Fiddler on the Roof

"To Life!"

1971 3h 1m EN

🙌

7.7

BANGER

★7.7TMDB · 673

DramaRomance

Synopsis

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In a pre-revolutionary Russia, a poor Jewish milkman struggles with the challenges of a changing world as his daughters fall in love and antisemitism grows.

“To Life!”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Chaim Topol
Tevye
Norma Crane
Golde
Leonard Frey
Motel
Molly Picon
Yente
Paul Mann
Lazar Wolf
Rosalind Harris
Tzeitel
Michele Marsh
Hodel
Neva Small
Chava

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Norman Jewison
Writers: Sholom Aleichem, Joseph Stein
Languages: Hebrew, English, Russian
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

At 181 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 9.3× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

55 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Hebrew, English, Russian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Norman Jewison, shot by Oswald Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jerry Bock. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Antony Gibbs shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Chaim Topol and Norma Crane and Leonard Frey carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Norman Jewison directs. Oswald Morris behind the camera. Jerry Bock scores. Antony Gibbs cuts. A long sit — settle in. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in Hebrew, English, Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1At 181 minutes, this is a three-hour-plus commitment — longer than 95% of films ever made.
2Made its money back 9.3× over at the box office.
355 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
4Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Hebrew, English, Russian.
5Directed by Norman Jewison, shot by Oswald Morris. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Jerry Bock. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Antony Gibbs shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Chaim Topol and Norma Crane and Leonard Frey carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "To Life!".
10IMDB entry: tt0067093 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 17 themes, including "dreams", "parent child relationship", "tradition", "musical".
12Released under 14 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Oswald Morris
Original score: Jerry Bock
Editing: Antony Gibbs
Production design: Robert F. Boyle
Costume design: Joan Bridge
Makeup / hair: Del Armstrong
Runtime: 181 min · 3h 1m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $9,000,000
Box office: $83,304,330
Return: 926% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): G
IMDB: Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Awards

Academy Award for Best Original Song Score
Academy Award for Best Sound
Academy Award for Best Cinematography

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Norman Jewison

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-05-29
★ 7/10
Topol ("Tevye") is superb in this telling of a tale of an agrarian Jewish father in late 19th century Russia who has three daughters. The basic premiss is that he has to arrange suitable "matches" for them. With the aid of some classic numbers like "Matchmaker" & "If I was I Rich Man" we share his experiences and adventures as he attempts, with varying degrees of success, to find suitable husbands for his girls. Set against a backdrop of religious intolerance, and ultimately a pogrom, this is a clever, engaging depiction of the harsh conditions endured by rural Russians in general and the Jewish community specifically. Norman Jewison contrives to reconcile sometimes quite brutal stories of religious prejudice with a defiantly gentle, joyful communal spirit in a thought-provoking and personable fashion. Jerry Bock's instantly recognisable score - based around a delicate, witty and entertaining lyric from Sheldon Harnick makes this as good as any of the genre and although it does drag a bit at the start of the second act, it passes the three hour mark with considerable style.

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