West Side Story

Released: October 18, 1961

Studio: United Artists

Genre: musical/romance

Box Office (numbers in millions):

Domestic: 43.66 Worldwide: ?

Adjusted for Inflation:

Domestic: 549.54 Worldwide: ?

Directing: Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise

Screenwriting: Ernest Lehman

Starring: Natalie Wood, George Chakiris, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn

Review:

Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare’s “tale of ill-fated lovers” ^FS got refashioned in the late ‘50s as a “landmark, highly-honored, ground-breaking Broadway musical.” ^FS In 1961, it was “transposed to the big screen and set on location in 1950s New York on the Upper West Side.” ^FS

The story centers around two New York gangs rivaling “for turf on the sidewalks and streets of the city.” ^FS The Puerto Rican Sharks are led by Bernardo (Chakiris) while Riff (Tamblyn) leads the white Jets. Bernardo’s sister, Maria (Wood), falls for Tony (Beymer), a Jet. “His attempts at peace-making during a rumble accidentally lead to the deaths of both gang leaders and further tragic circumstances in a tear-stained scene set on an outdoor basketball court.” ^FS

The “energetically-choreographed musical” ^FS features “some of the most memorable dance sequences in film history.” ^A07 It owes much of its success to Jerome Robbins, who directed and choreographed the Broadway production. He initially was the sole director for the movie version, but the studio brought in Robert Wise for the non-musical sequences and eventually fired Robbins for “his painstaking perfectionism” ^T95 which threatened to double the budget. However, he’d already put his stamp on the opening sequence (“The Jet Song”), “America,” “Cool,” and “I Feel Pretty.”

The soundtrack became a blockbuster success on the scale of a Michael Jackson Thriller in the 1960s, thanks to composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. They contributed classics like “Somewhere,” “Tonight,” and “Maria” which have become part of the American musical lexicon.

Sources:

^A98 American Film Institute (1998). “AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Movies”
^A07 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition”
^T95 Time Out (1995). “Centenary Top One Hundred Films”

Awards/Honors/Lists:

Dave’s Movie Database Lists:

Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists:

Box Office:

Awards:

Oscars:

Wins: 10, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor – George Chakiris, Best Supporting Actress – Rita Moreno, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Musical Score

Nominations: 11, including Best Adapted Screenplay