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The Cast |
Natalie
Wood ... Maria |
The Crew |
Directed
by Lyrics
by |
The Songs |
Prologue |
Jet Song |
Something's |
Dance
at |
Another match cut brings us to the jazzy dance at the gym. Jerome Robbins choreography is high energy and youthful. After a faulty game of partner swapping, another highly gymnastic number, "Mambo." Mid-dance, in what is now a major cliché, Maria and Tony spy each other from across the room. |
Maria |
America |
Tonight |
Gee, |
I Feel Pretty |
One
Hand, |
The couple display their love (and their youth) by playing 'dress up' and 'wedding.' Their game seems to be more important than either one of them realize. Bernstein's music sets a solemn religious tone that is reinforced by the church-like lighting. |
Tonight |
Somewhere |
Maria and Tony are at peace with the death of her brother but are sure nobody else in their lives will be so understanding. This is a difficult concept to pull off but a necessary evil to the story. The filmmakers were semi-successful. On the night Tony kills her brother, Maria is seen snuggling with her schnookie-ookums. She invests totally in her new loves side of the story. But, the film doesn't build a clear need for her beliefs, especially as they embrace, resembling giddy teens who discovered first love at band camp. |
Cool |
A Boy Like That |
I Have a Love |
This gorgeous song is Maria's final attempt at holding on to her dream relationship, which brings only destruction to everyone involved. The drama is very great at this point so, the song is kept short. In fact, this is the last new song in the entire film... |
From
Stage |
West Side Story initially seems to be a weak concept. Take Shakespeare's"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet" and displace it into New York gang warfare and have it told through song and dance. But, the resulting show is an uniquely American icon. The creative team included giants in their field: Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. The stage show was a resounding success. So, it was inevitable that it would take the journey from stage to screen. Ernest Lehman adapted the screenplay with some minor changes that make cinematic sense. Robert Wise joined Robbins on directing chores. They worked with the original stage crew and the result is a very faithful adaptation. Some of Bernstein's musical passages had to be shortened while some were extended for the reworked film scenes. This is also where the film's greatest advantage comes into play. Not limited by a pit Orchestra's size, Bernstein's music was re orchestrated for a massive sound. Some of the casting seems haphazard. 3 major roles would need their singing dubbed (Moreno, Wood and Beymer). And Beymer's Puerto Rican physicality made his "Jets" membership questionable. Maybe those casting questions are actually positives as the film was a resounding success (taking in 10 Academy Awards). |
If
you would like to discuss WEST SIDE STORY |
The Store |
West
Side Story on DVD |
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West
Side Story (Special Collectors Edition) |
Leonard
Bernstein Conducts West Side Story |
West
Side Story (Widescreen) |
West
Side Story (Full Screen) |
Dave
Grusin Presents West Side Story |
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West
Side Story on VHS |
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Leonard
Bernstein Conducts West Side Story |
West
Side Story |
West
Side Story (Widescreen) |
|
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West
Side Story |
Songs
of West Side Story |
Bernstein:
Candide Waterfront, Fancy Free |
Kenton's West Side Story |
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West
Side Story 1997 Studio Cast |
Dave
Grusin Presents West Side Story |
Leonard
Bernstein Conducts West Side Story |
Andre
Previn and Friends West Side Story |
Oscar
Peterson Trio West Side Story |
Dave
Grusin Presents West Side Story (DTS) |
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West
Side Story Symphonic Dances |
West
Side Story 1993 UK Revival Cast |
Richie
Cole West Side Story Gold import |
Andre
Previn and Friends West Side Story (XCD) |
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West
Side Story in Print |
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West
Side Story: A Novelization |
West
Side Story & Romeo and Juliet |
West
Side Story Sheet Music |
Making
of West Side Story |
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