Concept: An impoverished milkman in a small Jewish town struggles to keep his family together during the social upheavals of early twentieth-century imperial Russia.  Based on the popular Broadway play of the same name, which in turn was based on a series of short stories.
 

• This is the one movie you need to see before you die.
• This movie epitomizes a concept of greatness that I’ve mentioned in other reviews: a great movie that transcends both its genre and the medium itself, transforming itself into a very special event that you share with those watching it with you.
• “Fiddler” is a musical, based on a musical play that has been continually playing somewhere in the world ever since it started in the 1960s (with the possible disruption of COVID).
• Yet unlike many stage adaptions or filmings of stage plays (like “Hamilton” on Disney+), “Fiddler” is a fully cinematic experience. Knowing that it was a Broadway musical, you can think of how the movie scenes might have played out on stage, but the movie is expansive, being both epic and intimate, not feeling at all like a stage play.
• The movie will speak to you differently, depending on the stage of life that you’re in when you see it. Since its characters are multi-generational, it has something to say for people of all ages. But as you grow older and see it at different times in your life, you’ll feel that it hits you differently every time, connecting to whatever part of your existence you happen to be in.
• The characters and acting are excellent, but Topol as Tevye the milkman stands out above them all and becomes a truly iconic figure of humor, dignity, and humanity.
• The music and songs are fantastic, and everybody will have their favorites. Mine are “If I Were a Rich Man,” “Sunrise, Sunset,” and most of all, “Do You Love Me?”
• I saw the movie most recently on Blu Ray and unfortunately, the song lyrics are not sub-titled even when you have sub-titles on. That’s a serious omission that didn’t allow my family to truly enjoy all of the songs because we couldn’t grasp everything the lyrics were saying. If you see this streaming, perhaps you will have a different experience with the sub-titles (if you use them).
• The movie is three-hours long, but don’t let that hold you back. Seeing the movie is like seeing family; when you see the movie again, it’s like, “Ah, Tevye, you’re back, good to see you again,” and when the movie is over, it never feels long enough.
• You owe it to yourself to see this movie, preferably with the people who are important to you.
• Viewed on an Optoma HD28DSE projector, 92” screen, Blu Ray. The experience seeing it on the big screen is awesome, but the Blu Ray transfer isn’t top-notch; it’s not bad, but it’s not one of those top-tier classic remasterings either. Nevertheless, you’ll find it great whether you see it on a phone or see it on a big screen. (But please, don’t watch it on your phone. See it at least on a TV or big monitor.)

Fiddler on the Roof (1971) 98%