this movie takes place in russia ,the towns people are all jewish the main character tevia ,famer with 5 daughters who helps him on the farm. The whole thing with the fiddler on the roof as to deal with tradition. the whole movie is based on tradition. In the towns they got their match makers, the begger ,and most important their rabi. they believe without tradition their lives would be as shaky as fiddler on the roof. an old lady is finding a husband for the girls of the house hold. the butcher of the town has his eye on sidel. for the girls you never know what the match maker is going to bring for you. He could be tall ,handsome, rich, or he could be fat, ugly, really old, and a wife beater. the dad shakes the butcher hand ,agreein that he can marry his daughter ,but when he goes back to tell his family. no one is happy except the mother. Sidel begs for papa not to make her marry the butcher. Then the tailor asks papa for sidel hand in marriage. papa thinks about it for awhile ,and finally agrees to the marriage.
This movie really has to deal with tradition. Is tradition good ,bad ,or will tradition always stay the same.
The famer fakes havin a bad dream ,so he can tell his wife about the bad dream. He makes the bad dream simble that her grandmother does not want sidle to marry the butcher ,but instead the tailor. They end up preparing ,and havin a marriage for sidle and the tailor. The marriage has people all around them holding candles. The tailor puts the ring on her first fingure. Then he breaks the glass and everyone starts dancing. The butcher gives the newly wed 5 chickens ,then complains that it should had been his wedding ,that the farmer gave his agreement to the butcher that he could marry his daughter. The boy who had been teachin the daughters of the farmer. He ask a woman to dance ,and thats not traditional. After awhile everyone starts to join in. In the middle of the dance ,non jews of then start to break up the wedding. Crashing and breaking everything. The captain tells the farmer ,since they are good friends. That thats their orders ,to crash and break things. They break into homes .stores ,and setting buildings and carts on fire. The boy who the farmer took in ,that teaches his daughter about the bible. Has asked the second farmers daughter to marry him. The farmer tells them no ,but they say their not askin for his permission just his blessing. Its seems that tradition is starting to fade away. It seems that their is a new match maker "love". Then the farmer wonders if his wife loves him. The first time they met was on thier wedding night. The boy who marries the farmer second wife goes to preach the word of freedom. The third oldest daughter is in love with a chatholic boy. Her farther tells her she can be his friend from a distance but thats it. She loves this boy so they get married and run away together behind the familys back. She comes back and tries to talk to her farther.