West Side Story (1961) (PG)

Director Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise. Crime/Drama/Musical


Based on a smash Broadway play updating Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the 1950s era of juvenile delinquency, West Side Story stars Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as the star-crossed lovers from different neighbourhoods--and ethnicities. The film's real selling points, however, are the highly charged and inventive song-and-dance numbers, the passionate ballads, the moody sets, colourful support from Rita Moreno, and the sheer accomplishment of Hollywood talent and technology producing a film so stirring. Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim wrote the score.

Starring George Chakiris, Jerome Robbins, Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno


Flicks Advisor (comments from our film promoters)

Wonderful film though, for nowadays, a bit long. Everyone enjoyed the dancing and the theatricals, and the music has completely stood the test of time.

An interesting film which could reflect the present frictional climate in the US today. Visually very clear, sub titles were helpful. Our small turn out did appreciate the evening.

I had never seen the film before but knew most of the songs from my boyhood. I had not realised that it was Romeo and Julliet brought up to date until I saw it in the BFI list of Shakespeare films. It was useful to have an on screen intermission at 1hr 21mins - why don't other long films have a definite pause. It might be helpful for RR to suggest good places for a break (eg Spectre) which I said when reviewing it I felt was overlong.

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