All Things West Side Story

I am a huge West Side Story fan and am currently portraying Anybodys in a stage production over this summer. Some other comparisions between the two stories is that in both Romeo & Juliet the lovers are trying to escape to be together. One ends up in a tomb and the other ends up in a courtyard or alley way when tragedy strikes. Both are fueled by other killing. In Romeo & Juliet Tibalt is killed by the hand of the rival clan and of course in West Side Story Riff is killed by Bernardo and then Bernardo killed by Tony. Both stories are tragic and are both fueled by hate. The one scene I really love in West Side Story is right at the end after Tony has been shot and Maria grabs the gun from Chino and asks "How many Bullets are left in the Gun, Chino"? She then goes on after pointed the gun at several gangs members and said that she can now kill because she now has hate. Hate is the central theme of both story that fules nothing but tragedy in the end of both the films.

You're playing Anybodys in a stage production of West Side Story this summer?!? Hey.....congratulations!! Hope you have lots of fun! Break a leg (as they say in show biz)

I, too am a big West Side Story fan, as my username on this forum indicates, who has also seen a half dozen stage productions of this great musical. The songs Tonight and Something's Comin', to me, both indicate that there's something different coming that's never happened before, not only to Tony, but to everybody else as well, and nobody really knows what it is or how things'll turn out. Unpredictability there. It's agreed that Maria's strong message "You all killed him! And my brother and Riff! Not with bullets & guns! With hate! Well, I can kill too, because now I have hate!" carries a strong message: The strangling affects of hatred on everybody and how, much like an acid that corrodes the vessel it's in, corrodes everybody.

You're also right about hatred fueling the disputes between the different factions in both West Side Story and Romeo & Juliet. Thanks for the neat post, Anybodys.

Yep, I love the production both onstage and the film. It is so much fun performing all the dances and songs.

Both the songs Something Coming & Tonight are keys to the story, and I really think you are right as all the characters have Something Coming in their futures. They don't know when or what it may be, but ultimately they will find out. In the case of Riff & Bernardo the outcome of what is in store for their future is very Tragic. As for Anita it is the discovery that her boyfriend has been killed, but she also realizes that love is strong(A Boy Like That). Ultimately Anita turns back to rage as the Jet gang shows her more hatred as she goes and tries to help the situation. Even parts like the part I am playing, Anybodys. She finds acceptances . Something that she does not have with the gang in the beginning of the show.

No Problem, I could talk about this movie or stage production all the time. It is a dream to be a part of it as it is the one show that since I started performing I wanted to be in.

The play originally had a more Shakespearian ending in that, following her monologue, Maria does shoot Chino and then herself. But that ending was changed somewhere along the way, maybe after out-of-town tryouts.

To me, the changed ending also changes the play's theme. If Maria shoots Chino, then it is about hate and the relationship of the two gangs doesn't change. But Maria lets Chino live, then it's about redemption, forgiveness, and love triumphing over hate, and members of both gangs join together to carry away Tony's body. Even the cops come away with a different point of view.

More than that, the overall story of both Romeo and Julliet and West Side Story is really about love--in both, these two young people (in Shakespeare's play, Julliet is something like 14-16, but there were no "teenagers" back then as we know them--one was either a child or an adult) fall in love despite the fact that they come from deeply divided groups, they pursue that love despite all the opposition from family and friends, and they maintain that love despite the fact that Romeo/Tony's friend is killed by Julliet/Maria's brother who is then killed by Romeo/Tony. In both, the young woman comes up with an escape plan and sends her friend to tell her lover. The friend is against the marriage, but she goes out of love for her friend. She actually tries to deliver the message, until abused by members of Romeo/Tony's group, at which time love for her friend gives way to hatred of her opponents and she spits out the lie at Julliet/Maria is dead.

The main theme it seems to me is love in many forms--love of friends and family, romantic love, and all of the tragic elements underline a love of life. Especially when Maria doesn't kill Chino or herself.

Regarding the West Side Story songs Something's Comin' and
Tonight being the key to the story behind WSS: That's very true, Anybodys. They're both a prediction of the coming of something different, that has never come before, and the something great. The song, Somethings Comin' means that somethings coming that's going to be great and different, but Tony doesn't know what is coming; he just knows that what's coming will be different...and intense.

The phrases, "Tonight, tonight, won't be just any night. Tonight there will be no morning star." "Tonight, tonight, I'll see my love tonight. And for us stars will stop where they are." clearly meant that a love was in blossom, that tonight would be different because Tony and Maria would see each other, only to have their love die a-borning due to the hostility and disapproval of their relationship from both gangs.

West Side Story's Anybodys's persistent struggle for acceptance by the gang, which she achieves towards the end of WSS is another way in which both the stageplay and the film West Side Story were both ahead of their time. The often-ardous struggle on the part of women (and girls) to gain acceptence in a male-dominated world is proof of that.

