West Side Story (1961)

Directors:

Jerome Robbins
Robert Wise

Writers:

Ernest Lehman (screenplay)
Arthur Laurents (book)
(more)

Release Date:

23 December 1961 (Japan)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Musical | Romance

Tagline:

"BEST PICTURE!" Winner of 10 Academy Awards! - 1961 (post-Oscar)

Plot:

Musical about two youngsters from rival NYC gangs who fall in love.

Plot Keywords:

Love | Gang | New York City | Puerto Rican | Dance

Awards:

Won 10 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Natalie Wood	...	Maria
Richard Beymer	...	Tony
Russ Tamblyn	...	Riff
Rita Moreno	...	Anita
George Chakiris	...	Bernardo
Simon Oakland	...	Schrank
Ned Glass	...	Doc
William Bramley	...	Krupke
Tucker Smith	...	Ice
Tony Mordente	...	Action
David Winters	...	A-rab
Eliot Feld	...	Baby John
Bert Michaels	...	Snowboy
David Bean	...	Tiger
Robert Banas	...	Joyboy
Anthony 'Scooter' Teague	...	Big Deal (as Scooter Teague)
Harvey Evans	...	Mouthpiece (as Harvey Hohnecker)
Tommy Abbott	...	Gee-Tar
Susan Oakes	...	Anybodys
Gina Trikonis	...	Graziella
Carole D'Andrea	...	Velma
Jose De Vega	...	Chino
Jay Norman	...	Pepe
Gus Trikonis	...	Indio
Eddie Verso	...	Juano
Jaime Rogers	...	Loco
Larry Roquemore	...	Rocco
Robert E. Thompson	...	Luis (as Robert Thompson)
Nick Navarro	...	Toro (as Nick Covacevich)
Rudy Del Campo	...	Del Campo
Andre Tayir	...	Chile
Yvonne Wilder	...	Consuelo (as Yvonne Othon)
Suzie Kaye	...	Rosalia
Joanne Miya	...	Francisca
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Astin	...	Glad Hand (uncredited)
Jimmy Bryant	...	Tony (singing voice) (uncredited)
Christopher Culkin	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Maria Henley	...	Shark dancer Teresita (uncredited)
Elaine Joyce	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Priscilla Lopez	...	Child Extra (uncredited)
Marni Nixon	...	Maria (singing voice) (uncredited)
Lou Ruggiero	...	Police Officer #3 (uncredited)
Penny Santon	...	Madam Lucia (uncredited)
Lee Theodore	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Roxanne Tunis	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Betty Wand	...	Anita (singing voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Jerome Robbins
Robert Wise

Writing credits
Ernest Lehman		(screenplay)
Arthur Laurents		(book)
William Shakespeare		uncredited (play "Romeo and Juliet") &
Jerome Robbins		play conceived by

Produced by
Saul Chaplin	....	associate producer
Robert Wise	....	producer
Walter Mirisch	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Leonard Bernstein
Irwin Kostal		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Daniel L. Fapp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Thomas Stanford

Production Design by
Boris Leven

Set Decoration by
Victor A. Gangelin		(as Victor Gangelin)

Costume Design by
Irene Sharaff

Makeup Department
Emile LaVigne	....	makeup artist (as Emile La Vigne)
Alice Monte	....	hairdresser

Production Management
Allen K. Wood	....	production manager
Hubert Fröhlich	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert E. Relyea	....	assistant director
Jerome M. Siegel	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Sam Gordon	....	property
Maurice Zuberano	....	production artist (as M. Zuberano)
Leon Harris	....	production illustrator (uncredited)
William Maldonado	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Fred Lau	....	sound
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	sound editor
Murray Spivack	....	sound
Vinton Vernon	....	sound
Richard Gramaglia	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Fred Hynes	....	sound recording supervisor (uncredited)
Gordon Sawyer	....	sound supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Saul Bass	....	visual consultant
Linwood G. Dunn	....	photographic effects (as Linwood Dunn)

