West Side Story Reviews

Robert Wise was already a major industry veteran by the time West Side Story came around. Beginning his career as Orson Welles’ editor, getting Oscar nominated for Citizen Kane and working closely to create some of those great special effects shots, before transitioning to a director under Val Lewton’s horror unit, Wise was something of a journeyman, but he learned countless, invaluable lessons in working with Welles about creating iconic shots. Known primarily for tougher stories, West Side Story was a departure and perfect fit for his wheelhouse. He handled the dramatics while Jerome Robbins assisted with the musical numbers and choreography.

 

This is all to say that Robert Wise’s history of tough-guy, street-level stories in films like The Set-Up and Odds Against Tomorrow laid a solid foundation for this gang warfare spin on Romeo and Juliet. Wise’s eye for arresting visuals found a pop-opera structure to support it, and a movie musical has rarely been as expressionistic and bursting with color-coded symbolism as West Side Story.

 

Describing West Side Story as pop-opera becomes more apt and apparent as the narrative’s emotions and tension rise to ever higher peaks, with characters preferring to express themselves through song-and-dance with only the barest of dialog-only scenes to connect them. Rabid fury dominates the eternal immigrant struggle between the warring street gangs, and the final scenes are a pilling up of bodies and violent explosions that the story had only prior flirted with.

 

Red is color that looms large over the proceedings, with the Jets and Sharks frequently standing in front of red buildings, or aural notes that feel like miniature explosions of fury. Look no further than the “Dance at the Gym” sequence, which is set against a violently red wall, the simmering tensions between the rival gangs exploding in small outbursts of aggressive dancing.

 

If red looms large as the symbol of violence and barely contained racial tensions, then purple is vibrancy of life and love, expressed most consistently through Maria’s virginal romance with Tony. In “Somewhere” Maria and Tony hold each other closely while she’s wearing a purple nightgown, proclaiming their love, and she sings about her hopeful plans for the future in front of a purple wall in the “Tonight Quartet.” Even Anita, easily the best part in the entire film, wears purple and frequently admonishes Bernardo for his gang leadership and violence. Or works to help Maria and Tony’s romantic plans dressed in lilacs, walking in Doc’s shop, bathed in red, to plead for peace, and nearly gets raped for all her trouble.

 

But let’s talk about the central romance in West Side Story for a bit, because it is the most painful and obvious weakness. Not only is the eventual tragedy that calls for a cease-fire between the gangs questionable as drama, but Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer are both hugely miscast as believable romantic partners. The very Russian-doll looking Wood is all wrong with her terrible attempt as a Puerto Rican, though she makes up for this in being deeply committed to her dancing scenes and trying to make it work. The same can’t be said for Beymer, while incredibly handsome is all blandly toothsome, and completely unbelievable as tough Italian hood trying to go straight.

 

It’s best when watching West Side Story to focus on a trio of fantastic performances, Robbins’ stellar choreography, and the fantastic score. Rita Moreno’s work as Anita deservedly won her an Oscar, one of my all-time favorite performances and Oscar wins. Her teasing, fiery “America” is a show stopper, and she’s even better during the climatic confrontation in Doc’s store, where she twists a message of love into the machinations that will lead us to the grim finale. Meeting her level of performance is George Chakiris as Bernardo, and you’ll find the heat and passion in Chakiris and Moreno where Wood and Beymer deflate as romantic leads. Finally, Russ Tamblyn is all bratty insouciance as the Jets gang leader, leading them through a rousing “Gee, Officer Krupke.”

 

The strongest argument for West Side Story’s place within the canon rests within Robbins’ choreography and the score, essentially asking why these gangs are dancing and working out from there. The opening introduces the major players, their various fights about territory and place within American society, and find a mode of expression in which snapping and ballet moves begin to look like street fighting. “The Rumble” and “Cool” are the apex of this. “Cool” in particular is fascinating as their tense body language is at constant war with the message of the song.

 

Written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, the score for West Side Story is one of the great American songbooks. Not only are classics like “America,” “Cool,” and “Gee, Office Krupke” expressing deeper social problems and character motivations, but they haven’t even taken into account the sweeping romance of “Somewhere” or the confirmation of self-identity in “I Feel Pretty.” Yet still only scratches at the surface, as even the “Prologue,” “Dance at the Gym,” and “Jet Song” have entered the culture in a very deep way. The score for West Side Story is one of the deepest and richest that American theater has produced, and it follows a similar thread through its adaptation into cinema.

 

An imperfect movie, yes, but still an absolute classic. At least West Side Story does Shakespeare one better by transforming the tragic ending into something far worse. In Romeo and Juliet the lovers both die, but not so here. One of them will have to continue on, having suffered immeasurable losses on the same night. So much of this works so well that we can easily forgive the warping effect that happens when the story pulls focus onto the young lovers. Two-and-a-half hour’s flies by as you watch this solidly made, rough-and-tumble gangland musical.

