Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness (2011)

A riveting portrait of the great writer whose stories became the basis of the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof. Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness tells the tale of the ... See full summary »

Director:

Joseph Dorman

Writer:

Joseph Dorman

Stars:

Rachel Dratch, Hillel Halkin, Jason Kravits

Cast

Credited cast:
Rachel Dratch	...	Shayne Sheyndl (voice)
Hillel Halkin	...	Himself
Jason Kravits	...	Menachem Mendl
Dan Miron	...	Himself
Peter Riegert	...	Tevye
Alan Rosenberg	...	Narrator
David Roskies	...	Himself
Ruth Wisse	...	Herself

Storyline

A riveting portrait of the great writer whose stories became the basis of the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof. Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness tells the tale of the rebellious genius who created an entirely new literature. Plumbing the depths of a Jewish world locked in crisis and on the cusp of profound change, he captured that world with brilliant humor. Sholem Aleichem was not just a witness to the creation of a new modern Jewish identity, but one of the very men who forged it.

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Plot Keywords:

jewish identity | 

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Taglines:

Before there was Fiddler, there was Tevye... and the man who created him.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 July 2011 (USA)

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,247, 10 July 2011, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$906,666, 13 May 2012

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color (HDCAM)

Aspect Ratio:

16:9 HD

User Reviews

Tradition!

Greetings again from the darkness. Typically a documentary on an individual is either presented as a look back at their life or an observation of their lasting impact. Director Joseph Dorman provides both of these PLUS critical reviews and analysis of the writings of Sholem Aleichem, the writer whose work inspired Fiddler on the Roof. It is an absorbing look at who most would consider to be the most famous Yiddish writer and humorist. His work really bridged the gap between the old world Jews and the rapidly changing and evolving modernists from the turn of the 20th century.

At times the film plays like a classroom presentation for 8th graders in World History, but look closer and you'll see many fascinating, rare photographs and video. There is even one bit of audio featuring Aleichem himself reading his own words. Mostly we get Alan Rosenberg as the narrator and Peter Riegert as the voice of the readings.

What makes this enthralling, interesting and educational are the terrific interviews with Yiddish experts, and the on camera presence of author Bel Kaufman, Aleichem's granddaughter. There is no fluff or filler here. These people provide real insight and analysis and perspective on his life and writings. The photo montage of the funeral procession with 200,000 New Yorkers is a sight to behold.

Maybe you have read the original literary work "Tevye the Dairyman". Perhaps you have seen the 1939 film Tevye. Maybe you were fortunate enough to have seen the original Broadway run of "Fiddler on the Roof". Most likely you have seen the 1971 film musical with the great Topol as Tevye. This film points out that the words and message of Aleichem have been twisted and shifted over the years, but there is no questioning the lasting impact and his determination to document ... Tradition!