Stunts
Eli Bo Jack Blackfeather	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Linwood G. Dunn	....	title photographer (uncredited)
John Finger	....	camera operator: title sequence (uncredited)
Ernst Haas	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Louis Kulsey	....	dolly grip: title sequence (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bert Henrikson	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Marshall M. Borden	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Richard Carruth	....	music editor
Saul Chaplin	....	music supervisor
Johnny Green	....	conductor
Johnny Green	....	music supervisor
Irwin Kostal	....	music supervisor
Irwin Kostal	....	orchestrator
Sid Ramin	....	music supervisor
Sid Ramin	....	orchestrator
Stephen Sondheim	....	lyrics by
Robert Tucker	....	vocal coach (as Bobby Tucker)
Betty Walberg	....	musical assistant
Pete Candoli	....	musician (uncredited)
Jack Dumont	....	musician: saxophone (uncredited)
Walter A. Gest	....	production music playback operator (uncredited)
Shelly Manne	....	musician (uncredited)
Red Mitchell	....	musician (uncredited)
Uan Rasey	....	musician: trumpet soloist (uncredited)
Albert T. Viola	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Tommy Abbott	....	dance assistant
Margaret Banks	....	dance assistant
Saul Bass	....	titles
Robert E. Griffith	....	producer: stage-play
Howard Jeffrey	....	dance assistant
Tony Mordente	....	dance assistant
Harold Prince	....	producer: stage-play (as Harold S. Prince)
Jerome Robbins	....	choreographer
Jerome Robbins	....	choreographer: stage production
Jerome Robbins	....	director: stage play
Stanley Scheuer	....	script supervisor (as Stanley K. Scheuer)
Roger L. Stevens	....	produced by arrangement with
Hal Bell	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)
John Flynn	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Gerald Freedman	....	assistant: Mr. Robbins (uncredited)
Peter Gennaro	....	co-choreographer (uncredited)
Eliot Hyman	....	production executive (uncredited)
Howard Jeffrey	....	assistant choreographer: Mr. Robbins (uncredited)
George Lake	....	assistant stage manager: stage production (uncredited)
Harold Mirisch	....	production executive (uncredited)
Marvin Mirisch	....	production executive (uncredited)
Howard Newman	....	press representative (uncredited)
Arthur Rubin	....	assistant stage manager: stage production (uncredited)
Wallace Siebert	....	assistant: Mr. Gennaro (uncredited)
Ray Stark	....	production executive (uncredited)
Lee Theodore	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirisch Corporation, The (presented by) (as Mirisch Pictures Inc.)
• Seven Arts Productions (presented by) (in association with)
• Beta Productions (as A Beta Production)

Distributors

• United Artists (1961) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1962) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Rank Filmes de Portugal (1962) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• United Artists Films (1962) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1962) (France) (theatrical)
• United Artists (1962) (Italy) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1972) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1987) (Finland) (TV)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Nelonen (1997) (Finland) (TV)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2000) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Cine Qua Non Films (2002) (Japan) (theatrical) (digitally re-mastered version)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2011) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Scanvideo (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Film Effects of Hollywood (photographic effects)

Other Companies

• Stalmaster-Lister Co.  casting
• Sony Music Entertainment  soundtrack released on (as Columbia Masterworks)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Crest Digital  restoration work
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

152 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Peru:PT | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) | USA:Approved (certificate #19949) | West Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:MG6 | Brazil:Livre | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1970) | Sweden:15 (original rating) | Ireland:PG | Japan:G (2009) | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

110th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Trivia:

Original plans for the play to involve a Jewish boy and an Irish Catholic girl were abandoned because producer Arthur Laurents felt it too closely mirrored the play "Abie's Irish Rose".

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the movie, behind the first close-up of Riff on the playground, snapping his fingers, you can see a young boy riding his bike behind Riff, the boy wasn't there in the previous shot (from above).

Quotes:

[first lines]
[the Jets dance across the streets of New York, eventually coming to a playground where they toss around a basketball. The ball is intercepted by Bernardo, leader of the Sharks]
Riff:[snaps fingers at Bernardo] Come on.
[Bernardo drops the ball, Riff picks it up]
Riff:Beat it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Hard Times of RJ Berger: The Berger Cometh (#1.3)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

The Rumble

In An Era of Great Musicals, "West Side Story" Was Among the Best

When they say they don't make movies like they used to, this is the sort of film they are talking about. Despite its flaws (and there are some), it is easily one of the best musicals ever made. Beginning with the overture and the opening scenes of New York City, circa 1960, it almost screams "classic." Some have criticized Natalie Wood's Maria (her dubious accent and the dubbed-in singing) or Richard Beymer's Tony (his slightly smarmy interpretation of the ex gang member gone straight), but the fact remains, their wholesome, fresh-faced characterizations defined the roles. And you simply can't top the film's instrumental score, its great songs ("Maria," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty," "A Place For Us," "I Have a Love," and "Officer Krupke"), its excellent choreography, or its very effective cinematography. Rita Moreno, as Anita, delivers what was probably her best performance in the movies, in particular her dancing and singing in "America," while Russ Tamblyn, as Rif, the charismatic leader of the Jets, is seldom given the credit he deserved. Natalie Wood on the rooftop, anticipating another meeting with her newfound love, is a vision of grace and innocence, while George Chakiris as her brother Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks, is very convincing as the persecuted immigrant/mean-spirited hoodlum. And its not as if these are the only actors who did a great job. A number of the other supporting roles are delivered with memorable professionalism, too. In fact, the cast as a whole is superb.

This movie poignantly (if simplistically) explores the purity of first love, while tackling intolerance and racism head-on, avoiding the tired, politically correct clichés that movies of today too often wallow in. Despite the simplicity of the story, it is always an emotional experience, no matter how many times you've seen it. While it is true that the Academy Awards have become very politicized, and no doubt always were to a degree, this movie snagged ten of them when great movies were being turned out almost as often as mindless pap is today. Not to be missed.