·
Released:
1961
·
Producers:
Robert Wise,
Saul Chaplin (associate),
and
Walter Mirisch (executive)
·
Directed
By: Jerome
Robbins and Robert Wise
·
Writing
Credits:
Jerome Robbins (staging), Arthur Laurents (play),
William
Shakespeare (unaccredited-play “Romeo & Juliet”)
·
Choreographer:
Jerome Robbins
·
Music:
Leonard Bernstein
·
Budget:
$6 million
·
Lyrics:
Stephen Sondheim
·
Genre:
Musical/Romance
·
Cinematographer:
Daniel L. Fapp
·
Language:
English
·
Rated:
Not Rated, ages 12+
·
Length:
151 minutes, color film
·
Distributed
By:
United Artists
· Cast
After
two years in the making, West Side Story was released in the year 1961 and
written by Robert Wise. 
It was
Wise’s first musical, based off of the Broadway hit written by Arthur Laurents.
Wise found much success in the film after focusing on two main goals.
First of all he wanted to place the characters in their surroundings and
keep them as realistic as possible. His
second goal was to perfect his editing skills, making each scene move smoothly
together. He did this quite well
for this time in film history. Its
romantic story line traced the story of Romeo and Juliet, placing it in modern
America, and having a rivalry between races instead of families.
Wise, when beginning
shooting, found that it was going to be hard to get the location he desired.
Wise also wished to have the set right in downtown New York, in its
original setting. Jerome
Robbins,
who did much on the choreographing for the film also found it difficult at
times. Robbins had already done a
lot of work with the Broadway production of West Side Story and had to learn to
adjust to the screen. He found that
at times putting the stylized dance moves and placing them in such a realistic
background just did not fit together. In the end he was able to compromise them
and made the dances in each scene blend with the backgrounds, like never done
before. Critics have commented on
their ability to keep the film unfolding as if it were a musical play. The scenes were not differed by the on-location surroundings.
The cast lights up the screen and keeps the magic of the musical alive.
After
the release of the film, West Side Story became an instant hit. It earned a total of 10 Oscars that year, including Best
Director and Best Picture. Although
he had been nominated before this film, Wise had failed to win an Oscar for any
of his previous works. West Side Story was considered to be the peak of
Robbins’ career.
Natalie
Wood, who plays the role of Maria, has also been criticized from the very
beginning. The idea of her being a
widely known white playing the role of a Latino was disliked by many. She also needed to have her voice dubbed in the songs and her
Puerto Rican accent was most definitely not authentic.
In the later years the idea of her becoming Latino has been argued as
being politically incorrect as well. Although
there has been much controversy, many viewers have commented on her ability to
stay true to the story and create a love story that people could really fall in
love with.
Some
people also agreed that West Side Story exerted the idea of violence, showing
that was the only way to take care of anything.
The movie was made at the same time the atomic bomb was being made,
agreeing with the idea of violence. People
were critical of this, saying, “what exactly is this world coming to?”
West
Side Story has come to be a film that has lasted throughout the years and is
still able to bring a smile to a person’s face, and warm a person’s heart.
It has become a model of art
and education open for all ages to enjoy.
Plot Summary
: William
Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” influenced “West Side Story”, where
two “star-crossed lovers” feel compelled not to get together due to various
circumstances. In “West Side
Story” Maria, the sister of Bernardo the leader of the Puerto Rican Sharks,
falls in love with Tony the former leader of the New York Jets.
Tony 
and Maria meet at a dance, and from the start, their
love-at-first-sight relationship upsets many people.
The setting is the streets of New York City, where the Sharks and the
Jets fight
over territory issues. After the
dance, the two gangs decide to meet, to have a one on one fight to declare who
the ruler of the street is. This
small dispute, turns into a large brawl with knifes, tragically ending the lives
of Riff from the Jets, and Bernardo from the Sharks.
Tony’s participation in the brawl causes some frustrations between him
and Maria, not to mention the added hostility between the two groups.
Maria and Tony decide to run away, to a place where they can be together,
without any added tension from friends or family.
Maria sends Anita to give Tony a message, but she runs into the Jets, who
hassle her. In her growing
irritation in trying to get a hold of Tony, she says that Maria had been killed
due to Tony and Maria’s love. In grief, Tony runs through the streets of NYC, screaming for
the killer to take his life also, which happens, just as Maria finds Tony.
In the end, Tony and Maria’s undying love, although it was short-lived,
united the Sharks and the Jets, so they can live peacefully in one city.
Critique
: Considered to be one of the most popular musicals
of all time, West Side Story is a
movie that everyone can enjoy.
A modern spin on the age-old “Romeo and Juliet” story, West Side
Story updates the tale of “two star crossed lovers” to the 1950s era of juvenile
delinquency and racism. The rivalry
between the Americans (Jets) and the Puerto Ricans (Sharks) is shown throughout
the movie with well choreographed dance battles and war councils.
Like the classic, West Side Story manages in the end to improve the
relations between the Sharks and Jets, but only after the loss of loved ones.
The on-location shots help to give the film a more realistic quality, however the dancing and singing in the streets gives it the playful quality that you see on stage. Even with the on-location shots Jerome Robbins has done a fantastic job at choreographing and making Bernstein’s music come to life. With its innovative transitions and wonderful use of color West Side Story stands out from all the rest.
Links to Reviews and other Relevant Information:
Discussion Questions
1.
Describe the use of color and
lighting in the film? Did it
advance the emotions the filmmakers were trying to bring forward?
How would you have used color or lighting differently in the movie?
2. Analyze the use of music and dance in the movie. Did it enhance the story that the filmmakers were trying to tell? How would you have used music or dance differently in this film?
3. Were the filmmakers trying to tell us anything? Do you think that they were successful?
4.
Were any special cinematography techniques used?
What were they? Why do you
think the cinematographer chose to use them?
5.
Compare “West Side Story” and “Romeo and Juliet”.
What are there similarities? What
are their differences?
6. What are your thoughts and feelings on “West Side Story”?
7. What do you think the following dialogue between Tony and Maria mean?
Tony: I'll be all right. I know it.
Page by : Katrina Hoppe, Abby Lang, Meghan Murphy (2001F)