Fiddler on the Roof (Movie)

This film is about a poor Jewish milkman in Russia who is forced to deal with the unconventional marriages of three of his five daughters and the changing politics under Soviet czarist rule.

We watched this for our film class recently, but it's a movie I have seen before. It has been out since 1971. I will admit, I never actually thought about "reporting" on it or much of any other book or movie, I never thought much about writing reviews or reports on books and movies myself until recently. Usually, I read reports and reviews my kids write, or that I see in the paper or magazine, but is new to me to not only write such things, but to think about what I viewed enough to write about it, and to post them for someone else to read.

We have always loved this movie, which is a musical. We love the songs, the photography and the fiddle too. Also we have always also enjoyed both the Jewish aspect of the film with all it's references to "God. " It's a long movie though, almost too long, but most enjoyable.

It was timely to watch it too, as the Broadway version just visited Spokane with the original actor who played the part of Tevye, (Topol) playing the role he did long ago on stage. I didn't go, thought I do like theater, and I wondered how long the staged version was compared to the movie. It is definitely a popular work; it's message time enduring. As I watched the highly acclaimed, award winning film this time, I took a deeper look at what was being presented to the masses of people who have watched this film, or seen the Broadway show, over the years.

What was/is the message?

First, let me mention here that we watched the film for our (incredibly interesting) worldview class, and I can tell you it is full of the concept of deism, (God is not personal) but more noticeable than that, (and you probably already know this if you have seen it) the message is one of "change," the theme could even be "love" or the evilness and injustice of religious "intolerance."

We see the sadness of poverty, homelessness and unjust suffering due to violence of the soldiers, we witness the religious faith of a Jewish man, his struggle with doubt, his personal struggle to hold on to "tradition" in times of change. We are privileged to hear his candid conversations with God, and watch as he accepts God's lot for his life, his existence. From this aspect it's an endearing film. But, on the other hand.... I could not help but hear also another message.

This other message is two-fold, first, it is something to the effect of:"Children, you have your own life to live, a better life than that of your parents, and you obviously know so much better than your parents do, See..., their traditions are such that they do not even understand "love," (but you do.) Go ahead you Jews, marry who you want to, marry outside your religion, (?priest?... ?rabbi?.. they are all the same,) Do what you want to in life, follow your dreams... be willing to fight for and embrace "change." And to Jews and to parents,it's something to the effect of:"Your exclusive, useless religion and traditions is killing you, it is your useless tradition and the God of your tradition, who is not even answering your prayers, that causes you problems... poverty, (If I were a rich man) and as you can see, homelessness. Embrace change and do away with your old outmoded useless tradition."


(The message is also that there is more to life than the "good book" says, for we observe that Newspapers are being read for information, but the old Jewish Rabbi, insists to them that the Good Book is the only stories that they really need. )

The "good book" is of course, the Bible (in this case the Torah, or old testament) and the main character, Tevye is a man who believes in God; though he he doesn't really know his "Good Book," very well... he likes to quote it; "As the good book says,..."

We like him a lot as the audience because he is very much like most of us and he confides in us. We even sympathize with him a bit because like him perhaps we have our struggles, even maybe, we doubt God and get our bible heroes and examples confused. Perhaps like him too, we wish we were rich, but we are not, and feel like we too are in a bit of a rut. Perhaps are a lot like Tevya too, just following our own religious "tradition," clinging to something outmoded and outdated, as the world around us changes.


I kinda wondered as I viewed it, if and how messages like this influence the masses of people caught up in the emotional aspect of the film. After attaching ourselves to the characters and their plights, what we do when change is all around us? What useless religious traditions will we ultimately hang on to, what new ideas and religion will we embrace? (Note: the Jewish mothers goes to the Christian "priest" who is an old white haired sage like her own rabbi...for answers) Perhaps more importantly, how wise and worthy do we perceive some of the words of wisdom, in the film, particularly the ones that make us smile?

Great film! Pretty pictures and likable characters too. I just wonder about the message of a deistic sort of God, and the injustices and intolerances people like the Jews seem to have toward "change."

Here is an interesting study guide on the movie that I found on the internet... One I would consider useful for examining the film's elements. It is for Chinese students who are learning English and found at http://www.krigline.com/Fiddler.htm