It’s amazing how a movie based on a musical based on a Shakespeare play managed to win so many Academy Awards, but in this case there’s little surprise, seeing as this film is the film adaptation of ‘West Side Story’, based on the musical of the same name, which was based off the Shakespeare play ‘Romeo & Juliet’

Similar to ‘Romeo & Juliet’, there’s a rivalry between two groups, in R&J, it was between two families in Italy – the Montagues and the Capulets, in WSS, it’s between two teenage gangs – the Jets and the Sharks. However the Jets and Sharks have no women in either groups, although Bernardo (George Chakiris), the leader of the Sharks, is the brother to Maria (Natalie Wood), who Tony (Richard Beymer), a member of the Jets, falls for. The film and musical bare more similarities to ‘Romeo & Juliet’, but in my opinion, if you were to go along ‘West Side Story’, you would spot the similarities between it and ‘Romeo & Juliet’

While neither the film nor musical have a completely original plot, this film takes the musical numbers from the play and makes them more popular around those who have never seen the original musical. The film also features an amazing score, a great visual style, intelligent directing by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, some mind-blowing cinematography from Daniel L. Fapp, amazing dance scenes and a talented cast that includes Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and Russ Tamblyn.

With the cinematography, you look at the overview of Manhattan, New York, and it amazes you how they got those shots. With the dancing, you stare at it and think that these actors have gone through lots of dancing lessons. These actors have also worked really hard to get this far into this acting, in which every single cast member demonstrates how amazing they can get! Listening to the original music, you feel glad that this film had something original to offer! And they did it so well!

Although the plot summary here is divided into two acts, and the film was originally intended to have two acts, it was finally decided that it would work better without an intermission, in order to increase the tension in the plot.
[edit] Act I

The film opens in the streets of Manhattan in the late summer of 1957. There is a mounting tension set to music ("Prologue") between a white American gang, the Jets, led by Riff Lorton (Russ Tamblyn), and a rival gang of Puerto Rican immigrants, the Sharks, led by Bernardo Nunez (George Chakiris). The Jets harass the Sharks and vice versa, culminating in a free-for-all on the playground. They dance and eventually the Sharks grab one of the Jets, the youngest, named Baby John (Eliot Feld), and begin to "bloody" him. Soon, Lieutenant Schrank (Simon Oakland) and Officer Krupke (William Bramley[1]) arrive and break up the melee. Schrank orders the Sharks off the playground and the Jets "to make nice with them Puerto Ricans" or there'll be a price to pay. Once Schrank and Krupke are gone, the Jets discuss challenging the Sharks to an all out rumble that will decide who gets control of the streets. They decide to deliver the challenge to the Sharks at a dance later that night, because it is neutral territory.

Riff decides that his best friend Tony Wycek (Richard Beymer), a co-founder of the Jets who has left the gang to work at a local candy/drug store, would be the best member to present the challenge to the Sharks because he has always come through for the Jets ("Jet Song"). Riff visits Tony at the store and asks him to come to the dance, but Tony is not interested. He tells Riff that he senses something very important is about to happen to him. After a little cajoling from Riff, Tony changes his mind and agrees to meet him and the Jets at the dance, in case it is there that he will discover that "something" ("Something's Coming").

Bernardo arrives to take his sister Maria (Natalie Wood) and his girlfriend Anita (Rita Moreno) to the dance. At the dance, which is held at the gym, the Jets, Sharks, and girls are greatly enjoying themselves ("Dance at the Gym"). The host of the dance, social worker Glad Hand (John Astin), tries to get the members of the rival gangs to dance together. Even so, the rival gang members and their girlfriends remain apart. During a mambo, Tony and Maria see each other, become infatuated, going into a trance-like state, and begin to dance, oblivious to the rivalry between their ethnic groups. They eventually kiss, but Bernardo angrily interrupts them. He orders Maria home and tells Tony to stay away from his sister. It's at this point that Riff proposes a "war council" with Bernardo, who agrees to meet at Doc's drug store after the dance. Tony leaves in a happy daze, singing of his newfound love ("Maria").

Maria is sent home, and Anita argues with Bernardo that they are in America, not Puerto Rico. At the Sharks' apartment building, Anita and other girls from Puerto Rico engage in a spirited argument with Bernardo in defense of Maria's right to dance with whomever she pleases. They debate the advantages and disadvantages of their country ("America"). Eventually the women and the men disperse as Bernardo and his gang go to the war council.