Come to think of it, an old classmate of mine who's now married and raising a young girl, claims that West Side Story is actually quite sexist, but I disagreed with her, saying that the women in WSS were strong; Anita for constantly disagreeing with Bernardo, Anybody's for struggling to gain acceptance by the Jets gang, and Maria for stubbornly and loyally sticking with Tony and loving him, even after she's learned that her brother has died by his hand.

I'm glad your dream of actually participating in West Side Story came true, Anybodys. You must be very, very proud.

WSSluver you are so right, West Side Story was way before it's time. It really changes the musical scene from what it was.

I love being in a production of West Side Story. Even when I was little and would watch the movie I always would say I wanted to be Maria. Well since I have Blonde hair and have a pale complexion that didn't quite workout , but the part of Anybodys is amazing. She is such a wonderful character and very strong willed. Also I really like the dances and numbers she is in the show. My favorite number and dance of the show has to be Cool.

Hey...Thanks, Anybodys.

Glad to see that there's another big West Side Story fan here on this forum. This great movie-musical classic was, indeed, a breakthrough, although I still recall a brief conversation that I had with my mom after I'd gone over to my family's house one February afternoon afew years ago to watch an airing of West Side Story on the TCM (Turner Classic Movies) Channel, following the program, in which she'd mentioned that she'd recently read an article pointing out that West Side Story was the last great movie musical. I told her that I believed that. During that same airing of WSS, my mom looked in on me a couple of times and sort of chuckled to herself, because she's always known......(heh). I love the "Cool" scene also, but then again, due to my intense love for West Side Story, it's hard for me to pinpoint a favorite scene(s) or song(s ), because I love this great movie-musical classic so much as a whole, due to the fact that it's a dynamic little package of a fabulous musical score, a great story, wonderfully-choreographed dancing by Jerome Robbins, great directing by Wise and Robbins, the richly-colored costumes and photography...the works.

You're right on about WSS's Anybody's being strong-willed, Anybody's. That, and her persistence and her courage is what gained her acceptence by the Jets gang towards the end. Regarding your having blonde hair: It doesn't matter. I bet you make a great Anybodys in the production you're in!

I also might add that I'm glad to have found a forum where I can discuss West Side Story as much as I want. It's great.

I remmember talking a few years back with my Grandmom about the stage production of WSS as they went to see it on Broadway when it was first on stage there with Carol Lawrence & Larry Kert and they said that in the beginning the show was not well received at all and even many people including critics left at the intermission. Can you imagine walking out of what has probably gone down as the greatest musical in history. I know I would be kicking myself. I am also glad that it made a quick turn around and people started to accept it. If it wouldn't have been there may have never been a movie. The main reason my Grandmom said it was not recepted very well was people saw it as too violent. Also like you said it showed women in a different light for those times and some people were not quite ready for that. This stage show and Movie will be a classic when I get old and I will be able to take my children and grandchildren to see it.

Oh, yes I know having blonde hair & pale skin playing Anybodys is o.k., but playing Maria just doesn't go over as well with a Blonde Haired fair skin girl. Plus I locve the role of Anybodys because of the challenging dances she is involved in the production. Maria doesn't have that.

Do you have any links anywhere on the Net which claim that West Side Story was ever thought of in a negative light on Broadway? I'm having a tough time finding any, so I would appreciate those.

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There is also a Public Television Documentary called Broadway I believe that states this . I am not sure if there is any articles about it on the web. I am going by what my Grandmom told me because I was not there when it hit Broadway. If I come across something I will let you know. A little research project for me maybe.

This:


I really didn't know about at all. So, originally, West Side Story was more like Romeo & Juliet than most others, including myself, realized. Wow! Interesting.
Thanks for the new piece of info, rufnek.

This post is kind of long, but I was in the mood for posting a long post.


It was in early October 2001, less than a month after Sept. 11, that I'd driven down to NYC for the special 40th-year anniversary screening of the great, venerable classic film, West Side Story, at NYC’s renowned Radio City Music Hall, where my friends and I had a wonderful time. Radio City Music Hall had been filled with an exuberant, friendly crowd, and there’d been much finger-snappping and applause from the audience.

