1971’s Fiddler on the Roof is a rightly celebrated film in Jewish film culture, so with the UK Jewish Film Festival 2022 about to hit UK screens, this seems like a good time to take a look back at how Norman Jewison’s famous film came to be. Daniel Raim’s documentary is more than just an extended DVD extra charting the making of a hit film; narrated by Jeff Goldblum, Fiddler’s Journey gets its UK premiere as part of a programme of films running on big screens and online throughout November.
Jewison may have been, by his own admission, a ‘goy’, but despite some trepidation, proved to be an ideal choice for the project; having worked on tv specials with Harry Belafonte and Judy Garland, he had the right grasp for balancing talent, studio politics and music. But tough choices still had to be made; established musical stars Frank Sinatra and Danny Kaye were turned down, not unreasonably, in the interests of authenticity. Jewison also dropped the Broadway star Zero Mostel from the central role of Tevye, and replaced him with Topol. Stage-star Bette Midler didn’t make the cut either.
‘We don’t want a Second Avenue Yiddish production,’ was the production’s mantra, and Raim’s film details with enthusiasm and rare behind-the-scenes footage how Fiddler artfully shot on locations near Zagreb to recreate a part of Jewish history that had been physically obliterated; it’s easy to see why the fully-realised world of Fiddler in the Roof struck such a chord with Jewish people worldwide. ‘We’re showing an audience what it wants to see,’ says Jewison, who advised Topol ‘to aim not for the back row of the audience but for the camera,’ and to tone down his performance as Sholem Aleichem’s Tevye the dairyman accordingly.
For Fiddler fans, and for those interested in the portrayal of Jewish history on screen, Raim’s documentary demonstrates considerable affection for its subject, and features key interviews with many of the considerable talents involved, who recall the production with enormous affection. Fiddler on the Roof has always been a key modern text how the Jewish people understand their relationship with God, and also how the see themselves; this film details how that came to be.
In a hybrid programme of in-person followed by online screenings, the UK Jewish Film Festival 2022 takes place in UK cinemas from November 10, and online from November 21. Opening with Moshe Rosenthal’s Karaoke, the festival closes with Where Life Begins from French actor and filmmaker Stéphane Freiss and starring John Wick 2 star Riccardo Scamarcio. The Centrepiece Gala will be the one-shot historical drama Shttl, while animation Charlotte looks at the work of artist Charlotte Salomon.
The UK Jewish Film Festival 2022 takes place in cinemas nationwide from 10 – 20 November, and online from 21-27 November. Click the link below for full programme.
One of the last big roadshow films so sat through the whole shebang, intermission, no coffee at the interval though as I remember (how old-fashioned is that?). Thoroughly enjoyable. i may even have a brochure. Odd how many of the big 1960s/1970s musicals were directed by people who did not have a cinema/Broadway musical background. Is this a bigger docu – as in “you’ll need a bigger docu” – and is there really room for more than one, to take a line from another movie when there was, apparently, only “the one.”
I remember you used to get a pack of glossy stills at the press shows! But yes, Fiddler is one of the great BIG movies, and I guess there’s room for several docs; this one is specifically about Jewison’s making of the film itself.
When I did press shows as a student you used to also get a gin-and-tonic.
One of my all time favourite childhood films !
Me too! Saw this at ten and was happy with the tunes!
Some great tunes in this, biddy biddy bum, is this addressed in the documentary?
Yes, lots from John Williams about matching the action to choons like Rich Man, Matchmaker and Sunrise Sunset…
My Mum was in one of the stage productions so happy memories from me will put this on my list.
So that’s a Yup?
Nope it’s a Yep!
Phew! Not had a yep in ages.
I thought I’d yepped Decision to Leave? If not I meant to.
I’ll firmly yup that on your behalf.
Yet another movie from the 1970s I’ve managed to miss. I’m realizing just how big my 1970s blind spot is. I have seen Fiddler performed live though, and very much enjoy it. I might have to make the 1971 film and this a double-header on a cold winter night.
That would be a good use of your time. Sat the film when I was ten and was impressed. Big film from the 70’s. Enjoy!
Is this the one with Paul Michael Glaser? He thought it was going to mark the start of a glittering career, but it didn’t happen (Starsky & Hutch was four years later).
Is the correct answer! I’d forgotten he was in this. He made a career as a director, but I guess this was his big cinema role.
My mom absolutely loves the movie, so she might very well be interested in this.
I grew up watching Fiddler but I’m not a musical fan, so it never took root. So this definitely isn’t one for me to seek out.
My new target audience is your mom. Let me know what else she likes so I can review it.
Only problem is, she’s not online. So good luck 😀
I think she likes movies like Dune, Matrix, John Wick, Die Hard? Just guessing though 😉
“Fiddler on the Roof has always been a cornerstone of how the Jewish people understand their relationship with God” may be a leetle overstatement. Is this a different movie from Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles? Seems odd they’d have two docs come out so close together.
Yes, I’ve adjusted that to key modern text, but I also has to remove the phrase ‘religious enthusiasm’ from my first draft. There’s clearly a deep well of affection for this film. Didn’t know there was another one?
Seems to be:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10003978/
This one seems a bit better, but I guess there can be room for two…
THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!!!
You’d think he would know that . . .