, titled Fiddler's Journey to the Big Screen, was released in 2022.



At the wedding, an argument erupts among the guests over whether a girl should be able to choose her own husband. Perchik addresses the crowd and says it should be left for the couple to decide. He creates further controversy when he asks Tevye's daughter Hodel to dance with him, crossing the barrier between the men and women. Initially, the crowd is shocked but they soon warm to the idea and the wedding proceeds with great joy. Suddenly, a mob of local peasants arrive and begin a pogrom, attacking the Jews and their property. Perchik tries to intervene, but is subdued by the Czar's men with a candlestick holder, resulting in a concussion. While the attacks continue with the other Jewish villages, Tevye can only wonder why God could not stop the atrocities.

Later, as Perchik prepares to leave Anatevka to work for the revolution, he tells Hodel that he loves her, and she agrees to marry him. Tevye is furious to learn they want to marry without his permission and with Perchik leaving Anatevka, but he eventually relents because they love each other. Weeks later, when Perchik is arrested in Kiev and exiled to Siberia, Hodel leaves to join him there.


Finally, the people of Anatevka are notified that the Russian government will force the Jews to vacate the village; they have three days to leave. Tevye and his family and friends pack and head variously for New York, Chicago, Jerusalem, and other places they know nothing about. Chava and Fyedka arrive to inform Tevye, who ignores the conversation, that the two of them are moving to Krakow, Poland. As they say their goodbyes Tevye mutters 'God be with you', which Tzeitel repeats to the couple. Just before the credits, Tevye spots the fiddler and motions to him to come along, and the film ends with the fiddler following Tevye down the road.

Cast
Chaim Topol as Tevye, the milkman of Anatevka
Norma Crane as Golde, his wife
Rosalind Harris as Tzeitel, the oldest daughter
Michele Marsh as Hodel, the second daughter
Neva Small as Chava, the third daughter
Molly Picon as Yente, the matchmaker
Paul Mann as Lazar Wolf, the butcher, Tzeitel's older suitor
Leonard Frey as Motel Kamzoil, the tailor, Tzeitel's eventual husband
Paul Michael Glaser[a] as Perchik, the student revolutionary, Hodel's eventual husband
Raymond Lovelock as Fyedka, a Christian farmer, Chava's eventual husband
Elaine Edwards as Shprintze, the fourth daughter
Candy Bonstein as Bielke, the fifth daughter
Shimen Rushkin as Mordcha
Zvee Scooler as Rabbi
Louis Zorich as Constable
Alfie Scopp as Avram
Howard Goorney as Nachum
Barry Dennen as Mendel
Ruth Madoc as Fruma-Sarah, the butcher's late wife
Patience Collier as Grandmother Tzeitel
Arnold Diamond as Moishe
Marika Rivera as Rifka
Aharon Ipalé as Sheftel
Roger Lloyd-Pack as Sexton
Carl Jaffe as Isaac
Vernon Dobtcheff as Russian official
Tutte Lemkow as the fiddler[12]