Five years later, in mid-October of 2006, again, I drove down to the Big Apple for yet another screening of the venerable classic film, West Side Story. This time, seeing the link for the weeklong screenings of West Side Story at NYC's Clearview/Ziegfeld Cinema on another website, I couldn't resist the temptation, and I was determined to go down to NYC to take in yet another screening of this great film. After thinking about it, I phoned my cousin, who lives on NYC's Upper West Side, and spoke with her at length about it. Since she was headed for upstate NY over the weekend, and her other nights during the week were busy, we decided to take in Tuesday night's 8:15 screening of WSS. Attempts on my part to obtain the tickets online failed, so my cousin willingly and graciously got the tickets for us.
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Leaving home at around 9:00 a. m. that Tuesday morning, I arrived in NYC shortly after 1:00 p. m. and waited around, enjoying the nice, crisp sunny October day and talking to people, until my cousin arrived home from work, at around four o'clock. After relaxing for awhile and having a light, quick dinner, my cousin and I took the subway downtown to mid-town Manhattan, where the theatre was located. What a wonderful evening that was--there was a beautiful new print of the film WSS, and the screen was big and long. As always, on the great big, wide screen, WSS could be seen in its entire glory, the way it was meant to be seen.

All of the cast members, from the romancing Tony and Maria, to Doc, to the warring Jets and Sharks, seemed to come even more alive and to move much more freely and fluidly, in a much wider, more open space. This was true of even Richard Beymer, who was a weak, lacklustre Tony.

The soundtrack seemed to sound richer, and the richly-colored costumes and photography also took on a more intense dimension. In short, the entire film of West Side Story, from the opening aerial shots of NYC's West Side, to the playground skirmishes between the Jets & Sharks, from the romancing Tony and Maria and Bernardo and Anita, to the Rumble and the Cool scenes to the graffitied credits at the very end of the film seem to take on a magical, almost 3-dimensional quality when shown on a great big, wide movie theatre screen.

Although the evening screening of West Side Story didn't quite sell out, it was, in fact, very well-attended. Russ Tamblyn does a wonderful job as the exuberant, wacky, acrobatic Riff, as do David Winters as A-rab, Elliot Feld as the immature, constantly awed and frightened Baby-John. The same is true of Tony Mordente, who does a fabulous job playing the role of the hot-tempered, institagating troublemaker of the Jets, Action. Tucker Smith does an equally fantastic job playing the role of the handsome, calm, cool and collected Ice, who ultimately takes over the Jet gang leadership after Riff's death in the Rumble.

The role of the sardonic, but hot-tempered Shark gangleader, Bernardo, is fabulously played by George Chakiris, as is the role of Bernardo's girlfriend, Anita, who is a feisty firebrand of a girl, by Rita Moreno, who does an excellent job. Simon Oakland also does an excellent job of playing the bigoted, cantankerous Lt. Schrank, and Bill Bramley also does well playing Officer Krupke. All told, WSS is a very strong movie, with a very strong cast, most of whom had been in the original Broadway stage productions of West Side Story. This, coupled with Jerome Robbins fantastic choreograqphy of the dancing--(might I add that the dancing in West Side Story is also one of the things that makes it so great?) is also terrific.

Although Richard Beymer definitely played a rather weak, lacklustre Tony, he, too comes off as being somewhat more vital and alive on the great big, wide movie theatre screen, plus he's more than offset by the wonderful performances of the other actors/actresses in the film West Side Story.
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The Clearfield/Ziegfeld Cinema in NYC is a beautiful old theatre, very handsome and palatial-looking inside, that was converted into a movie theatre from a place where much live theatre, including vaudeville, had been performed previously. It's the perfect place for such great old films, or films, period, imo. After the screening, my cousin and I went back to her apartment, which is in a rather funky upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan, and, the next day, in exchange for staying at her place, when she went off to work, I tuned her Mason-Hamlin grand piano, which made her very happy. All told, it had been a wonderful time. After another day in NYC, I drove home the next morning, after thanking my cousin for the WSS tickets, and her hospitality. It had been a wonderful two days. Visiting my cousin, who I hadn't seen in afew years, plus taking in a wonderful favorite classic film combined to make a wonderful mini-vacation. That Friday night, I attended a West Side Story singalong screening near where I live. WSS played to a sold-out house!! It, too was lots of fun. Although there are other movies that I've liked well enough to see more than once, and there are afew movies of today that I've liked well, West Side Story holds a special place in my heart, and, more than likely, always will.
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Now, as everybody knows, West Side Story is a film that, although I’ve seen a number of films, both old and new, that I’ve liked well enough to see more than once, I can’t enough of--something about West Side Story brings me back to see it time and again.

Most movies, be they new or old, are not movies that I’d go out of state to see screenings of--however, West Side Story is special enough to do that, in my book.

There’s yet another reason, however, that West Side Story has remained as special as it is. It’s true that many, if not most of the actors/actresses who were in the original Broadway Stage production of West Side Story were also in the movie versioin, and that Jerome Robbins choreographed the dancing for both the original Broadway stage productions and the film version of West Side Story. For better and worse, Jerome Robbins was a tough taskmaster and a perfectionist, who made the cast members work hard enough until they dropped, sometimes literally.

