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West Side Story Overview:

West Side Story (1961) was a Crime - Drama Film directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise and produced by Robert Wise, Walter Mirisch and Saul Chaplin.

SYNOPSIS

This is a jumping, heart-throbbing leap forward for film musicals, full of melodies you know by heart, frenetic dancing, and a time-tested romance. Based loosely on Romeo and Juliet, Laurents's stage production follows two New York street gangs and the ill-starred romance between Wood and Beymer that crosses the line between them. Moreno sparkles and Wood's luminous beauty would have any young gangster singing her name. Robbins clashed with Wise (who also brought stage smash The Sound of Music to the screen) and choreographed only four numbers (including "I Feel Pretty" and "America") but they're athletic, balletic stunners. The immortal songs (by Bernstein and Sondheim) also include "Maria," "The Jet Song," "Officer Krupke," and "Tonight."

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

West Side Story was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1997.

Academy Awards 1961 --- Ceremony Number 34 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Supporting ActorGeorge ChakirisWon
Best Supporting ActressRita MorenoWon
Best Art DirectionArt Direction: Boris Leven; Set Decoration: Victor A. GangelinWon
Best CinematographyDaniel L. FappWon
Best DirectorRobert Wise, Jerome RobbinsWon
Best Film EditingThomas StanfordWon
Best Music - ScoringSaul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Sid Ramin, Irwin KostalWon
Best PictureRobert Wise, ProducerWon
Best WritingErnest LehmanNominated
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West Side Story BlogHub Articles:

West Side Story (2021)

By Alyson on Feb 10, 2022 From The Best Picture Project

Like many, I had my doubts when I heard that Steven Spielberg was directing a remake of West Side Story. First of all, the man has never taken on a musical. Second, West Side Story is already a masterpiece. How could he, even the great Spielberg, improve such a wonderful film? Long story short, he d... Read full article

Musical Monday: West Side Story (2021)

on Dec 13, 2021 From Comet Over Hollywood

It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals. This week’s musical:West Side Story (2021) –... Read full article

Musical Monday: West Side Story (1961)

on May 3, 2021 From Comet Over Hollywood

... Read full article

Classic Conversations: Two Award-Winning Costume Designers Re-Imagine ‘Rebecca’ and ‘West Side Story’

By Danny Miller on Nov 14, 2019 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

As classic movie lovers, we can be a very sensitive group when it comes to messing with our favorites. Even movies that seem to get a new version for each successive generation get severely criticized by those of us who are devotees of the originals. While Lady Gaga received a lot of acclaim... Read full article

Field Trip: “West Side Story” at AMC River East 21 on the big screen June 24

By Stephen Reginald on Jun 11, 2018 From Classic Movie Man

Field Trip: “West Side Story” at AMC River East 21 on the big screen June 24 West Side Story on the big screen Date: June 24 Where: AMC River East 21, 322 East Illinois, Chicago, IL Time: 2:00 p.m. This electrifying musical, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics from Stephe... Read full article

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West Side Story Quotes:

[singing]
Bernardo: I'd like to go back to San Juan.
Anita: I know a boat you can get on!
Riff: Four-and-a-half years I live wit' a buddy an' his family. I think I'm diggin' a guy's character... Boy, I'm a victim of disappointment in you.
Tony: End ya sufferin', little man. Why dontcha just pack up ya gear an' move out?
Riff: 'Cause ya ma's hot fa me...
[first lines]
[the Jets dance across the streets of New York, eventually coming to a playground where they toss around a basketball. The ball is intercepted by Bernardo, leader of the Sharks]
Riff: [snaps fingers at Bernardo] Come on.
[Bernardo drops the ball, Riff picks it up]
Riff: Beat it.
The Girls: [singing] I like to be in America, OK by me in America, everything free in America...
Bernardo: [singing] For a small fee in America!
Action: [pretending to be a psychiatrist] Juvenile delinquency is purely a social disease.
Riff: Hey! I got a social disease!
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West Side Story Facts
Marni Nixon (who dubbed for Natalie Wood) had to do the end of quintet for Rita Moreno. The reason was that Betty Wand and Moreno both had colds and could not sing, so the filmmakers asked Nixon to do the end. So she is singing two voices at once.
George Chakiris (Bernardo) had previously played "Riff" in the London production. Tony Mordente (Action) had played "A-rab."
Original plans for the play to involve a Jewish boy and an Irish Catholic girl were abandoned because producer Arthur Laurents felt it too closely mirrored the play "Abie's Irish Rose".
Jerome Robbins' propensity for filming and re-filming scenes in his quest for perfection led to the movie going over budget and falling behind schedule. Robbins was fired by Mirisch Pictures, the production company, when shooting was about 60% finished, and director Robert Wise completed the filming alone (the original arrangement had been for Robbins to direct all of the song-and-dance sequences and Wise to direct everything else).
With its win of 10 Academy Awards, this became the biggest Oscar-winning musical of all time, beating the record Gigi set three years before with its nine Oscars.
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