Wonder of wonders, the brilliant Fiddler on the Roof has a documentary! Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles takes a closer look at the story that began all those stage productions and the 1971 film adaptation, paying close attention to those who put it all together and kept it going despite such scepticism at the outset.
For a film that felt so niche and only personal to me because of my own family’s history, this documentary shows that any story can resonate if made well and you don’t need that personal connection to appreciate the story. Fiddler on the Roof is not just the tale of a group of Jewish people struggling with changing traditions and being pushed out of their homes; it’s about displaced people and breaking away from a traditional community.
The exploration into how these themes have continued to appeal to audiences the world over is interesting and fun and sadly still incredibly relevant. The documentary has interviews from people involved in the many different stage productions and the film and also finds time to include tales from fans of the story like Lin-Manuel Miranda, who sung ‘To Life’ at his wedding with his new father-in-law simply because he was such a fan of the show, and Gurinder Chadha.
There are behind-the-scenes insights into casting and choreography to enjoy, plus commentary on the initial bad reviews and last-minute changes, and all while looking at the wider context of such an important story.
Fiddler on the Roof remains just as relevant and important now as it was when it began all those years ago. This documentary provides an intriguing insight into how it almost never got made and the incredible legacy that continues to this day.
Fiddler: A Miracle of Miracles is released in cinemas from December 13 http://fiddlerfilm.co.uk