However, there’s yet another reason why West Side Story remains as special as it is: Unlike many, if not most other musicals, which have been cheaply re-made and made into somewhat more up-to-date, mediocre revivals, the creators of West Side Story have fought the good fight for, and stood their ground regarding the preservation of the integrity of their materials and their masterful creation(s), which they have felt was more important than making money hand over fist. Having said that, I believe, that, even though Robert Wise had originally approached and selected....would you believe....Elvis Presley to play the part of Tony in the film version, that WSS might or might not have become stale ages and ages ago, due to being turned into another Elvis Presley flick.

There are people who think that Larry Kert, who played Tony in the original Broadway stage productions of West Side Story, would’ve been utterly fantastic as Tony in the movie version of this great, dynamic musical. It’s possible, but who knows. Politics, as usual, I believe, are what led to the casting of Richard Beymer as Tony in the film version of WSS, which, unfortunately, was not a good choice, but, then again, who really knows??

Here’s an afterthought: Since West Side STory is my alltime favorite movie, I have driven down to the Big Apple from Boston twice in the last five years specially to see it, in addition to having driven to places such as Hanover, NH, Providence, RI, as well as having attended virtually every screening of the film West Side Story here in my area. The one exception was in mid-March of 2001, when an afternoon screening of the film WSS in my area conflicted directly with my late dad’s memorial, so I didn’t attend that afternoon’s screening.

To quote the MGM adage on this great keeper of golden oldie-but-goody classic film, “ West Side Story, unlike other classics, grows younger.”

Thanks for the post. My sister and I saw Citizen Kane on a big screen in 2001. West Side Story must have been gigantic on that massive screen. I've allways wanted to see that , Ben-Hur, and Lawernce Of Arabia in a theater like that. The helicoptor shots were eye popping I'll bet.

Hi, wolfie39. I've also seen Ben-Hur (which I admittedly wasn't crazy about), Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Sound of Music, and a bunch of other classic films on the great big, gigantic wide screen, in real movie theatres, with the lights down low. With West Side Story, however, everything from the helicopter shots all the way to the graffitied credits were eye-popping. If West Side Story ever, ever comes to a big-screen movie theatre in your area, I say..jump at the chance to go and see it. You'll be in for a real treat!

Hey, folks!!

Yes, I did make the drive down to Hartford, CT., for yet another viewing of my alltime favorite film, West Side Story, at the CineStudio Theatre, a part of Trinity College. Trinity College campus is a very pretty campus, although a number of the nearby neighborhoods of Hartford, CT, seem kind of run-down and not so great.

This past Saturday was sunshiny and cool, perfect for making the drive down there. It was a scenic drive, although I lost almost an hour getting stuck in some awful traffic prior to and getting onto I-84 and through the pay-toll. Once I was on I-84 itself, however, I had no more trouble, and the rest of the trip down there went smoothly.

Arriving at the Trinity College campus at around six o'clock that evening (I'd left Boston at 3 that afternoon), explored the rather verdant, pleasant-looking campus for awhile, and then, on the suggestion of an employee there who I'd asked where I could get something to eat, I walked up to a small restaurant on the nearest intersecting street, ordered a large salad with ham and mozzerella cheeese, walked back to the campus and the theatre, and ate as much of the super-huge salad as I could, without overstuffing myself. As much as I love WSS, I didn't want to see the movie (or any movie, for that matter) on an empty stomach, and I was hungry. While waiting to be let into the theatre, I talked to some people who were also going in for the film. One guy I talked to, who lived in a town 40 minutes away from Trinity College, said that he'd been to and knew a bunch of the same movie theatres that I know, and frequent quite a bit, since he often went to different places on vacation. He and his partner help run the theatre, and they'd tried to book the brand-new 70-mm print of the film WSS that just came out, but San Francisco's Castro Theatre, which is also supposed to be a beautiful theatre, was playing that print of WSS tonight. So they showed the new 35-mm print of West Side Story, which was just as beautiful, although it would also be cool to view the new 70-mm print of this great classic. Hopefully, maybe someday, that will happen.

When I told the guy that WSS is my favorite film, and that I'd driven down from Massachusetts to see it, he was interested in how I'd come to like it so much. As is always the case, I didn't hesitate to relate how I'd been introduced to West Side Story as a musical generally, and how I'd come to love the music and, later, as a high school senior, the film. At a little after seven p. m., the theatre opened for seating for the 7:30 pm screening. I took a seat in the balcony of the theatre, which, imo, is the best place to view a film such as West Side Story. After some rather unnerving previews of other coming film attractions, WSS finally started. (Somehow, I've begun to think more and more that the previews are put in there for the benefit of late stragglers so they won't end up missing any of the feature film presentation. If that be the case, it's good).