Tony discreetly visits Maria outside the fire escape at her home and they confirm their love ("Tonight"). They arrange to meet the next day at the bridal shop where Maria works. Meanwhile, the Jets gather outside of Doc's store to wait for the Sharks. They are visited by Officer Krupke, who warns them not to cause trouble on his beat. After he leaves, they lampoon him and the various theories of how to deal with juvenile delinquency ("Gee, Officer Krupke"). Doc (Ned Glass) is about to close the store, but the Jets convince him to stay open. The Sharks finally arrive and the war council begins. In the middle of this, Tony arrives and calls them chickens for having to fight with weapons. He demands that they have a fair one-on-one fist fight instead of an all-out rumble. The gang leaders agree, with Bernardo representing the Sharks and Ice (Tucker Smith) representing the Jets (much to Bernardo's disappointment, as he was hoping to face Tony). They are soon alerted of Lieutenant Schrank's arrival, so the gangs quickly intermix together and feign happiness and fun. Schrank pretends that it is a good thing that they are getting along and he might even get a promotion, but he knows what they are up to. Schrank orders the Puerto Ricans out (while they whistle "My Country, 'Tis of Thee"), then asks the Jets where the rumble is taking place, angering several members (especially Action) while doing so. Soon, the Jets disperse and Schrank leaves as well, leaving Tony and Doc alone in the store to clean up. Tony, who is in a good mood, surprises Doc and tells him about his love for Maria. The day comes to an end as a distressed Doc closes the store and Tony leaves.
[edit] Act II

The next day at Madam Lucia's bridal shop, Maria sings to her co-workers about how happy and excited she is ("I Feel Pretty"). After everyone except Maria and Anita leaves, Anita tells Maria about the impending rumble accidentally. Anita tells Maria to go home, but Maria insists that she wants to close the store by herself because she has work to do. Suddenly, Tony arrives to see Maria, leaving Anita in shock. Tony tells Anita of his and Maria's love, and Anita mocks Maria. Although Anita is initially shocked to see that Maria and Tony are having a romance, she shows some tolerance but worries about the consequences if Bernardo were to find out. Anita, who is also Maria's roommate, leaves to prepare for a planned date with Bernardo after the rumble. Maria pleads with Tony to prevent the rumble altogether, even if it is only a fist fight, and Tony promises to do so. Then Tony and Maria, using clothes in the bridal shop, fantasize about their wedding ("One Hand, One Heart"). They use the headless mannequins as their parents, best man (Riff) and Maid of Honor (Anita). They exchange wedding vows and kiss.

A musical montage ("Quintet") intertwines the feelings of the Jets and Sharks in anticipation of the rumble, Tony and Maria's anticipation of meeting each other, and Anita preparing for her date with Bernardo. The Jets and Sharks arrive at their agreed location for the rumble, a fenced dead-end under a stretch of New York highway. As the "fair fight" begins between Bernardo and Ice, Tony arrives and tries to stop it, but is met with ridicule and mockery from Bernardo and the Sharks. Unable to stand by and watch his best friend be humiliated, Riff angrily lashes out and punches Bernardo ("The Rumble"). Drawing their knives, Riff and Bernardo fight each other. Once Riff gets the upper hand, Tony stops him. However, Riff breaks away and runs back into the fight, only to be stabbed by Bernardo. Riff collapses while handing the knife to Tony and Bernardo looks shocked at what he has done. Enraged, Tony kills Bernardo with Riff's knife, resulting in a full-fledged melee. Suddenly, police sirens blare out and the gang members flee, leaving behind the bodies of Riff and Bernardo.

Blissfully unaware of what has happened, Maria is waiting for Tony on the roof of her apartment building. One of the Sharks, Chino (Jose DeVega), whom Maria has been promised to, arrives and angrily tells her that Tony killed her brother. Tony arrives, and initially Maria lashes out at him in anger, but Tony explains what happened and asks for her forgiveness before he plans to turn himself in to the police. Maria decides that she still loves Tony and begs him to stay with her. They reaffirm their love ("Somewhere"), kiss, and make love for the first time (offscreen).

Meanwhile, the Jets (with Ice now in command and joined by the Jet girls) have reassembled outside a garage. Action demands revenge for Riff's death, but Baby John opposes it. Action yells at Baby John for being scared, then tensions flare amongst several Jets. Ice pulls them all into the garage and tells them they will have their revenge on the Sharks, but must do it carefully ("Cool"). Anybodys (Susan Oakes), a tomboy who is desperate to join the Jets, arrives after infiltrating the Sharks' turf and warns them that Chino is now after Tony with a gun. Ice sends the Jets to various locations to find Tony and warn him. Anybodys' persistence finally pays off as Ice asks her to search in and out of the shadows and commends her for her deed.

