Musicals Blog

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

by Claire J Rottenberg


The original Broadway production of "Fiddler on the Roof" won 9 Tony awards, but, surprisingly, the excellent move version only won 3 relatively minor Academy Awards, although it was nominated for 8 Oscars, including nominations for Best Picture and Best Director (Norman Jewison). The original version of "Fiddler on the Roof" was still playing on Broadway when the film was released in 1971 and a year later the play received a special Tony award for becoming the longest running Broadway musical. It closed on Broadway on July 2, 1972, after 8 years (3,242 performances).

The cast of the movie version of "Fiddler on the Roof" included many experienced stage actors/actresses, including Topol, a talented Israeli actor who had played Tevye in the London stage production. "Fiddler on the Roof" was one of the few movie musicals after 1960 that did not dub, or need to dub, the singing voices of any of the cast members.

Jerome Robbins was the choreographer of the stage production of "Fiddler on the Roof" and his influence on the film version is apparent in the excellent dance numbers. One major song, "Now I Have Everything," sung by Hodel and Perchik, was cut from the movie version, along with a lesser number sung by Yente and the villagers.

I saw "Fiddler on the Roof" twice on the stage, once on Broadway and years later, long after the release of the film, in a touring production that starred Theodore Bikel. Both productions were excellent but I prefer the film version, which I watch at least once every year.

Learn more about Fiddler on the Roof on my Movie Musicals website.