The theatre seemed to be the epitome of a nice old movie palace of a theatre, with a shirred curtain over the screen, and a 50-foot wide screen that was slightly concave, if one gets the drift. This is a wonderful feature to have for such classic films as WSS and many other films, because it brings out the richness in such films, imo. As always, I noticed things that I hadn't really noticed before on viewing the film West Side Story. The various facial expressions of sorrow, exuberance, frustration, anger, arrogance and hubris, recklessness and combativeness, especially among the gangs, and more noticeable among the Jets, were far more noticeable than before, imo, and, especially during the Dance at the Gym scene, there seemed to be whole families with small kids watching from the sidelines while the Jets & Sharks danced in competition with each other. The adults, especially Doc, the Candy Store owner, but including Lt. Schrank, Ofcr. Krupke and social worker "Glad Hand" seemed more frustrated, nervous and sorrowful over what was coming and what did come. The grittiness of the kids' faces after the rumble, as well as the various expressions were more noticeable. Another thing that i noticed in the film West Side Story that I hadn't noticed before was the fact that when the Jets were in Doc's Candy Store, and Anita had come in, that Anybodys wiggled her hips back and forth, made a grotesque face, and said "mambo', as a way of making fun of Anita's ethnicity and culture. This great film is clearly about teens and/or young adults who live in an urban background, and, the slightly concaved screen seemed to accentuate the city scenery.

At about quarter past ten, the screening of WSS ended, and I drove home, which took only 2 hours, due to no delays.

I will be looking forward to watching it, even though it's only going to be on TV, because West Side Story, to me, is enjoyable on TV, too, although it has never, ever stopped me from going to a real movie theatre screening of West Side Story when it comes to my area, or to a place that's reasonably nearby.

Yay!!

Hey there, folks! Much discussion has been taking place on other blogs about the late "Liberal Lion", Senator Edward M. (Ted, Teddy) Kennedy after his recent passing due to brain cancer, that, after a long, tough fight against, eventually took the Senator's life. Although Senator Ted Kennedy's passing supposedly signifies the end of an era, there is one aspect of this era that, for me, has not come to an end; my love for many of the movies and much of the music of the 1960's; most notably, the venerable golden oldie- but-great movie/musical classic, West Side Story. As everybody here on MLW knows, and has been mentioned, get me talking and writing about my alltime favorite movie and there's virtually no end to it! (lol!) Can you all stand another essay about this wonderful classic? (lol)

Anyway, here goes:

This is a post that has been percolating in my mind for awhile, and, having experienced a certain amount of scorn on other boards for talking about West Side Story, because many people consider this movie mainly for adolescents. This could be because most people, when they pick a favorite film or films, tend to pick films that they directly identify with in some way or other, and West Side Story is supposedly a movie that teens identify with. Having first seen the film West Side Story when I was still in high school, I can see why many people feel that way.

However, over the years, I've been more and more inclined to believe otherwise. Contrary to what many people say, either explicitly or implicitly, the great golden oldie-but-goody movie/musical classic, West Side Story is not just a movie for teenagers, but a great movie/musical classic for people of pretty much all ages and from all walks of life. I can say this, because, whenever I've attended a screening of this great classic, I've noticed that people of pretty much all ages and all walks of life are present in the audience--pre-teens, teens, young adults, middle-aged, and older people.

West Side Story, imho, is a classic that seems to bring people from pretty much all walks of life and all ages together, to share as one big happy, if temporary community, in a real movie theatre, with the lights down low, as it's really meant to be viewed. Unfortunately, however, like all things, West Side Story also has its detractors. There are people who're upset by it, because, for whatever reason(s), it tends to hit too close to home for those who live and work in low-income communities where there's much crime, gang-violence and racial/ethnic tensions. Social workers, mental health councilors and many law-enforcement people, and average, ordinary people who've got issues that they have to deal with themselves, or people who simply fail to get what West Side Story is all about, due to a generation gap also often feel that WSS hits too close to home. They've frequently had to deal with racism, gang violence and the problems of substance and alcohol abuse.

Many of today's young people, regardless of who or what walk of life they're from, have also grown up listening to tinnier-sounding music and viewing schlockier films in which things are constantly exploding on the screen, in antiseptic-looking multiplex cinemas containing 10-30 cinemas that're shoebox-sized, with screens that look like super-big TV's, plus the general admission and concessions can cost upward of ten dollars or more.

Yet, West Side Story is proof of one thing: that really artistic and beautiful movies/musicals with style and substance can be and have been made. So, all of the above having been said, I'll also add this: Whether you're a devout fan of West Side Story like me, who's also seen some good stage productions of this great musical and rarely misses a WSS screening in my area, someone who's only seen this great classic on TV, DVD or video, or if you've never, ever seen West Side Story at all, I say: If West Side Story ever comes to the great big, wide screen, in a real movie theatre in your area, I say.... jump at the opportunity to see this great classic film on the great big, wide movie theatre screen! It's an enriching, fullfilling experience that you'll never forget!

