Tevya (1939)

The original, non-musical film version of the book which inspired "Fiddler on the Roof".

Director:

Maurice Schwartz

Writers:

Sholom Aleichem (story), Marcy Klauber (adaptation),

Stars:

Maurice Schwartz, Miriam Riselle, Rebecca Weintraub

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Maurice Schwartz	...	Tevya 'Tevye'
Miriam Riselle	...	Chavah 'Khave'
Rebecca Weintraub	...	Goldie 'Golde'
Paula Lubelski	...	Zeitel 'Tseytl'
Leon Liebgold	...	Fedya 'Fedye' Galagen
Vicki Marcus	...	Shloimele
Betty Marcus	...	Perele
Julius Adler	...	Aleksei, the Priest
Daniel Makarenko	...	Mikita Galagen, Fedya's Father
Helen Grossman	...	Mrs. Galagen, Mikita's Wife
Morris Strassberg	...	Starosta
Al Harris	...	Zazuli 'Zuzuya'
Louis Weisberg	...	Shtarsina
Boas Young	...	Uradnick, the Officer

Storyline

Tevye is a dairyman in the Russian Ukraine early in the 20th century. He lives in a cabin outside Boyberik with his wife Goldie, his widowed daughter Tseytl, her two children, and his younger daughter, the unmarried Khave. Khave is being courted by Fedya, a Christian, the son of a local government official. Tevye warns Khave against romance and marriage outside her faith, but Fedya is persuasive too. What will Khave decide, how will Tevye react, and when the Tsar initiates a pogrom, will Tevye's friends come to his defense? Can the stubborn Tevye reconcile his heart and tradition? "On the other hand..."

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Plot Keywords:

ukraine | village | milkman | assimilation | fight | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

Yiddish

Release Date:

21 December 1939 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tevye der Milkhiker

Filming Locations:

Biograph Studio, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maymon Film Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1991.

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Goofs

From shot to shot the priest's cross changes position. It's an orthodox cross with a slanted second cross piece. It flips position randomly.

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Connections

Version of Tevye and His Seven Daughters (1968)

User Reviews

Wonderful! Very moving.

I noticed this on TV after it started, so I missed the beginning. However, what I saw, which was most of it, moved me greatly.

I grew up in a home where Yiddish was used by my parents when they didn't want the kids to understand. Russian was used when they really didn't want us to understand! Unfortunately my Yiddish is not up to fully understanding the dialogue of the movie, though a meaningful percentage did come through. The titles were OK, and sometimes inadequate.

To compare this to Fiddler is impossible. This is a tragedy and Fiddler is a musical. The acting is very good. It is old-fashioned acting, with large emotions and gesture. The Yiddish, that which I could understand, is a very nice Yiddish. No Americanisms in it, as the Yiddish I heard at home.

One thing that was disturbing was the stereotypical portrayal of the non-Jewish characters. They were portrayed as coarse and mean-spirited. Of course, in a steytl in 19th century Russia, that was probably the norm.

I recommend this film to all. To those who grew up in an immigrant Jewish household, it is a must.