Another day, another entry in the Oscar Film Journal. Can't stop, won't stop....
Our latest subject is the 1971 adaptation of the uber-popular stage play Fiddler on the Roof, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Topol, with choreography by the legendary Jerome Robbins, and an adapted score by the even-more-legendary John Williams (who won his first Oscar for this film). Fiddler is the story of a family of Ukrainian Jewish peasants - a middle-aged couple and their three adult daughters, all of whom have reached marrying age. The parents are deeply traditional, expecting all their daughters to marry nice Jewish men of means, but of course none of them is interested in having her prospective husband chosen for her on the basis of wealth or security. The father Tevye (Topol) is of course a big teddy bear despite his propensity for angry outbursts, and ultimately can't say no to his daughters' wishes (except in the case of the youngest, who wants to marry outside the Jewish faith).
The story is set against the backdrop of the early 20th century Russian oppression and forced relocation of Jews; the local constable is on good terms with the villagers and warns them of impending danger, while the middle daughter's suitor is a Marxist scholar from the city who later leads a demonstration against the Tsarist government. The political elements are mostly kept in the background but eventually come out in the form of a pogrom (a group of rioters who loot the Jewish village). Sadly episodes like this never seem to lose their relevancy.
While the overall story is pretty predictable (We're introduced to the three daughters' suitors early on and it's obvious they'll all end up together in spite of Tevye's objections) and the film is most certainly longer than it needs to be, Fiddler nonetheless succeeds as a crowd-pleasing epic. Any narrative shortcomings are no doubt from the stage book, and while the filmmakers could've elevated the material further, Fiddler was such an established smash hit they likely had to keep things as faithful as possible. The cinematography by Oswald Morris is picturesque, lush and stylishly lit, the musical numbers are engaging and vibrant (particularly an atmospheric dream sequence where Tevye and his wife are visited by their dead relatives), and Topol's performance is a spectacular mix of masculine bluster, fatherly pathos and subtle humor. Gene Hackman may have won the Best Actor trophy that year for The French Connection, but I might've actually given it to Topol instead. This is a truly commanding bit of acting.
If Roger Ebert's old adage "It's not what a film is about, but HOW it is about it" is true, then Fiddler on the Roof achieves admirably what it set out to achieve - to make full use of the art and language of cinema to bring a beloved stage play to the screen. I won't call it a homerun, but it's a fine adaptation.
I give Fiddler ***1/2 out of ****.
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