The first showdown

So after watching the first four movies of our massive director showdown I am ready to pick an initial winner...but first the completely unnecessary movie rating system with which I have made my decision:

Fiddler on the Roof - Norman Jewison
Genre- Musical - With its amazing blending of familial love and tragedy, bigotry and racism, and more memorable show tunes than you can believe 9/10.
Characters- From Tevye who somehow manages to be everyone's version of the lovable father to minor characters like Yente the town matchmaker filled with characters you can't forget 8/10.
Mood Theme Ambiance- The tavern scene where the jews and russians literally weave in out of each others dances to higlight how the two groups weave in and out of each others lives is worth 3 points alone- 8/10
Inventivness-Jewison adapted the film from the stage musical so he had a platform to work from but the way in which he brings the non stage elements to the film is remarkable. Note the end visual sequences of the jews leaving the villiage looking like something out of a Mark Chagall paitning. 7/10.
Film Quality- So many of the songs still live on today that you won't believe how many you know. Also the dancing will replay in your head for days and days. 9/10.

Total Score: 41/50

Boy's Town: Norman Taurog
Genre- Bio pick - the interesting true story of the life of Father Flannigan an American Catholic priest who starts a town for children run by children. 6/10
Characters- While Mickey Rooney blew me away with his charisma and acting chops the rest of the characters including Spencer Tracy's Flannigan seem all too saintly to be real. 4/10
Mood Theme Ambience - There is an interesting interplay between hope and doom that lives within each boy and ties together many of the characteristics of the Catholic faith. 5/10
Inventiveness - Taurog writes the script on how to get the most out of child actors. Give them lots of screen time doing action stunts and slapstick but let the adults do the heavy hitting emotionally. 6/10
Film Quality - I wouldn't say there were many magical moments in this film but I would definatly say that the story was centered and direct to its point. 5/10
Total Score: 26/40

In the Heat of the Night: Jewison
Genre: Crime Drama- Cleary takes the genre to a new level making dramatic statements about race, culture, and common humanity all the while interweaving a well put together crime tale: 9/10
Chracters - While Sidney Poitier would begin to be criticized for always playing a perfectly ideal black male his Det Tibbs comes across as angry but lovebale. Rod Steiger plays a near perfect southern sherrif and the rest of the cast fits well 8/10
Mood Ambience Theme - So much of the story is told through what is not said but implied and in todays less overtly racist time i feel like i missed a lot of it. One scene that highlights the mood well is when Poitier states he'll get a room at a motel only to have a local black family laugh as they carry his bags inside. 7/10
Inventiveness - A black man had never struck a white man on screen before this film and wouldn't have if they had followed the original script. Between Jewison and Poitier they worked one of the most racially charged moments of this or any film in possibly the most racially charged time in American History. 8/10
Film Quality - Movie moments abound in this film showing Jewison's range. 8/10
Total: 40/50

Pardners: Norman Taurog
Genre- Comedy - a film that easily highlights the slapstick commedy of Martin and Lewis. but is often too smooth and too polished. 5/10
Characters- the duo each play two characters both a father and a son but to say that the characters are over the top in an understatement 4/10
Mood Ambience Theme- An anti government moral message about the wild west with a bit to say about the nature of being partners 4/10
Inventivness- How Lewis can pull off that many falls and stunts in such long takes is amazing. Nothing else really stands out 3/10
Film Quality- The pair seems to be having a great time together. but the overall film comes off a bit too polished. 4/10
Total: 20/50

Average Jewison: 40.5/50
Average Taurog: 23/50

And my winner for this round is Norman Jewison.