Fiddler on the Roof (1971) - FAQ
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FAQ
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Fiddler on the Roof can be found here .
What is 'Fiddler on the Roof' about?
The story is set in 1905 in the small town of Anatevka in Tsarist Russia. Tevye ( Topol ), a poor milkman, and his wife Golde ( Norma Crane ) contend with marrying their three eldest daughters, Tzeitel ( Rosalind Harris ), Hodel ( Michele Marsh ), and Chava ( Neva Small ), while attempting to hold on to their ancient Jewish traditions in the face of the changing times that lead to the Russian revolution .
Is 'Fiddler on the Roof' based on a book?
Yes, albeit indirectly. Fiddler on the Roof is a film adaptation of a Broadway musical that is based on short stories from Tevye and his Daughters (1894) (aka Tevye the Milkman) by Russian Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem [1859-1916] (aka Solomon Rabinowitz). The original Broadway musical was based on a play written by Arnold Perl. The musical was adapted for the film by American playwright Joseph Stein, who also novelized the story. The musical gave rise to such familiar songs as 'Sunrise, Sunset' and 'If I Were a Rich Man'.
Where is Anatevka supposed to be?
Anatevka is a fictional shtetl (a small town with a large Jewish population) in the Pale of Settlement of the Russian Empire, generally the only region of the Empire where Jews were permitted to live - in modern days, roughly corresponding to Lithuania, Belarus, Poland, Moldova and Ukraine. In Sholem Aleichem's original TEVYE stories, Anatevka is near the the fictional village of "Boyberik" which is based on Boyarka (a town in Ukraine near Kiev). Boyarka was best known as a resort, and Sholem Aleichem spent several summers there with his family.
What is the fiddler? What does he represent?
The Fiddler is a metaphor for survival in a life of uncertainty, precarious as a fiddler on a roof 'trying to scratch out a pleasant simple tune without breaking his neck.' The fiddler also represents that tradition that Tevye sings of in the opening number, the traditions that Tevye is trying to hold onto in a changing world. The main theme of the movie is that without their religious traditions, the lives of Jews "would be as shaky as a fiddler on the roof." The title stems from 'The Fiddler' , a painting by Russia-born artist Marc Chagall [1887-1985].
What does "Reb" mean?
"Reb" is a Yiddish title of respect traditionally used among Ashkenazi Jews as an equivalent of "Mister." Unlike "Mister," it is used typically to preface the first name rather than the last name. Like the cognate honorifics "Rebbe" and "Rabbi," "Reb" is derived from the Hebrew word "Rav," which is a biblical term of honor meaning a revered teacher and/or a great leader. In traditional Judaism, the terms "Rav," "Rebbe," and "Rabbi," specifically denote someone who is an ordained religious teacher and leader. "Reb," however, is more of a secular form of address, despite the fact that is more commonly used among Orthodox Jews.
Is Perchik a Communist?
Yes, Perchik is a Communist. He is what they called a Bolshevik. Bolsheviks were a fraction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labor Party, which split from the Mensheviks who were more for Socialism. After the Revolution in 1917, the Bolsheviks became the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Perchik, however, is not a full diehard Communist as he still keeps to his religious beliefs and identifies as a Jewish person.
Since this is a movie about changing tradition, how do the Tzeitel, Hodel, and Chava bunk tradition?
It's in their marriages. The first marriage arranged by Yente ( Molly Picon ) between Tzeitel and Lazar Wolf ( Paul Mann ) was bypassed when Tzeitzel and Motel ( Leonard Frey ) informed Tevye that they pledged to marry each other the previous year. In most every other way, however, this was a very traditional marriage. The local Rabbi married them under a canopy, and they both lived in the same village, although the dancing of men and women together was nontradtional. The marriage between Hodel and Perchik ( Paul Michael Glaser ) was worse because Perchik is leaving and says that he will send for Hodel. Both he and Hodel tell Tevye that they do not seek his permission but only his blessing. However, while Perchik is a Marxist with liberal interpretation of the scriptures, he is still a devout Jew. The last marriage, between Chava ( Neva Small ) and the Christian Fyedka ( Ray Lovelock ) is outside the faith. It is based solely on love with absolutely no consideration for religious tradition.