West Side Story

Rating: 4/5

A classic musical that took me far too long to see.

West Side Story is very unlike the typical modern movie musical, as it is heavily stylized in its appearance, but even more so in the performances. No scene is this concept more prominent than in the "Cool" scene. The tensions are high, so every moment, gesture, and emotion is dialed up to twenty. It may seem odd in comparison to other movie musicals that go for a slightly more naturalistic approach, but it's also part of what makes West Side Story so great.

Whenever you see a musical on the stage, the actors have to add extra emphasis to their performances in order for it to be read all the way in the back of the theater. Now, obviously West Side Story didn't need to do this, but there's something really admirable about about the bold choices made by everyone involved in the making of this film. Had anyone in the cast not fully committed to style expected of their characters, the end result wouldn't have been nearly as effective.

What's so great about the way West Side Story is structured, is that the highly choreographed and intentionally over the top performances create for more impactful and poignant scenes of emotion. When things in the plot quiet down, it's incredibly easy to get pulled into those moments of serenity, whether they be romantic, heartbreaking, or otherwise.

I have loved musicals all my life, so why it took me so long to see West Side Story is beyond me. But I am incredibly glad I finally watched it. It's truly one of the great movie musicals in existence.

1962 Best Picture Winner - West Side Story

1962 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Winner - George Chakiris

1962 Best Actress in a Supporting Role Winner - Rita Moreno

1962 Best Director Winners - Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins

1962 Best Cinematography, Color Winner - Daniel L. Fapp

1962 Best Art Direction - Set Direction, Color Winners - Boris Leven & Victor A. Gangelin

1962 Best Costume Design, Color Winner - Irene Sharaff

1962 Best Sound Winners - Fred Hynes & Gordon Sawyer

1962 Best Film Editing Winner - Thomas Stanford

1962 Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture Winners - Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Sid Ramin, & Irwin Kostal