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"It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." -- Samuel Adams (1722-1803)

Today, I thought I'd write another essay on West Side Story, so here I am. Here goes:

As an artist/craftswoman who designs and makes predominantly sterling silver jewelry, boxes and holloware, and resides and works in a large artists' community just outside Boston, and who's also hard-wired together somewhat differently than most people, I admit to having some unusual interests. As you know, in addition to being physically active, working on my craft, thinking about issues, although my school of thought often differs from that of many, if not most posters, I readily admit to yet another thing; I'm a West Side Story Geek--and proud of it. Unlike many other movies, be they older or newer films that I've liked well enough to see more than once, West Side Story seems to beckon me to come back and see it again and again, because, for reasons I'm not really able to put a finger on, it holds a very special place in my heart regarding movies.

West Side Story is a golden oldie-but-great movie/musical classic that I never get tired of viewing, whether it be on TV, or, especially, on a great big, wide screen in a real movie theatre with the lights down low, plus I've also seen several very good stage productions of WSS as well. Unlike most other older but likeable classic films which seem to have frayed somewhat around the edges and can seem a bit dated, West Side Story, imo, is as relevant as ever, even today.

Granted, some of the dialogue between the romancing Tony and Maria, especially when they first meet during the Dance at the Gym scene may seem somewhat quaint by today's standards, and West Side Story, as a whole, seems rather white-bread, too sanitized, and not gritty or realistic enough for many of today's younger people, the story behind it, although fiction, is closer to reality in a number of respects; the presence of urban gang warfare, racial & ethnic tensions, and people crossing the racial/ethnic/religious/color lines to date, fall in love, and even marry. All of these things get played out in real life, even now.

West Side Story, with its brilliant Leonard Bernstein musical score, the beautifully-choreographed dance by Jerome Robbins, the cinematography, not to mentioned the very story behind WSS, are all exciting, and it always feels like I'm viewing West Side Story for the first time, especially when its viewed on a big screen, in a real movie theatre. Equally important, I always notice things in this great movie/musical classic that I've never noticed before, be it subtle movements, other people in the background, or subtle facial expressions, and even subtle voices, etc.

Here's another thing about West Side Story that puts it in a class by itself; unlike many, if not most musicals that've been recycled and revised to make sort of cheap, up-to-date productions, the original producers of West Side Story fought the good fight to preserve it as the great, golden oldie-but-goody that it is. Another wonderful thing about West Side Story is that it's symbolic of the time when super-expensive and ultra-fancy gadgetry were not required to produce wonderful special affects (the ones in WSS are fabulous!), movies were not unnecessarily graphic and violent, with so many overtly explicit sex scenes, and things weren't constantly exploding on the screen. Movies that were made prior to 1970 were also much better photographed, and WSS was no exception, imo.

From the time I first heard the music to West Side Story, it has held a powerful grip on my imagination and a special place in my heart, both of which have stayed with me. Since I was still a teenager when I first saw the movie (a high school Senior), I was able to identify with the kids in the film, in terms of age, and of kids being kids, etc. However, when I reached my adulthood, I began to appreciate West Side Story even more for its overall beauty, the story, the artistic cinematography, the brilliant musical score, the richly-colored costumes, the various personalities of the cast members, especially the Jets and Sharks, and, more than ever, the story behind it, and the various emotions in WSS being expressed so fluidly and thoroughly and beautifully through dance. Even today, I believe that it still captures the exuberance and innocence of youth, yet also reflects the loss of innocence that can and sometimes does occur at an early age.

What's also quite amazing is the fact that, roughly half a century later, West Side Story, which has been my alltime favorite movie for more than 40 years, is still remembered for what it is; a beautiful musical and movie classic that resonates in the hearts and minds of many, many people (myself included, of course!), and, imho, is equally beautifuly on screen and on stage. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love writing and talking about West Side Story, so when the opportunity to do so comes up, I do, and there's virtually no end to it once I get started. Unlike West Side Story, imho, it's highly doubtful that Grease, Raiders of the Lost Ark, or even High School Musical will be around in 50 years, much less remembered. The fact that <i>West Side Story </i> still holds a place in the hearts and memories of so many people, both on stage and/or on screen all these years after the original Broadway Stage production opened at NYC's Winter Garden in late September 1957 and was made into an equally wonderful film 4 years later also indicates how much this dynamically beautiful movie/musical classic is truly in a class by itself. The well-attended screenings of the film and stage productions, even nowadays, are yet another indication of this.

Like most, if not all movies/musicals, West Side Story reflects the times when it was made. Therefore, it's not realistic to expect Hollywood and the movie industry to make more films like WSS. While there has been occasional talk about a possible re-make of WSS, there's no way, imho, that a remake of West Side Story would get off the ground--at least not very well, or for very long. The heart and soul would be cut right out of it. To paraphrase an old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". That being said, I often pontificate about how West Side Story would be if it had come out any later than it did, particularly if it had come out today, and whether it would still hold a special place in so many people's hearts and memories, and if it would still hold such a special place in my heart and memory regarding movies, but that's a diary for another time.

