The Oscars are run in a most peculiar way. Occasionally, the right film ("Ben-Hur," "Amadeus," "Return of the King," and more) is given the top prize. More often than not, total incompetence is rewarded ("Around the World in 80 Days," "Titanic," and "Crash"). And then you have those times when a great movie is snubbed because of a film that's not horrible, but still not in the same league. Classic examples: "Slumdog Millionaire" swiping "Milk," and "The French Connection" coming out on top of Norman Jewison's incredible "Fiddler on the Roof." Well, "Fiddler" will always be the 1971 Best Picture in my mind. By far the best-acted movie musical of all time, it is also one of the most genuinely affecting and universally accessible. The story follows Tevye (played superbly by Topol), a wealth-challenged Russian Jewish milkman with a lot of faith, as he tries to survive a world in which so many people hate him for that faith. He also faces the courtship of his three oldest daughters-- the lovestruck Tzeitel, the feisty Hodel, and the shy Chava.
Also incredible to think of is the fact that movie musicals were effectively dead when this was released. Gone were the glory days of "Oklahoma," "West Side Story," and so many others, replaced by audience indifference to perfectly capable offerings like "Camelot" and "Doctor Dolittle." This film could have been one of the most horrendous flops (until it would have been dethroned by the magnificently underrated "Howard the Duck"), but it became something much bigger and better: a completely deserving success.
The art direction, cinematography, costume design, acting, and screen writing are all plenty admirable here. But what really deserves most of the credit (besides Jewison's direction) is the score adaptation by none other than John Williams, the man whose iconic themes for "Star Wars," "Superman," and "Indiana Jones" will never leave people's heads.
Still, the movie does have its faults. The film's ending is a slightly confusing mixture of "downer" and "there's hope for a better tomorrow," kind of like "Battle for the Planet of the Apes." And in the titular Fiddler's few in-focus moments, he's not really given a good performance by Tutte Lemkow. But all things considered, "Fiddler" is rich, bewitching entertainment.
Also incredible to think of is the fact that movie musicals were effectively dead when this was released. Gone were the glory days of "Oklahoma," "West Side Story," and so many others, replaced by audience indifference to perfectly capable offerings like "Camelot" and "Doctor Dolittle." This film could have been one of the most horrendous flops (until it would have been dethroned by the magnificently underrated "Howard the Duck"), but it became something much bigger and better: a completely deserving success.
The art direction, cinematography, costume design, acting, and screen writing are all plenty admirable here. But what really deserves most of the credit (besides Jewison's direction) is the score adaptation by none other than John Williams, the man whose iconic themes for "Star Wars," "Superman," and "Indiana Jones" will never leave people's heads.
Still, the movie does have its faults. The film's ending is a slightly confusing mixture of "downer" and "there's hope for a better tomorrow," kind of like "Battle for the Planet of the Apes." And in the titular Fiddler's few in-focus moments, he's not really given a good performance by Tutte Lemkow. But all things considered, "Fiddler" is rich, bewitching entertainment.