West Side Story

West Side Story, American musical film, released in 1961, that was inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The movie, filled with exhilarating dance sequences choreographed by Jerome Robbins and memorable songs—including “Tonight,” “Maria,” and “Somewhere”—by Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics), won 10 of the 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated, including that for best picture. It also won three Golden Globe Awards, including that for best musical.

The film opens with aerial shots establishing the setting, a working-class neighborhood of New York City. The Jets, a local white street gang headed by Riff (played by Russ Tamblyn), are out enjoying the day. When they encounter members of the Puerto Rican street gang the Sharks, led by Bernardo (George Chakiris), a fight breaks out and is quickly broken up by police lieutenant Schrank (Simon Oakland) and Officer Krupke (William Bramley). The Jets decide to challenge the Sharks to a rumble, or fight, the winner of which will gain undisputed control of the neighbourhood. The challenge is to be issued at a dance being held that evening in a gym. Riff asks Tony (Richard Beymer), who cofounded the Jets with him but has since left the gang to work as a stock boy at a store run by Doc (Ned Glass), to act as his partner in issuing the challenge, and Tony agrees. In the meantime, Bernardo’s sister, Maria (Natalie Wood), and his girlfriend, Anita (Rita Moreno), are at the bridal shop where they are employed, getting ready for the dance. At the affair, Tony and Maria see each other across the room, and both are immediately smitten. Bernardo sees them dancing together, and he orders Maria to go home. Riff and Bernardo agree to hold a war council later at Doc’s store. At their home, Anita argues to Bernardo that Maria has the right to dance with anyone she wants to, but Bernardo disagrees. After he leaves for the war council, Tony arrives to see Maria. Tony then goes to the war council, and he persuades both sides to agree to a simple fistfight between two people, one from each gang. Later, he tells Doc about his love for Maria.

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The following day, Tony arrives at the bridal shop at the end of the work day to see Maria. Anita agrees to keep their tryst a secret. Maria insists that Tony stop the planned fight from taking place. He arrives just as the fight—which is to be between Bernardo for the Sharks and Ice (Tucker Smith) for the Jets—is about to begin and argues for peace. The Sharks begin taunting Tony, and Riff attacks Bernardo in Tony’s defense. Bernardo stabs Riff to death, and Tony then grabs Riff’s knife and kills Bernardo. When sirens are heard in the distance, all the gang members scatter. Maria is awaiting Tony’s arrival at her home when the Shark Chino (Jose De Vega) arrives and tells her that Tony has killed her brother. Chino leaves, and Tony arrives. He explains what happened, and Maria forgives him. The tomboy Anybodys (Susan Oakes) informs the Jets that Chino is looking for Tony and has a gun. The Jets begin looking for Tony to warn him. Tony and Maria spend the night together and agree to meet at the bus station the following day to escape. Anita arrives after Tony’s departure. After Maria convinces her of her genuine love for Tony, Lieutenant Schrank arrives to question Maria. Anita agrees to let Tony (who is hiding in Doc’s store) know that Maria will be late meeting him. When Anita arrives at the store, however, she is assaulted by the Jets, who have gathered there to protect Tony, and in a rage she tells Doc that Chino has killed Maria. When Doc passes that information on to Tony, he leaves the store and rushes outside, calling on Chino to kill him as well. Tony sees Maria at a playground, and he realizes that she has not been killed. As he rushes to her, Chino arrives and shoots him. Tony dies in Maria’s arms, surrounded by members of both street gangs. Maria grabs Chino’s gun and tells the gang members that they are all responsible for the deaths of Riff, Bernardo, and Tony. The police arrive and arrest Chino while members of the Jets and the Sharks carry Tony’s body away.

Screenwriter Ernest Lehman adapted the film West Side Story from the hit play of the same name, which opened on Broadway in 1957 and ran there for 732 performances. Choreographer Robbins was hired to direct the dance scenes, with the remaining scenes to be directed by Robert Wise. However, Robbins insisted on so many takes of his scenes that he was fired before the movie was completed. Natalie Wood’s singing was dubbed by noted “ghost singer” Marni Nixon, and Richard Beymer’s singing was dubbed by Jimmy Bryant. Many of Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics for the stage show had to be changed for the film to satisfy censors. The soundtrack album from the movie won a Grammy Award.

Production notes and credits

• Studios: The Mirisch Corp. and Seven Arts Productions
• Directors: Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise
• Writer: Ernest Lehman (screenplay)
• Music: Leonard Bernstein
• Cinematography: Daniel L. Fapp

Cast

• Natalie Wood (Maria)
• Richard Beymer (Tony)
• Russ Tamblyn (Riff)
• Rita Moreno (Anita)
• George Chakiris (Bernardo)
• Jose De Vega (Chino)
• Ned Glass (Doc)
• Simon Oakland (Lieutenant Schrank)
• William Bramley (Officer Krupke)

Academy Award nominations (* denotes win)

• Picture*
• Supporting actor* (George Chakiris)
• Supporting actress* (Rita Moreno)
• Art direction (color)*
• Cinematography (color)*
• Costume design (color)*
• Direction*
• Editing*
• Music*
• Sound*
• Writing