1) "Fiddler on the Roof is the 1971 American film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_on_the_Roof_(film%29 2) "The musical's title stems from a painting by Marc Chagall, one of many surreal paintings he created of Eastern European Jewish life, often including a fiddler. The Fiddler is a metaphor for survival, through tradition and joyfulness, in a life of uncertainty and imbalance." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddler_on_the_roof 3) "The musical is milder and gentler, and this Tevye is a watered down version of Aleichem’s Tevye. Indeed, the name Fiddler on the Roof was drawn from a well-known, much loved image by Marc Chagall. It appeals to a wide variety of audiences, Jews and non-Jews alike. The story is heartfelt, not a heartbreaker. We are spared the worst. In the original story, Tevye’s “tsures,” or troubles, do not end with the loss of his third daughter, Chava, but with the tragic death of his forth daughter, Shprinze, who drowns herself after being rejected by a wealthy prospect. The Pogroms are also handled gently in Fiddler: the Cossack neighbors and the friendly police chief don’t wish to destroy the Jews, they are only obeying orders that come from higher up. Of course, there is no killing or vandalism – just exile. It might not be close to historical reality, but it makes a point, and it makes for a good musical that is a positive and influential part of Jewish American culture. " Source and further information: http://www.jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?articleID=650 Chagall's Fiddler on the Roof: http://www.jewish-theatre.com/getThumbnail.aspx?fileid=1025&width=200&height=0 http://www.jewish-theatre.com/getThumbnail.aspx?fileid=1026&width=200&height=0

Because "Tevye, Golde and their Five Daughters" would not fit on the movie marquee as well.