West Side Story (1961)

Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.

Directors:

Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise

Writers:

Ernest Lehman (screenplay), Arthur Laurents (book)

Stars:

Natalie Wood, George Chakiris, Richard Beymer

Won 10 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

West Side Story is the award-winning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy, "Romeo and Juliet". The feuding families become two warring New York City gangs- the white Jets led by Riff and the Puerto Rican Sharks, led by Bernardo. Their hatred escalates to a point where neither can coexist with any form of understanding. But when Riff's best friend (and former Jet) Tony and Bernardo's younger sister Maria meet at a dance, no one can do anything to stop their love. Maria and Tony begin meeting in secret, planning to run away. Then the Sharks and Jets plan a rumble under the highway - whoever wins gains control of the streets. Maria sends Tony to stop it, hoping it can end the violence. It goes terribly wrong, and before the lovers know what's happened, tragedy strikes and doesn't stop until the climactic and heartbreaking ending.

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Plot Keywords:

gang | new york city | puerto rican | tragedy | interracial romance | 

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Taglines:

Unlike other musicals 'West Side Story' grows younger!(re-release)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

23 December 1961 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Amor sin barreras

Filming Locations:

Church of Saint Paul the Apostle, Columbus Avenue & West 60th Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$43,656,822

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Mirisch Corporation,Seven Arts Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

153 min

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the time, this became the biggest selling soundtrack album.

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Goofs

In the final scene, they show Maria, then pan over to the Jets and Sharks. When they come back to Maria, a large portion of her hair has magically come out of place.

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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.

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Crazy Credits

The credits at the end of the movie appear as graffiti on street signs.

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Alternate Versions

In 2011, as part of the 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray release, a new score, closer to the original theatrical version, was orchestrated by the Leonard Bernstein Estate. It was performed live by the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonics at screenings with the original score excised. (The original vocals were retained.) The New York performance was at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, built atop the movie's filming locations.

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Connections

Version of Romeo Loves Juliet... But Their Families Hate Each Other! (1989)

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Soundtracks

Somewhere
(1957) (uncredited)
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Performed by Richard Beymer (dubbed by Jimmy Bryant) and Natalie Wood (dubbed by Marni Nixon)

User Reviews

Still The Best

As a now 50-year old, I first saw 'West Side Story' when I was about 7. It may have been the first movie I ever saw outside home (actually at a drive-in--remember those?), and it's certainly the most memorable of movies I saw during that time of my life (although 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'The Music Man' are right up there too). In fact, as I watch the DVD now, I'm reminded why when asked, I typically cite it as my favorite movie of all time. The story is hundreds of years old, and now with the onset of drive-by shootings, the threat to the community presented by the Jets and Sharks seems a little dated, but then there's the amazing Bernstein score, and the fabulous Robbins' choreography, heartbreaking songs by Sondheim like "One Hand, One Heart" and "I Have a Love," innovative camera work by director Robert Wise, and unforgettable performances by the luminous Natalie Wood and the phenomenal Rita Moreno.

I'm not old enough to have seen the original Broadway play, but I saw a recent revival, and the movie even improves on the play by moving a couple of musical numbers around so they fit better with the plot. Great movie musicals are few and far between these days ('Chicago' sold well--I couldn't quite deal with Richard Gere as a song and dance man); I wish there was another 'West Side Story' in store to entertain me for the next 50 years of my life.