Anthony's Film Review - West Side Story (1961)

The drama and romance are greatly enhanced by the sweeping and lively music...

West Side Story is a film inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, taking the classic tale of two lovers from rival families and bringing it to a modern setting. Instead of Italy in a past century, this story takes place in New York City in the 1950s. And instead of two rival families, we have two warring street gangs of different cultures. Yet, the whole thing feels original, because pretty much the only thing that is Shakespearean is the plot premise. Also, this is a musical film, a type of stage entertainment very different from a theatrical play.

Let's start with the story about the two gangs. One gang is the Jets, comprising troubled white youths led by Riff (played by Russ Tamblyn). Their rival is the Sharks, a group of Puerto Ricans led by Bernardo (played by George Chakiris). Those are your equivalents of the Montagues and Capulets. As for the lovers, they are the Jets' Tony (played by Richard Beymer) and the Sharks' Maria (played by Natalie Wood). Obviously, those are your equivalents of Romeo and Juliet. And obviously, those two are in love while the Jets and Sharks fight with each other. That's really all you need to know about the story.

If anything, the story is just there as a backdrop for the music, which is really the main reason to watch this movie. The singing and dancing are integrated into the story well. No matter what is happening, the music has a lasting emotional impact. It enhances the drama and the romance while, for the most part, making them feel fun. Now, you could do a straight drama and romance film without any musical elements. It would be very good still, but it won't have that unique feeling of being lifted by music. To illustrate, let me describe two of my favorite musical scenes.

One of them is the first scene of the movie. This is where the Jets are running around and confronting the Sharks. The dance moves are the way the characters express themselves. The fun part is when they are fighting, because what you're really seeing is a choreographed ballet that is passed on as fighting. This is a great example of how something dramatic like fighting becomes an amusing spectacle thanks to music and dancing.

My other favorite musical scene takes place on the rooftop of a building where the Puerto Ricans live. Various characters are relaxing and enjoying the warm summer night. It soon transitions into a lively song and dance number about the various things you find in America. What's interesting here is how the performers are sorted by gender. The ladies sing lines about the great things in America, while the men act as a counterpoint by singing lines about the bad things in America. The entire song flows so nicely without any jarring bumps or interruptions.

The only time it feels like a straight movie without music is the last part of the movie, sometime after the intermission. This is where the drama and romance are taken up several notches and reach a climax that leaves everyone stunned in silence. While it's not as musical, it's still a great way to end the movie, and it leaves us with lessons about tolerance for one another. It is also the only part aside from the beginning that reminds you of Shakespeare as the inspiration.

Still, it doesn't matter whether you are familiar with Romeo and Juliet. The main reason to see West Side Story is the music, the art of telling a story through song and dance. On a list of the best musical films, this one would surely be in it. I was riveted with the both the dramatic and the musical performances of the cast. It takes real talent to do both very well. Anyone wishing to star in a musical someday could definitely find inspiration in West Side Story.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about West Side Story, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my review of the 2021 version of West Side Story.