Audience Rating: G (General Audience) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 5050070004724 Format: PAL Number Of Discs: 1 Sales Rank: 93679 Theatrical Release Date: November 03, 1971
Amazon.com: This rousing musical, based on the stories of Shalom Aleichem, takes place in pre-revolutionary Russia and centers on the life of Tevye (Topol), a milkman who is trying to keep his family's traditions in place while marrying off his three older daughters. Yet, times are changing and the daughters want to make their own matches, breaking free of many of the constricting customs required of them by Judaism. In the background of these events, Russia is on the brink of revolution and Jews are feeling increasingly unwelcome in their villages. Tevye--who expresses his desire for sameness in the opening number, "Tradition"--is trying to keep everyone, and everything, together. The movie is strongly allegorical--Tevye represents the common man--but it does it dexterously, and the resulting film is a stunning work of art. The music is excellent (it won Oscars for the scoring and the sound), with plenty of familiar songs such as "Sunrise, Sunset" and "If I Were a Rich Man," which you'll be humming long after the movie is over. Isaac Stern's violin--he provides the music for the fiddler on the roof--is hauntingly beautiful. And despite the serious subject matter, the film is quite comedic in parts; it also well deserves the Oscar it won for cinematography. --Jenny Brown
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - just a delight
I'd never seen this before getting the DVD, or at least never seen the entire film. I knew all the songs already, and my husband says we saw it as a play, but if we did, a lot of stuff was cut out.
Milkman Tevye (Topol), his wife, and five (!) daughters in pre-revolutionary Russia. I remember my parents going to see this at the theater, probably back in 1971, when it was released, and listening to my mom and some of her friends swooning over Topol. I have to say, I can see their point. It's not the appearance, it's the character.
One by one, his older daughters buck tradition ... Read More
Rating: - A must have for the wide screen TV
If you own only one classic musical film get this one first. It is a wonderful integration of music into a story. A brilliant translation to the wide screen. And Topol is outstanding in his somewhat underplayed (relatively speaking) performance which allows the rest of the cast their moments of glory. It may not represent the poverty of the Russian shtetl, but it is a warm,ingratiating story of how one man came to accept the modern world. And a little bit of ancestral cultural feeling. And shows why groups often reject change as it tears down the traditions that sustain their human pride in a dizzy political ... Read More
Rating: - Good reproduction of a film that was originally a play!
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film with my granddaughter. Her Performance group in middle school are going to present their version of this play and she wanted to see the dvd in order to understand and be able to relate to the story. I had not seen the Broadway performance of the long running version, but I loved the music and knew what the story was about. This dvd was excellent and gave me a certain warmness towards the culture that existed in the period of the story. It gave a good message regarding acceptance and forgiveness. of a sorts, towards family even though their restrictions were
not upheld. ... Read More
Rating: - One and Only
After having played for many years on Broadway it hit the movie screen. Great story of a Jewish peasant in Czarist Russian around 1917. Superb music,beautiful scenes and great acting.Highly recommend it.
Rating: - Excellent Musical! A Classic To Last the Ages!
This has got to be among the top 5 musicals ever adapted for the big screen. You could argue that this the screen version is even better than the original stage version too. Many musicals have great difficulty in balancing the music and dance with the storyline as they are either too heavy on the one side over the other but here you get excellent music and choreography and an equally excellent storyline.
Set at the turn of the 20th century in Russia, the film tells the story of a small Jewish community struggling to make ends meet in a very harsh environment having to battle the elements as well as racism ... Read More
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