West Side Story also has a very strong cast, with the exception of Richard Beymer, who, imo, played a rather weak, lacklustre Tony. As much as I, along with virtually everybody else, be they average moviegoer(s) and film critics alike, agree with that sentiment, I also think that the Beymer-bashing in some circles has gotten out of hand. This opinion was formed fairly recently, during that last year or two, when I learned something I hadn't read or heard about before. Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood had a very bad rapport off-screen and in real life; they didn't get along. To be more exact, however, Natalie Wood disliked Richard Beymer and, in fact, had tried to get him kicked off the set on several occasions. Although I'm not really sure of the reasons for this, it was clear that Beymer was pained by Wood's hostility towards him, and it showed.

Having learned that, while I also think that part of Beymer's weakness as Tony was due, in part to the way in which both the scripts of the movie and the original Broadway stage version of WSS had been written, I'm also somewhat more willing than before to give Richard Beymer some benefit of the doubt and say that, had he and Natalie Wood had a better rapport off-screen and in real life, Richard Beymer might've played a stronger role as Tony. (You may all be interested to know that Elvis Presley was the first one that Robert Wise approached for the role of Tony, but under pressure from his manager, Presley was forced to reject that role. It's also said that Elvis regretted his having rejected the role of Tony in WSS when the film West Side Story became a hit.)

Some movies really shouldn't/mustn't be made over, and West Side Story is one of them, imo.

Open Letter to a great, golden-oldie-but-goody keeper of a classic movie/musical, West Side Story;

Hey, West Side Story!

You are one fantastic film--it's a small wonder that so many people love you.* The people who created both the stage musical and the film of you, West Side Story were/are fabulous people who've fought the good fight to preserve your integrity and not turn you into a cheap, updated, mediocre-at-best production.* For that, the people who created you deserve much respect and credit.

West Side Story, between your fabulous Bernstein musical score, your richly-colored costumes and photograpny, your beautifully-choreographed dancing by Jerome Robbins, your direction by the late Robert Wise,* the well-chosen cast that was mostly taken from the original Broadway stage productions and put into the film version of you, the wonderful scenery, the cinema technology, not to mention the very story behind you, have all been combined together to make you, West Side Story, into a dynamic, beautiful package.*

The only shortcoming I see in you is the fact that Richard Beymer was chosen as Tony, since he was rather weak and lacklustre;* however, Natalie Wood did OK as Maria, although her hatred of Richard Beymer off-screen was quite obvious, and Richard Beymer was clearly pained by it.

West* Side Story, you are exuberant, tense, gentle, sad, and tough all at once. You have so many personalities to you that it's great.* You're the only movie/musical that can pull that off.* I've written a number of compositions about you on this website, as well as others, and it's another indication of your greatness.* The fact that somebody even wrote a novelization of you is also indicative of your greatness, although the novelization of you was rather puerile and childish, and inaccurate, to boot.* Nonetheless, I had fun reading it, just the same.

West Side Story:* I can't really put a finger on why you're my favorite alltime film, but you most definitely are special.* I've attended virtually every screening of you here in my area (the one exception being back in mid-March 2001, when an afternoon screening of you conflicted directly with my late dad's memorial, so I didn't attend that afternoon's screening.)* Nonetheless, I've also seen you on TCM (Turner Classic movies) when it comes on TV,* and, believe it or not, I've driven down to the Big Apple to see a screening of you at least twice in the past five years, which is fabulous.* It's not every film that I'd drive out of state to see, WSS, but you are most definitely special. WSS, I've also seen you in Providence, RI, and I've seen you up in New Hampshire.

Although I first got introduced to you by hearing the music back in the early 1960's, out at a day camp out west, I didn't the movie WSS, until I was a senior in high school, around Christmastime, 1968, shortly before you went on TV.* I loved you from the start, and always will.*

I've been to a couple of singalong screenings of you, and, with the exception of a screening of you back in mid-March of 2001, which conflicted directly with my (late) dad's memorial, I've attended every screening of you in our area, and, as I pointed out above, have even made road trips out of state to see screenings of you. I recently saw two screenings of you last night, at the Brattle Theatre, in Cambridge, MA. The first screening I attended with 3 friends of mine, and it was funny to hear them make the same statements that a number of film critics have made about you; that you're an American masterpiece, and a classic that doesn't grow old.

Thank you, West Side Story, for having come into existence and pleased oh, so many people, including myself, and thank you to the people who made your existence possible.* Just the mention/thought of you, West Side Story, makes me smile, especially when I'm in a crappy mood.* Although you're wonderful on TV, too, you're even more beautiful and fantastic on the great big, wide screen of a real movie theatre palace, with the lights down low.* Even Richard Beymer's weak, lacklustre Tony comes off as more vital and alive on the great big, wide screen.

