Author Topic: Fiddler On The Roof  (Read 19371 times)

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Halinka

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Fiddler On The Roof
« on: October 07, 2008, 09:01:14 PM »
OK, I know this movie is not about the romanov's... But it during the pre-revolution in russia I also think its a good different point of view. Does anyone wanna talk about it?

Robert_Hall

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2008, 09:17:08 PM »
Well, it does have the famous blessing- " may God bless and keep the Tsar- far away from us". It is not my favourite musical, and I see everything musical on the West End. It is dated and  although  some tunes do survive, out of context, all-in-all,  I find it lacking now.

Offline Greenowl

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2008, 12:44:25 AM »
It is actually one of my favourite musicals (the other two being My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music...so perhaps I have bad...or old-fashioned taste in the musical department). It is based on the short story "Tewje the Milkman" by Scholem Alejchem and I think it captures the same atmosphere of early 20th century Shtetl life that characterises the novel "Job" (Hiob) by Joseph Roth.

Robert, why do you think that it is dated?

Robert_Hall

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2008, 10:59:31 AM »
I do not hate the Fiddler, I just find the style and book rather  formula and  stilted.  Same with Sound of Music.  It is like pablum  and personally, I am sick of it. This is just my own opinion, I realise others love these shows. I happen to prefer, for the most part, more adventurous and contemporary staging, music and book.  Having said that, I love My Fair Lady. Real class on stage, especially the Cecil Beaton version.  Also, the new staging version of King and I, which I saw in London a few years ago. Not everyone likes my choices either, fair is fair.

Offline Greenowl

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2008, 04:07:58 PM »
Thanks Robert! I must admit that I have not seen any newer musicals, so I have nothing against which to compare the older ones. Mind you, in the case of the Sound of Music there is probably a great deal of sentimentality involved, as I was brought to see the film version (starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer) as a small child, and it marked my very first visit to a cinema. Afterwards we went to a nice restaurant for a meal, so it was a very exciting and special day for me and no doubt for that reason I retain fond memories of "The Sound of Music"!!!

Offline CorisCapnSkip

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2008, 03:54:30 AM »
Our theater company did The Sound of Music a few years ago, is doing Fiddler on the Roof this year and some of us hope to do My Fair Lady next year.  So far I've noted three references to the Tzar in "Fiddler," two decidedly uncomplimentary.  Please see my thread here:  http://forum.alexanderpalace.org/index.php?topic=11259.0
« Last Edit: October 15, 2008, 03:56:24 AM by CorisCapnSkip »

Offline Greenowl

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2008, 04:18:40 AM »
Strangely enough, "Fiddler on the Roof" always reminds me of Golda Meier, the former prime Minister of Israel, as she was born in Kiev in the Russian Empire (today Ukraine). In her autobiography, which I read a few years ago, she stated that her earliest memories were of her father boarding up the front door due to rumors of an imminent pogrom. She had two sisters, Sheyna and Tzipke. Her father, Moshe Mabovitch, emigrated to the United States in 1903 and his wife and daughters followed in 1906.

I hope your theater company's production of "Fiddler on the Roof" goes well, CorisCaptSkip!

Offline Suzanne

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #7 on: October 16, 2008, 12:09:32 AM »
I believe there is a portrait of Tsar Nicholas in the background of the police constable's office in the Fiddler on the Roof film

Offline CorisCapnSkip

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2008, 02:20:36 AM »
I believe there is a portrait of Tsar Nicholas in the background of the police constable's office in the Fiddler on the Roof film

Kewl.

Offline Akira Takahashi

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #9 on: October 29, 2008, 08:54:28 PM »
Fiddler on the Roof is one of my favorite musicals, along with Camelot, The Sound of Music, and The Phantom of the Opera.  Each one of them is a classic in their own right, and many of them took the musical industry to new heights.  Well, maybe not Fiddler, but it's still a good story, and is true to the times.  It tells the story of the Jews much better than The Sound of Music tells the story of the Von Trapp family, and Fiddler is fictional!  And who can forget Tevye's dream?

Offline Greenowl

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2008, 04:04:04 PM »
Fiddler on the Roof is one of my favorite musicals.... It tells the story of the Jews much better than The Sound of Music tells the story of the Von Trapp family, and Fiddler is fictional! 

Yes Akira Takahashi, I agree!

I understand that the real von Trapp family were very disappointed when "The Sound of Music" made its appearance, as they felt that it distorted their story and gave a particularly bad impression of their late father. However, as Maria had sold the copyright of her books there was nothing whatsoever that they could do about it. I always wondered why the names of the children were changed in the musical!

Scholem Alejchem was a wonderful author and I am lucky enough to have a book of his stories (including "Tewje the Milkman") illustrated with works of Marc Chagall, which makes it really special.

Halinka

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #11 on: October 30, 2008, 04:37:06 PM »
Oh lord, the "Sound of music" was nothing based on the truth, first there was no romance between the couple. She had stated the reason why she married her husband was for the chidleren. Also the family saw no money from the movie.

Robert_Hall

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #12 on: October 30, 2008, 04:49:30 PM »
Yet it, and Fiddler, are still old warhorse money makers on stage and film.

Offline Greenowl

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #13 on: October 30, 2008, 06:03:46 PM »
Yes indeed, that thought occurred to me too...i.e. while both musicals amassed a great deal of money (and probably continue to do so) neither the von Trapp family nor Scholem Alejchem (who died in 1916) ever profited from them financially.

I never knew that there was no romance between Georg and Maria von Trapp....surely she must have had some feeling for him? After all, they did have two or three children together! I think their youngest son Johannes is still alive....as far as I know he used to run the family hotel in Vermont.

Halinka

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Re: Fiddler On The Roof
« Reply #14 on: October 30, 2008, 08:03:27 PM »
From what I remeber from reading her quotes, is that she had a "friendship" but only formed the marriange so she could be a mother to the childeren. Any love she had was for the childeren, it really wasn't a romance.