Director: Daniel Raim
Writers: Michael Sragow and Daniel Raim
Marking the 50th anniversary of musical Fiddler on the Roof, director Daniel Raim’s behind-the-scenes documentary explores how the stage production became, according to film critic Pauline Kael, “the most powerful movie musical ever made”.
The stage production itself was a hard sell. Based on Jewish folk stories by Sholem Aleichem, the musical, which debuted in 1964, was expected to have “minimal appeal”. But the story of milkman Tevye, his wife Golde and their five daughters became a surprise hit. The larger-than-life character of Tevye, and a barnstorming set of songs from composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick, really spoke to audiences. With the slew of 1960’s blockbuster musicals (and their box-office profits) still ringing in the ears of the film industry, the race was on to replicate some of that magic.
The documentary introduces us to the film’s director, Norman Jewison, fairly early on and he is an energetic, engaging presence. Interestingly, he didn’t become involved with the project until a meeting with United Agents chairman, Arthur Krim. The only proviso was that the casting of Tevye had to be right. Before deciding on stage actor Topol, who was playing the role in London, more famous hats were thrown into the ring. Bizarrely, Danny Kaye and Frank Sinatra were rumoured to have wanted the part.
Raim’s documentary pieces together the making of Fiddler and in particular the influences that informed how the film looked on screen. Authenticity, for obvious reasons, was important, but in trying to build a picture of life for Jews living in 1900’s Eastern Europe, the problem was that there was nothing left to refer to: their homes and synagogues had been erased during the Holocaust. Jewison talks about the responsibility of reviving a “lost world” for a 1970’s audience. The film-makers referenced photographs by Roman Vishniac; black and white portraits of Jewish life pre-Holocaust, and the titular painting by Marc Chagall, where the artist recreates life in his home village of Vitebsk.
It is the no-holds-barred, no-detail-overlooked approach to film-making that characterises Fiddler on the Roof. In a fun moment, Jewison reveals that when it came to casting the Fiddler himself, they went straight to the top: Isaac Stern. At the time, Stern was considered the best violinist in the world, and was also a Russian Jew. The search for authenticity, wherever possible, paid off: it turned out that Stern had an Uncle who regularly got drunk and played the violin at family parties. Stern used this experience to add another layer to the performance, playing half a tone flat to recreate that memory.
Approximately 1 billion people have watched Fiddler on the Roof. It is a film that speaks to people within the faith, and beyond. This documentary offers itself as a great companion piece to the musical, delivering interest and insight. Whether you’re watching it for the first time or renewing an acquaintance, Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen succeeds in referring us back to a timeless story of family, loyalty and tradition.
The UK Jewish Film Festival 2022 takes place in cinemas nationwide from 10 – 20 November, and online from 21-27 November.
The Reviews Hub Score:
A great companion piece to the film
