Fiddler on the Roof is 50
Monday, September 22, 2014 at 8:00PM Fifty years ago today, Fiddler on the Roof opened on Broadway and was an instant success with audiences and also won 9 Tony Awards including the big kahuna Best Musical. It would become the longest running musical in Broadway history until it was surpassed by that crop of 80s mega-musicals from Britain. The musical has been performed countless times since in stage productions all over the world and four revivals on Broadway (76, 81, 90, 04).
Best Actor nominee Topol in "Fiddler on the Roof" (1971)
By 1971 there was a movie adaptation that was nominated for 8 Oscars including Best Picture and I don't believe we've ever discussed it. That ain't right. I've been thinking about 60s and 70s musicals a lot recently due to that book "Roadshow!" and while the movie studios were definitely overinvested in the genre after the gargantuan back-to-back mega hits that were Mary Poppins and Sound of Music occassionally a hit would crop up within the string of flops that killed the genre thereafter. It helped that Norman Jewison was helming. As "Roadshow!" recounts:
I've never seen a distributor, an exhibitor... or the head of a studio ever improve on a film," said Jewison, "Only creative people can improve on a film." Cinematographer Oswald Morris said, "Norman was under hideous pressure from United Artists to keep costs down. To give him his due, he withstood all this; he had a vision for Fiddler, which he wasn't prepared to compromise, no matter what the front office said, and I greatly admire him for this." Jewison immersed himself in classic Jewish culture. I think he knows more about Judaism today than I do," said Topol. Fiddler lyricist Sheldon Harnick noted that Jewison, "isn't Jewish, but he did so much research in preparation for the film that he became quite knowledgeable about things Jewish. As a result, either Topol, or someone else suggested that he should be made an honorary Jew and renamed Norman Christianson!"
When signed, Jewison was hot off the double Oscar success of The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966) and In the Heat of the Night (1967) with his best work still far in the future; That's Moonstruck (1987) -- you know this to be true!
Critical reactions to Fiddler varied and some people objected to its relentless downplaying (within the marketing) of the Judaism of the story, but it raked in big bucks. Or as "Roadshow!" puts it:
Roughly half of "The Sound of Music"'s earnings, but half of "Music" still qualifies as a blockbuster.
My last visit with this property was not the movie but the stage show's gorgeous 2004 revival starring Alfred Molina (the set design and lighting were just exquisite stage triumphs but it weirdly won no Tonys despite plentiful nominations) and I was stunned to realize or, rather, remember that virtually every song is a classic. It's one of those musicals.
What's your favorite number in that show and do you like its film version?
Reader Comments (21)
I remember watching this as a kid and almost being surprised that it was a regular musical because it wasn't bright and candy-colored like the Technicolor fever dreams I was used to. I'd never seen such an un-fantastical musical before. I love it still.
Ugh, it's just so good. Every song is either heartbreakingly beautiful or witty and hilarious.
Thank you, thank you. I love the movie version so much! It's my second musical favorite after The Sound of Music. I love all the song, but particularly like (and heart-broken) on how Tevye react (and sing) differently to his three daughters' marriage intention. Please post more about this movie.
Tradition is my favorite song. Such joy, such passion. It is hard not to get caught up in it.
I've heard several screenwriters and playwrights list this is as the ultimate go-to when teaching structure, and I heartily concur. The way the second act packs a wallop is so unforgettable, so unexpected. Very much looking forward to the Danny Burstein/Barlett Sherr restaging.
Also this will forever be the first (and only, sadly) musical I was involved in, serving as a rehearsal accompanist and playing in the pit for my college's production. I soon got sick of all those Neapolitan chords, but looking back, that score is second to none. My gosh, "Do You Love" me and especially "Far From the Home I Love" are just heartbreaking, as simply written as they are. I could go on and on. Thanks for this post.
And yes, while I prefer the stage version, the film version was a huge part of my childhood that haunted me (again, that damn depressing second act!). My sisters and I use to act out the dream sequence like the theatre nerds we were/are. Also I used to think that Barbra Streisand played Tzeitel in the film because she and Rosalind Harris had similar noses... it's true.
I just finished Roadshow! last week, it was fascinating! Awesomely researched and packed with incredible detail. So many bad decisions and unbridled overspending.
I came upon Fiddler rather late having finally seen the stage show last year. I went in with low expectations but I loved it. Directly after I watched the film and loved it too. I know it's considered cliche but I love Sunrise/Sunset. Maybe because my exposure to it has been minimal but the staging when I saw it was very moving.
So many choices and I can sing all of them by heart. Far From the Home I Love is so good. And I think that Anatevka is improved by seeing it done on film instead of on stage.
By the way, there is a story that Jewison shot much of the films through a nylon stocking............is it true?
Is this the little girl I carried?
Is this the little boy at play?
I don't remember growing older.
When did they?
Shit, I'm old, cuz I remember seeing this in a "walk-in" theater (as opposed to the cheaper "drive-in" where the family usually saw movies.) Was this another case of the Broadway star who got dissed by Hollywood? We had both sound recordings, and I think I liked Zero's Tevye better.
Pam - there is a passage in the book about Zero Mostel. He never forgave Jewison -- especially since he went with an unknown so Mostel couldn't say 'they just wanted movie stars' -- but Jewison wanted a less oversized theatrical presence.
In fairness, Topol did the role in London, right?
no matter how many times i see fiddler on the roof, i will never get my head around the fact that sweet motel the tailor is also the self-confessed "32 year-old, ugly, pock marked jew fairy" harold from the boys in the band
As I recall, Jewison wanted a little less Borscht Belt and a little more shtetl. And for this film, I think he is right. Topol is a smaller presence than Mostel was on stage . I saw Mostel in the role , and he would have overpowered the film. Jewison also rejected Danny Kaye for the same reason, but oh.....when I think of seeing that possible performance...........
I have to go with "I I Was a Rich Man". That number is show-stopping. I've never seen it on stage, but I love the film and Chaim Topol absolutely kills it. You really just imagine audiences applauding during the climax of "If I Was a Rich Man".
Topol nails this. I wish he had a bigger career. Nobody should end up in Flash Gordon.
Topol was brilliant, and I only have the sound recordings to go by, but Topol also sang and performed the numbers "better."
It's pretty surprising that Jewison was able to keep it looking so real (in the movie sense) since they were always putting current hair and makeup (and even costumes) on period musicals during that time.
I saw this in the movie theater several times as a small boy. There was so much about it that was confusing to me, but I liked it in the way I had liked Oliver, i.e. I was transported to a different time and place via killer melodies.
par -- he is? my mind is now blown.
everyone -- i realized i didn't answer my own favorite song quesiton because. how? but i like tradition a lot.
Absolutely one of the greatest movie musicals, as well as one of the greatest musicals of all time period. Perfect score and great book. It's required of all Jews to see every production of Fiddler that opens near you, so I've probably seen this more times than any other musical and I still love it. Topol is absolutely brilliant in the film - the constant monologues should make it too stagy to work on film, but he modulates his performance so well that you hardly notice. And the cinematography is GORGEOUS.
As for my favorite song... can't I just say all of them? No? Well in that case, I'll give a shout-out to Matchmaker and To Life, which are inevitably the songs I end up singing after seeing Fiddler.
I have to go with If I Were a Rich Man, although I sing To Life often enough.