West Side Story:* from the beautiful Bernstein musical score, to the aerial shots of NYC's West Side, to the warring Jets and Sharks, to the romancing Tony and Maria, to Schrank, Doc, Krupke, and Bernardo, Riff, Anita and everybody else, not to mention the scenery, and richly-colored photography, and the fingersnapping, pulsating tempo, everything about you is even more beautiful and seems to take on a magical, almost 3-dimensional quality on the great big wide screen.* Seeing you in NYC's renowned Radio City Music Hall one Saturday night in October 2001, foillowing 9/11, as well as in NYC's equally palatial Clearview/Ziegfeld Cinema five years later, was fantastic!!*

West Side Story--the MGM quote "Unlike other classics, West Side Story grows younger" is absolutely and totally on target.*

In America, nothing is impossible.

Please note: This post, too, is also my very own writing, although it's been cross-posted from another blog called firefly-dreaming.com, as well as leonardbernstein.com and moviefancentral.com: Here goes:

As pretty much everybody knows, West Side Story is my alltime favorite movie, and that I'm a devout fan of this great classic film who always feels like I'm seeing West Side Story for the first time. Inotherwords, it's still fresh, imho. Although West Side Story is loosely based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, this particular musical is still relevant, imho, because, although it's fiction, it's closer to reality in many respects; people from "opposite sides of the track" falling in love amid conflict on both sides, dating and even marrying, racial, ethnic and religious tensions, urban gang warfare, all of which still frequently gets played out in real life. People can and do even fall in love at first sight in real life, although in real life, even that takes time to grow and develop into something where mutual trust and love enable the love to mushroom into something really substantial, if one gets the drift.

Yet, I'm also aware that in real life, gangs don't go dancing through the streets, nor do they dance their way through street fights and all-out rumbles, which have now evolved into dangerous drive-by shootings and shootings on street corners in many neighborhoods, and gangs today are even more vicious than they were in times gone past. It used to be that gangs would stake out and protect their territory, in real life, but racial/ ethnic tensions and hostilities lent that protection of turf an even more vicious edge.

Since I've also seen several very good stage productions of West Side Story, I kind of have to say that West Side Story is my favorite stage musical, as well. In addition to the two screenings of the film version of West Side Story that I recently attended at the Emerson College-owned Paramount Theatre in downtown Boston last month, and the other at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, in Brookline, in mid-November (I've already snagged myself tickets for both of those screenings), I attended a screening of the film West Side Story at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge, MA this past Memorial Day with a long time good friend of mine, and I will be taking my youngest nephew and my niece to a matinee show of the latest Broadway stage revival of West Side Story. I've read a number of reviews on this latest West Side Story Broadway stage revival; some good, others not so good. I really wasn't sure I wanted to see this particular production of the stage version of West Side Story, but at suggestions from other people, I went down to the Colonial Theatre here on Boston's Boylston Street, and purchased some rather expensive mezzanine tickets. It's well that I did, since they're going fast, and there weren't many mezzanine tickets left, and I didn't want the balcony, because that would've been too far away.

The Broadway stage revival of West Side Story here in Boston will be coming up in late June, and I've got to admit to having ambivalent feelings about seeing this particular play, given the mixed reviews I've read about it, but curiosity is beckoning me. Since I've always considered West Side Story a beautiful musical both on stage and on screen for a number of reasons that I've already posted here, as well as on some other forums, I figure I have nothing to lose. Seeing something live on stage can also be interesting, and it's a whole different kind of medium, because more effort is required to maintain a constant wave of communication between the actors/actresses and the audience, through a much narrower focus than when one watches a movie on the large screen, since movies generally demand one's attention by appearing larger than life on the screen.

West Side Story, for all kinds of reasons, is one of the few musicals, imho, that's successful on both stage and screen, but there are others who would disagree. I think it depends on who one talks to, as well.
This particular musical has a particular appeal to me because of the overall story behind it, the Bernstein musical score, and the various characters and a real story of love and romance that develops amid conflict, only to go up in smoke. The beautifully-choreographed dancing by Jerome Robbins, as well as the fabulous cinematography and photography by Daniel Fap, as well as the well designed sets by Boris Leven that looked uncannily like a real run-down urban setting, and the richly-colored costumes and photography also make this great movie/musical the dynamite package that it is. When I saw the film version of West Side Story for the first time this year at the beautifully-renovated Paramount Theatre here in Boston this past Sunday night, I once again realized what a wonderful alternative to most of what's coming out nowadays in the way of movies that this great, golden oldie but keeper of a movie/musical classic that West Side Story really and truly is.