Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Sholom Aleichem (book)
Joseph Stein (play)
(more)

Release Date:

3 November 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family | Musical

Tagline:

a tradition (re-release)

Plot:

In pre-revolutionary Russia, a poor Jewish peasant must contend with marrying off his three daughters while antisemitic sentiment threatens his home.

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Russia | Tradition | Milkman | Pogrom

Awards:

Won 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Topol	...	Tevye
Norma Crane	...	Golde
Leonard Frey	...	Motel
Molly Picon	...	Yente
Paul Mann	...	Lazar Wolf
Rosalind Harris	...	Tzeitel
Michele Marsh	...	Hodel
Neva Small	...	Chava
Paul Michael Glaser	...	Perchik (as Michael Glaser)
Ray Lovelock	...	Fyedka (as Raymond Lovelock)
Elaine Edwards	...	Shprintze
Candy Bonstein	...	Bielke
Shimen Ruskin	...	Mordcha
Zvee Scooler	...	Rabbi
Louis Zorich	...	Constable
Alfie Scopp	...	Avram
Howard Goorney	...	Nachum
Barry Dennen	...	Mendel
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Russian Official
Ruth Madoc	...	Fruma Sarah
Patience Collier	...	Grandma Tzeitel
Tutte Lemkow	...	Fiddler
Stella Courtney	...	Shandel
Jacob Kalich	...	Yankel
Brian Coburn	...	Berl
George Little	...	Hone
Stanley Fleet	...	Farcel
Arnold Diamond	...	Moishe
Marika Rivera	...	Rifka
Mark Malicz	...	Ezekial
Aharon Ipalé	...	Sheftel (as Aharon Ipale)
Roger Lloyd-Pack	...	Sexton (as Roger Lloyd Pack)
Vladimir Medar	...	Priest
Sammy Bayes	...	Russian Dancer
Larry Bianco	...	Russian Dancer
Walter Cartier	...	Russian Dancer
Peter Johnston	...	Russian Dancer
Guy Lutman	...	Russian Dancer
Donald Maclennan	...	Russian Dancer
René Sartoris	...	Russian Dancer (as Rene Sartoris)
Roy Durbin	...	Bottle Dancer
Ken Robson	...	Bottle Dancer
Robert Stevenson	...	Bottle Dancer (as Bob Stevenson)
Lou Zamprogna	...	Bottle Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Susan Claire	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Harry Fielder	...	Russian (uncredited)
Nigel Kingsley	...	(uncredited)
Joel Rudnick	...	Marcus (uncredited)
Petra Siniawski	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Susan Sloman	...	Peasant girl (uncredited)
Kenneth Waller	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Norman Jewison

Writing credits
Sholom Aleichem		(book "Tevye's Daughters and play "Tevye der Milkhiker"") (as Sholem Aleichem)
Joseph Stein		(play)
Joseph Stein		(screenplay)

Produced by
Norman Jewison	....	producer
Patrick J. Palmer	....	associate producer (as Patrick Palmer)

Original Music by
Jerry Bock

Cinematography by
Oswald Morris

Film Editing by
Antony Gibbs
Robert Lawrence

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Robert F. Boyle		(as Robert Boyle)

Art Direction by
Michael Stringer
Veljko Despotovic		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Peter Lamont

Costume Design by
Joan Bridge
Elizabeth Haffenden

Makeup Department
Del Armstrong	....	makeup artist
Gordon Bond	....	hairdresser
Wally Schneiderman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Richard Carruth	....	post-production supervisor
Larry DeWaay	....	production supervisor (as Larry De Waay)
Ted Lloyd	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terence Churcher	....	assistant director
Paul Ibbetson	....	second assistant director
Terence Nelson	....	first assistant director (as Terry Nelson)
Vladimir Spindler	....	second assistant director
Stevan Petrovic	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Sam Gordon	....	property master
William Maldonado	....	construction manager
Mentor Huebner	....	designer and primary production illustrator (uncredited)
Harold Michelson	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Hildyard	....	sound mixer
Gordon K. McCallum	....	sound re-recordist
Les Wiggins	....	sound editor
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Patrick Heigham	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Doug Smith	....	assistant sound engineer (uncredited)
John Stevenson	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Jim Willis	....	development engineer (uncredited)

