Review of West Side Story (1961) by Bryan B — 06 Sep 2009

West Side Story is a cinema masterpiece. First it was a successful, Tony winning musical on the stage. But then, they interpreted the Broadway version into one of the most popular and brilliant musicals ever put to film.

What many of you may not realize, which my mother taught me when she introduced me to this film, was that when this film came out....it was the height of cool! It was to the 60's generation what Saturday Night Fever was to the 70's generation, what Footloose was to the 80's generation and what Rent was to the 90's generation. This film was cool, cool, cool. And very controversial!

This was a film made about race prior to the big Civil Rights movement of the late 60's. This was an angst ridden, kids misunderstood drama like none other until The Breakfast Club in the 80's. This film literally caused major discussion between teens and their parents when it came out.

However, this is also Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein's greatest triumph. The retelling of Romeo and Juliet has never been modernized or retold in such a classy fashion as this film.

The musical numbers in this film are fantastic. Anyone who listens to the music of this film cannot help but be swept away by the simplicity and intricacy of the score. The choreography is brilliantly realized. The metaphor of gang warfare in dance is brilliant and has never been achieved in any film since. And please, how many of you who heard "One Heart, One Hand" did not want that at your wedding! The music in this film is magnificent!

And this film was full of controversy! A white with a Puerto Rican! The musical number of America was almost cut from the film because of the racial undertones and the insinuations of bigotry it portrayed at the time. And the rape of Rita Moreno was unheard of in 1961 and still a powerful scene.

This film was dark, loving, entertaining, magical, and heartbreaking. It is why it won so many Academy Awards and why it is still on every major critic's list as one of the best movies of all time.

Don't worry about the fact this film is a bit dated. Just enjoy the fact it captures a period of time in the 60's when this was cool and watch the emotion unfold before you. I guarantee, when you get to Natalie Wood asking Gino if there is enough bullets for her at the end, you will not have tears in your eyes.

Brilliant! One of the best musicals ever put to film! Dark, edgy, wonderful!