History YMMV / FiddlerOnTheRoof

* {{Adorkable}}: Motel is a poor, cowardly tailor who is head over heels for Tzeitel. When he finally gets to marry her, he breaks into an adorably excited song and dance thanking God for this "miracle."

* SignatureSong: "Tradition," which opens the show. To the extent that if you mention ''Fiddler'' to a group of people who have even a casual knowledge of it, ''someone'' will inevitably sing out, "TRADITIOOOOOOOON! TRADITION!"
** "If I Were A Rich Man" is pretty well known as well, with possible [[SampledUp thanks to]] Music/GwenStefani, and Topol's well-known [[https://youtu.be/D1TC1n9lhXU?t=263 shimmy dance]].

%% * FunnyAneurysmMoment: Not exactly funny, per se, but Perchik participating in the October Revolution definitely counts.

* BrokenBase: Topol being cast in the film instead of the original Tevye Zero Mostel was extremely controversial, with some fans even accusing it of sending the fragile-egoed Mostel into a depression that ultimately led to his death six years later.

* ToiletHumour: In one of the show's last bits of dialogue, while they finish packing for their trip on the train and boat, Tevye suggests leaving behind a collection of pots, while Golde firmly maintains that they must be taken along. Depending on the production, it's either a bizarre and aimless nonsequitur ... or this trope.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Not exactly funny, per se, but Perchik participating in the October Revolution definitely counts.

* ValuesDissonance: The original ''Tevye the Dairyman'' stories by Sholem Aleykhem, on which the musical is based, portrayed Tevye's decision to [[spoiler: disown Chava after she marries Fyedka]] in a more positive light. It was what ''any'' devout Jewish father of the time would do if his child chose to [[spoiler: marry a Gentile]] (and to really hammer this home, Sholem Aleykhem has [[spoiler: Chava abandon Fyedka and return to Judaism]] at the end). People today who see the musical (which doesn't really take a side), though, usually come away from it thinking Tevye's actions toward her are excessive and cruel. Though the movie does show that the father feels trapped by his traditions at this point, but also that [[spoiler:Chava]] was pretty thoughtless to run off and expect everything to be hunky dory. Still, it is easy to see it as a KickTheDog moment for Tevye. It's also important to remember that it's not just culture, it's religion. By accepting [[spoiler:Chava's marriage]] he would be rejecting his faith, and he wasn't willing to do that. In fact, to him, his daughter [[spoiler:rejecting their faith to marry a Christian]] is worse than her dying, as he believes it has eternal consequences. He does unbend a little bit at the very end when the family is having to leave their land and [[spoiler:Chava]] comes to say goodbye. Specifically, he gives her a quiet "God be with you" and subtly endorses his wife and other daughter's reaching out to her.

* ValuesDissonance: The original ''Tevye the Dairyman'' stories by Sholem Aleykhem, on which the musical is based, portrayed Tevye's decision to [[spoiler: disown Chava after she marries Fyedka]] in a more positive light. It was what ''any'' devout Jewish father of the time would do if his child chose to [[spoiler: marry a Gentile]] (and to really hammer this home, Sholem Aleykhem has [[spoiler: Chava abandon Fyedka and return to Judaism]] at the end). People today who see the musical (which doesn't really take a side), though, usually come away from it thinking Tevye's actions toward her are excessive and cruel. Though the movie does show that the father feels trapped by his traditions at this point, but also that [[spoiler:Chava]] was pretty thoughtless to run off and expect everything to be hunky dory. Still, it is easy to see it as a KickTheDog moment for Tevye. It's also important to remember that it's not just culture, it's religion. By accepting [[spoiler:Chava]]'s marriage he would be rejecting his faith, and he wasn't willing to do that. In fact, to him, his daughter [[spoiler:rejecting their faith to marry a Christian]] is worse than her dying, as he believes it has eternal consequences. He does unbend a little bit at the very end when the family is having to leave their land and [[spoiler:Chava]] comes to say goodbye. Specifically, he gives her a quiet "God be with you" and subtly endorses his wife and other daughter's reaching out to her.

* ValuesDissonance: The original ''Tevye the Dairyman'' stories by Sholem Aleykhem, on which the musical is based, portrayed Tevye's decision to [[spoiler: disown Chava after she marries Fyedka]] in a more positive light. It was what ''any'' devout Jewish father of the time would do if his child chose to [[spoiler: marry a Gentile]] (and to really hammer this home, Sholem Aleykhem has [[spoiler: Chava abandon Fyedka and return to Judaism]] at the end). People today who see the musical (which doesn't really take a side), though, usually come away from it thinking Tevye's actions toward her are excessive and cruel. Though the movie does show that the father feels trapped by his traditions at this point, but also that [[spoiler:Chava]] was pretty thoughtless to run off and expect everything to be hunky dory. Still, it is easy to see it as a KickTheDog moment for Tevye. It's also important to remember that it's not just culture, it's religion. By accepting [[spoiler:Chava]]'s marriage he would be rejecting his faith, and he wasn't willing to do that. In fact, to him, his daughter rejecting their faith to marry a Christian is worse than her dying, as he believes it has eternal consequences. He does unbend a little bit at the very end when the family is having to leave their land and Chava comes to say goodbye. Specifically, he gives her a quiet "God be with you" and subtly endorses his wife and other daughter's reaching out to her.

* ValuesDissonance: The original ''Tevye the Dairyman'' stories by Sholem Aleykhem, on which the musical is based, portrayed Tevye's decision to [[spoiler: disown Chava after she marries Fyedka]] in a more positive light. It was what ''any'' good Jewish father of the time would do if his child chose to [[spoiler: marry a Gentile]] (and to really hammer this home, Sholem Aleykhem has [[spoiler: Chava abandon Fyedka and return to Judaism]] at the end). People today who see the musical (which doesn't really take a side), though, usually come away from it thinking Tevye's actions toward her are excessive and cruel.
** Though the movie does show that the father feels trapped by his traditions at this point, but also that she was kinda stupid to run off and expect everything to be hunky dory. Still, it is easy to see it as a KickTheDog moment for Tevye.
** And it's important to remember that it's not just culture, it's religion. By accepting Chava's marriage he would be rejecting his faith, and he wasn't willing to do that. In fact, to him his daughter rejecting their faith to marry a Christian is worse than her dying, as he believes it has eternal consequences.
** He does unbend a little bit at the very end when the family is having to leave their land and Chava comes to say goodbye. Specifically, he gives her a quiet "God be with you" and subtly endorses his wife and other daughter's reaching out to her.

* EarWorm: "Tradition" (''especially'' the fiddle solo), "L'Chaim", "If I Were a Rich Man", and "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" are probably the worst.
* EsotericHappyEnding: Inverted. The DownerEnding had all the jews expelled form their homes. But they left Eastern Europe (and in the case of Tevye's family moved to America) shortly before World War I started.