7: Film, Maurice Schwartz's Tevye, 1939, Yiddish with subtitles.
The first full-length film adaptation of Tevye was directed by and stars Maurice Schwartz, a legendary American Yiddish theater actor. In this scene, Schwartz-as-Tevye explains why he would not be comfortable in America.
Suggested activity: Have students watch the clip. Ask them: what are the key elements of Tevye’s character as performed by Schwartz? In what ways does this Tevye match your vision of the character? In what ways does he differ from your vision?
Source: Tevye, 35 mm film, directed by Maurice Schwartz (1939; The National Center for Jewish Film, restored 1978, 1981), DVD.
