Tradition! That’s what “Fiddler on the Roof” is all about. The Jerry Bock-Sheldon Harnick-Joseph Stein musical made it’s Broadway debut in 1964, and by the time it reached the big screen in 1971, had gone on to become of the most beloved stage musicals of all time. The stage role of Tevye, the Jewish dairyman trying to marry off his five daughters, was originated by Zero Mostel. Read the rest of this entry »

When Steven Spielberg was first approached to direct “Amistad,” he passed because he felt that the story was larger than a theatrical film could hold. He should have trusted his first instincts. “Amistad,” even at two-and-a-half hours, seems thin. Despite having been directed by the master of manipulation himself, “Amistad” is remotely distant and devoid of emotion. Read the rest of this entry »