Fiddler on the Roof 1971

Vincent Canby, New York Times: They want to show us everything, to give us our money's worth. In so doing, they've not just opened up the play, they've let most of the life out of it. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: Earthbound but not bad. Read more

Paul Sargent Clark, Hollywood Reporter: There are some contrived and artificial moments in Fiddler, but it becomes more convincing, naturalistic, and involving as it goes on, and finally builds to a powerful climax. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Jewison's attention to detail is undeniable -- great care was taken to represent Jewish customs as accurately as possible. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Would it be heresy on my part to suggest that Fiddler isn't much as a musical, and that director Norman Jewison has made as good a film as can be made from a story that is quite simply boring? Read more

Jay Cocks, TIME Magazine: The qualities that have kept the Broadway Fiddler running these seven years are in scant supply onscreen. Read more

Tom Milne, Time Out: Very hard to take with the film sitting up and practically slobbering in its eagerness to prove how loveable it is. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Sentimental in a theatrical way, romantic in the oldfashioned way, nostalgic of immigration days, affirmative of human decency, loyalty, bravery and folk humor. Read more