West Side Story (1961)

This updated Romeo and Juliet tale on the streets of New York is the only movie so far to share the Best Director Oscar between two directors Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (his film debut was also the only film he directed). Can you believe that Elvis was Director Wise’s first choice to play the “Romeo” (Tony played by Richard Beymer) character opposite “Juliet” Maria played by Natalie Wood (whose singing voice was dubbed by Marni Nixon who also dubbed Ms. Hepburn’s singing voice in My Fair Lady (1964))? The film won 10 (out of 11 nominations) total Oscars including Best Picture and both Supporting roles George Chakiris and Rita Moreno (who also uniquely has an Emmy a Grammy and a Tony Award as well!). Added to the National Film Registry in 1997. #41 on AFI’s 100 Greatest Movies list. #3 on AFI’s 100 Greatest Love Stories list. “Somewhere” is #20 on AFI’s 100 Top Movie Songs of All Time. “America” is #35 on AFI’s 100 Top Movie Songs of All Time. “Tonight” is #59 on AFI’s 100 Top Movie Songs of All Time. #2 on AFI’s 25 Greatest Movie Musicals list. The Academy Award winning Score also includes the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim songs “Maria” and “I Feel Pretty”.

After the Overture the film opens fairly silently with breathtaking (helicopter high) overhead views of Manhattan before the camera is focused – and zooms in – on a city playground (where the story later ends). Director Wise would use virtually this exact same technique to open (and close) his other Oscar-winning Best Picture The Sound of Music (1965) which features the majestic Alps in place of the cement and steel ‘mountains’ of New York City.

Two rival street gangs: Riff (Russ Tamblyn) is the leader of the ethnic “White” Jets Bernardo (Chakiris) the leader of the “Hispanic” (actually Puerto Rican) Sharks and brother of Maria (Wood); Moreno plays Maria’s friend Anita who is also Bernardo’s girl. When Tony (Beymer) who was formerly with the Jets and Maria fall in love there is conflict played out ever so creatively in song and dance with Tamblyn lending his many skills in this area. Of course their’s is a forbidden love which can only lead to tragedy. Simon Oakland Ned Glass William Bramley (as Officer Krupke) and John Astin play the adult supporting roles.

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