Stunts
Milan Mitic	....	stunt coordinator: horse work (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dennis Fraser	....	key grip
Jimmy Turrell	....	camera operator (as Jim Turrell)
Len Crowe	....	gaffer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Richard Altman	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jackie Cummins	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Lois La Salle	....	post-production secretary
Brian Mann	....	assistant film editor
Wally Nelson	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrations
Sheldon Harnick	....	composer: lyrics
Isaac Stern	....	musician: solo violin
Eric Tomlinson	....	music mixer (as Eric A. Tomlinson)
John Williams	....	conductor
John Williams	....	music adaptor
John Williams	....	orchestrations
Ray Holder	....	music arranger (uncredited)
David Lindup	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Tommy Abbott	....	choreographer: adapting Jerome Robbins' choreography (as Tom Abbott)
Sammy Bayes	....	assistant choreographer
Jerry Bock	....	music for the stage play by
Charles Cannon	....	production accountant
Jerry Howard	....	assistant to producer
Branko Lustig	....	location manager
Golda Offenheim	....	production secretary
Harold Prince	....	producer: stage
Jerome Robbins	....	choreographer: stage version
Jerome Robbins	....	original stage production director
Elaine Schreyeck	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Cartier Productions (as A Mirisch - Cartier Production)
• Mirisch Corporation, The (as A Mirisch - Cartier Production)

Distributors

• United Artists (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists Films (1971) (Finland) (theatrical) (1978)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1974) (USA) (TV)
• United Artists (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (reissue)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1993) (Finland) (TV)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2002) (Finland) (TV) (TV1)
• FS Film Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD) (special edition)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS) (special edition)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (video)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Jadran Film  technical facilities
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Pinewood Studios  technical facilities furnished by (as Pinewood Studios, London, England)
• Selway Baker  casting (as Selway - Baker)

Runtime:

181 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm prints) | Stereo (35 mm mag-optical prints)

Certification:

Canada:G (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8 | Ireland:G | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:G | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Gorica, Croatia

Company:

Cartier Productions

Trivia:

Topol had already played the role of Tevye in the original London production of the stage musical.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the first few shots of crowd holding candles on their way to the wedding, the sun changes positions above the horizon.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tevye: A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Family Guy: When You Wish Upon a Weinstein (#3.22)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Far From the Home I Love

From a Goy: One of the best films ever made.

Let me say up front, I am not predisposed to enjoy a movie like this. On the contrary, as a straight WASP, the last thing I want to watch is a broadway musical or a bunch of Jews 'kavetching' about how bad they have it. That is definitely NOT what this film is about. Though the subject matter is Jewish, to say it is a Jewish film would grossly limit it's significance. It is about the human experience. Any one who has felt pain and persecution will relate to it. Therefore I say every human should love this film. It has an indomitable optimism and remarkable pathos that causes the viewer to empathize with the characters, namely Reb Tevye, played by Topol in arguably one of the finest dramatic performances ever. Considering the lack of success Topol has had with the rest of his career it would literally seem he was born to play this part. This film will most likely not be enjoyable for those looking for spoon fed, mindless entertainment or titillation, but for anyone who appreciates the beautiful things in life, it is high art. I recommend you set aside an undisturbed block of time, (use the can first, it's three hours long) when you are feeling relaxed, eat some good homemade soup and watch this masterpiece. Perfect casting, cinematography, pacing, art direction, wardrobe and best of all, an exquisite soundtrack by the great, and very young, John Williams. Listen to this movie on a powerful sound system and it will sweep you into each musical number. Especially (my favorite) the bar room dance scene. Fiddler on the Roof should be on every top 100 list that exists. Like no other movie I can think of, 'Fiddler' reaches deep into the heart and begs one to look at what things in life are worth living for and dying for.