West Side Story

West Side Story
West Side Story is a 1961 American musical film directed by
Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The movie is an adaptation of the1957
Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by
William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. The main actors are
Natalie Wood (Maria), Richard Beymer (Tony), Russ Tamblyn (Riff), Rita
Moreno (Anita), and George Chakiris (Bernado).
Natalie Wood
Richard Beymer
Russ Tamblyn
Rita Moreno
George Chakiris
Role: Maria
Role: Tony
Role: Riff
Role: Anita
Role: Bernardo
West Side Story is a comedy-drama. Maria and
Tony have the lead roles in the film. The story is set in the Upper West Side neighbourhood
of New York City in the mid-1950s, an ethnic neighbourhood.
In the mid-1950s, two rival gangs: the
Jets led by Riff and the Sharks led by Bernardo,
fight for territory and respect. The Jets are a
Polish-American working-class group and the
Sharks are immigrants from Puerto Rico. Tony,
one of the Jets, falls in love with Maria, the
sister of Bernardo. When the two gangs decide
to have a war council, Tony
tries
to calm them but Bernardo
kills Riff and Tony kills in
turn Bernardo. Then, Maria and Tony want to go away together but the
Jets wants a revenge. Anita, the girlfriend of Bernardo, tells the Jets
Maria is dead but she isn’t. Maria and Tony meet again but Chino
(Anita’s boyfriend) shoots him and kills him.
I don’t really like this film, even if it marked a turning point in American cinema with the
dark themes, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes and focus on social problems. For
today, this film is too old. The music, dancing and some scenes as the wedding scene are
old-fashioned. I think there is a big discrepancy between the atmospheres of that time and
today so we can’t identify with the characters. The final end is good because Tony’s death
brings the two gangs together but it’s too bad that Maria doesn’t die like in Romeo and
Juliet. However, I like the message of this film because it conveys a message of peace and
tolerance. It talks about racism too.
The film won 10 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actor in a
Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best
Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art Director-SetDecoration, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Film
Editing, Best Music.
Camille P.
3° Hitchcock