In Maria's bedroom, she and Tony have just finished making love. The couple hear Anita arriving home, and Maria and Tony make quick, whispered arrangements to meet at Doc's drug store and run away together to marry. Anita hears through the door and knows that something is going on. Tony escapes through the bedroom window and flees, but Anita sees him running away. Anita chides Maria for the relationship ("A Boy Like That"). Anita says that a man who kills is bad, but she soon softens as Maria sings back. Maria's heartfelt love ("I Have a Love") wins over Anita, and despite her grief over Bernardo's death, Anita agrees to cooperate with a plan to help Maria and Tony run away and marry, because she is her friend. Anita quickly tells Maria that Chino is searching for Tony with a gun.

Lieutenant Schrank arrives and questions Maria about the events leading up to the rumble, but Maria is protective of Tony and lies to cover for him. To deceive the policeman, Maria sends Anita to Doc's drugstore on the pretense that she is fetching medicine for her headache. She asks Anita to say she has been detained, explaining she would have gone herself otherwise. Anita's real purpose is to tell Tony (who is found by Anybodys outside Maria's apartment and takes refuge in the cellar of Doc's drugstore) that Maria is detained from meeting him. But when Anita enters the drugstore and asks for Tony, the Jets mock, harass, and mock rape her until Doc stops them. Infuriated by the attack, Anita gives the Jets a different message for Tony: Maria is dead, shot by Chino for loving Tony. Doc reproaches the Jets, then delivers the message to Tony. In shock and despair, Tony runs to find Chino, shouting "Come and get me, too!", and not knowing that Chino is actually secretly waiting for him.

Now on the playground next to Doc's store, Tony suddenly sees Maria and they begin to run toward each other with joy. Suddenly, Chino appears and shoots Tony. As the Jets and Sharks arrive, Maria and a fatally wounded Tony reaffirm their love ("Somewhere"), but Tony dies in her arms. Maria takes the gun from Chino and blames the rival gang members for the deaths of Tony, Bernardo, and Riff with their hate, threatening to kill as many of them as she can, while still leaving one bullet for herself. However, she can't do it and drops the gun before sinking to the ground, crying. Three of the Jets start lifting his body and two Sharks join them to help carry him off. Maria and several Jets and Sharks walk behind them in a funeral procession and Chino is arrested for killing Tony.

Romeo and Juliet is updated to the tenements of New York City in this Oscar-winning musical landmark. Adapted by Ernest Lehman from the Broadway production, the movie opens with an overhead shot of Manhattan, an effect that director Robert Wise would repeat over the Alps in The Sound of Music four years later. We are introduced to two rival street gangs: the Jets, second-generation American teens, and the Sharks, Puerto Rican immigrants. When the war between the Jets and Sharks reaches a fever pitch, Jets leader Riff (Russ Tamblyn) decides to challenge the Sharks to one last "winner take all" rumble. He decides to meet Sharks leader Bernardo (George Chakiris) for a war council at a gymnasium dance; to bolster his argument, Riff wants his old pal Tony (Richard Beymer), the cofounder of the Jets, to come along. But Tony has set his sights on vistas beyond the neighborhood and has fallen in love with Bernardo's sister, Maria (Natalie Wood), a love that, as in Romeo and Juliet, will eventually end in tragedy. In contrast to the usual slash-and-burn policy of Hollywood musical adaptations, all the songs written by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim for the original Broadway production of West Side Story were retained for the film version, although some alterations were made to appease the Hollywood censors, and the original order of two songs was reversed for stronger dramatic impact. The movie more than retains the original choreography of Jerome Robbins, which is recreated in some of the most startling and balletic dance sequences ever recorded on film. West Side Story won an almost-record ten Oscars, including Best Picture, supporting awards to Chakiris and Rita Moreno as Bernardo's girlfriend, Anita, and Best Director to Robbins and Wise. Richard Beymer's singing was dubbed by Jimmy Bryant, Natalie Wood's by Marni Nixon (who also dubbed Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady), and Rita Moreno's by Betty Wand. The film's New York tenement locations were later razed to make room for Lincoln Cente

A brilliant film that sets the ageless story of Romeo and Juliet, in 1950s New York. A heartbreaking film with superb performances and a brilliant direction.

Amazing ^_^ One of my top 3 faves ^_^

What should you call toughies who like to jump, shuffle, clap and pirouette at the slightest provocation? Hit the high notes at the flick of a pen knife? That would be the Jets or Sharks, while this here policeman is Officer Krupke. Maria and Tony, the starcrossed lovers. Protective brother Bernardo. Jealous beau Chino. Tony's bestfriend Riff. And there you have it, a musical based on the timeless plot of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Say it with music!