There are movies and then there are MOVIES.
I was not in a mood for a movie and that to a 1971 musical with an unheard of starcast !! But the home minister prevailed as always. All it took was 5-10 minutes to get hooked to this most amazing musical extravaganza.
Yeah at the end of the movie I felt ’’Fiddler ..’’ leaves ’’Sound of Music’’ & ’’My Fair lady’’ far behind ..delivering a powerful punch to the viewer and is any Director’s delight in terms of cinematography, picturisation, storytelling ..THE GREATEST MUSICAL EVER
Brief Storyline
This rousing musical is based on the tales of ’Russian Jewish life’ written by Shalom Aleichem in the 1800’s.
It is a story about a family in the small town of Anatevka in the Ukraine, in 1905 (on the eve of the Russian revolution) and centers on the life of an optimistic milkman Tevye (Topol) who is the father of the family (wife, 5 daughters).
For Tevye, life has always been governed by certain traditions that will never be changed. But, times are changing and the daughters want to make their own matches - they want to break free of many of the restrictive customs / traditions required of them as a Jew.
One by one, his daughters break away from tradition i.e. breaking an agreement for a traditional arranged marriage, marrying without his permission, and even marrying outside the faith ..
Tevye faces these problems and still comes out with a smile. Tradition may be falling apart for him, but his little town Anatevka will hold together just fine.
But with Russia on the brink of revolution and Jews feeling increasingly unwelcome in their villages ...the story takes a turn - Well I leave it here for you to watch this movie.
The Fiddler on the Roof is a heart warming, tear breaking and awe inspiring story of tradition, family, love, sorrow and loss. The movie has a humorous touch to it as well and personally I felt the movie should just go on-and-on.
The movie deftly handles questions like: Is tradition to be placed over family? How far can one stretch ones customs and traditions and still hold the family together ?
Music
The music scored by John Williams will sweep you off your feet and mind.
’’Matchmaker, Matchmaker make me a match; find me a find, catch me a catch’’ picturised on the 5 daughters will leave you numbed and wanting for more.
’’Tradition’’ - the opening number is about trying to keep the community together.
’’If I were a rich man ..’’ is about the dreams of the milkman - you will keep on humming this for a long time.
Other numbers like Sunrise, sunset and Do you love me? are equally enthralling. The music is excellent and the film a stunning visual work of art.
The voilin for the fiddler on the roof is haunting and mesmerising. Fiddler on the roof won Oscars for Music, Sound and Cinematography apart from several nominations.
Quotes from the movie
To God
Tevye: Sometimes I wonder, when it gets too quiet up there, if you are thinking, ’’What kind of mischief can I play on my friend Tevye?’’
Tevye: I know, I know. We are your chosen people. But, once in a while, can’t you choose someone else?
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Tevye: As Abraham said, ’’I am a stranger in a strange land... ’’
Rabbi’s Son: Moses said that.
Tevye: Ah. Well, as King David said, ’’I am slow of speech, and slow of tongue.’’
Rabbi’s Son: That was also Moses.
Tevye: For a man who was slow of speech he talked a lot.
About Yente, the matchmaker.
Tzeitel, daughter: But Mama, the men she finds. The last one was so old and he was bald. He had no hair.
Golde, Wife: A poor girl without a dowry can’t be so particular. You want hair, marry a monkey.
Mordcha: If the rich could hire others to die for them we, the poor, would all make a nice living.
To Chava, his daughter
Tevye: As the good book says ’Each shall seek his own kind’. In other words a bird may love a fish but where would they build a home together?
Hope you watch this movie soon.