From the setting of the 1300’s Verona, performed at the Curtain Theatre in Shoreditch, and the Globe theatre, London, to the setting of the 1950’s New York, on the Broadway stage, NY, and West End, London, and onto Hollywood’s celluloid. Romeo and Juliet to West Side Story.
Rachel’s Theatre Reviews and The Rosebud Cinema are co-hosting ‘The Stage to Screen Blogathon’; for which I chose to write about the musical, West Side Story (1961).
From the Stage to the Big Screen
In 1957 Broadway staged a musical, West Side Story. A modern, mid-1950’s, adaptation of the much loved tragic play about pre-teen innocent love by Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was conceived between 1591 and 1595, and set in Verona, Italy, in the 14th century). Then in the beginning of the 60’s decade, the movie version, set in the mid-50’s itself, was released, West Side Story (1961). Of course I haven’t seen the stage version, only the movie. The original Broadway and West End runs were before I came into existence, from 1957 to 1960, but I haven’t seen any latter versions either. But would love to if I get a chance. Not many Hollywood versions of stage shows tend to be that great, but West Side Story (1961) is an excellent Hollywood adaptation.
Starting off it’s so beautifully filmed. After the colourful overture, with a screen littered with vertical black lines, of varied sizes, that almost looks like musical notes, which transforms into the skyscrapers of Manhattan, the film zooms from an aerial shot of the city into the darken alleys in the day time, where the Jets are watching boys playing with a ball. Soon we see the rivalry between the two clans of the ‘Jets’ (Caucasians/Americans) and the ‘Sharks’ (Dusky/Latin-Americans/Puerto Rican immigrants), a bunch of out-of-work/school teenage/young adult rowdy boys, who have nothing better to do other than fight each other, for no specific reason, other than racial hatred. Then, as most people know the plot of Romeo and Juliet, Boy-Tony Wyzek (Richard Beymer), of the Jets, meets Girl-Maria Nuñez (Natalie Wood), of the Sharks, by chance at a dance, fall instantly in love, which worsens the rivalry between the two groups, who fight, in which, Tony’s best friend, Riff Lorton (Russ Tamblyn) accidentally gets knifed by Maria’s brother, Bernardo Nuñez (George Chakiris), and in turn, the angered Tony kills Bernardo, in the spur of the moment, and has to hide as the Sharks wow to avenge the death of their leader, Bernardo. More misunderstandings occur when Bernardo’s girlfriend, Anita del Carmen (Rita Moreno) visits the Jets. At the end, the tragedy differs, from the Shakespearean tale, as only one of the lovers’ dies, by getting shot, leaving the other to a lonely life of misery. With this innocent death, the two sides resolve their differences, and start to get along, but at what cost.
It’s a great modern adaptation, with excelled direction and choreography by the famed classical and contemporary ballet dancer, Jerome Robbins (co-directed by Robert Wise), with the rhythmic background music composed by Leonard Bernstein. Love the songs, the dances, the music, the cast, the great sets, the art décor, the cinematography. It all blends in beautifully bringing out a masterpiece of Cinematic history. So far as exceptional dancing sessions are concerned, the two people to watch out for are the two supporting characters, George Chakiris and Rita Moreno. Love the dance off at the neighbourhood dance function. The matching and fitting purple/black outfits worn by Chakiris and Moreno add to the seductive movements. Love the song and dance, ‘America’ on the roof, the same night. The movie has some other great songs like the romantic ‘Maria’, the very comical ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’ and the deep and rowdily calming ‘Cool’, to name a few.
Unfortunately the DVD I have (another movie brought down from the States), isn’t in the original widescreen format, the film was released in, but a television edit with the two sides cut off. I don’t see why they should have cinemascope films (film released since 1953) in academy ratio anymore. After all most people who own a television set, and a DVD player, would have a widescreen television in their homes. Of course most people with a lot of money and no common sense have widescreen televisions and no idea how to use them. Thus they distort an academy ratio picture to fit the widescreen with disastrous results. And worse they wonder why vehicles looks unnaturally elongated and people disproportionately fat, stretched and short. I prefer to watch a widescreen movie as a widescreen movie, but if the picture format shown is a television edit (in Academy Ratio), I wouldn’t stretch it to fit the screen, nor zoom it, cutting off the top and bottom of the picture. After all, the cut off sides aren’t going to magically appear. So as I said, I had to watch West Side Story, in academy ratio, a television edit. I would love to watch the widescreen version someday.
Original vs. Modern Adaptation
The best modern adaptation of a Shakespearean play, for me, happens to be Kenneth Branagh’s very stylish flick, Hamlet (1996), which was brought forward from 16th/early 17th century Denmark to 19th century Denmark. A glamorous upscale adaptation, spoken in the original text, of Shakespearean English, yet believably transformed 200 odd years into the future. The greatest modern adaptation I’ve seen till date. Kenneth Branagh is a superb director, more so when it comes to modern adaptations of Shakespeare. For example, films like Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and As You Like It (2006). I also enjoyed Michael Hoffman’s modern adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999). When in comes to the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, no doubt West Side Story happens to be best modern adaptation I’ve seen so far, and there have been quite a few. Like Romeo + Juliet (1996), set in the 1990’s in Shakespearean English, it’s the worst adaptation I’ve seen so far, but not among the worst movies ever. Yet it was pretty bad film. It didn’t work for me at all. Then there was the Bollywood adaptation, Josh (2000), for which the basis was more West Side Story, and less the original Romeo and Juliet. Josh was a moderately OK take on the Shakespearean classic. More recently there was Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela (2013) (see my post Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela: A Pleasant Surprise) a near excellence venture set in a fictional Indian village. Which I watched earlier this year and blogged about it, as well, back then (Press on the link above). And there might be so many more versions of this tragic romance. Of course this is when it comes to modern adaptations about the doomed lovers. When it comes to an original adaptation, i.e. set in the 14th Century Verona, out the ka-zillion big screen ventures that exist, the best, and my favourite, happens to be, Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet (1968), starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey.
Awards
West Side Story won 10 Academy Awards, out of the 11 nominated. It won Oscars for ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’ to Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise, ‘Best Supporting Actor’ to George Chakiris, ‘Best Supporting Actress’ to Rita Moreno, ‘Best Cinematography’, ‘Best Art Direction’, ‘Best Costume Design’, ‘Best Film Editing’, ‘Best Original Score’ and ‘Best Sound’. West Side Story was also nominated for ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’, but lost out to Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Added to this, Jerome Robbins received a special award for ‘Brilliant Achievements in the Art of Choreography on Film’.
West Side Story (1961) is one of the best musicals ever made. It’s aged well and among the greatest classics ever made. Excellent!!! 10/10.
Nuwan Sen’s Film Sense
Thank you Rachael, of Rachel’s Theatre Reviews, and Rosie, of The Rosebud Cinema, for starting this Blogathon and letting me work on West Side Story (1961). I really enjoyed being part of the Stage to Screen Blogathon.
Cheers
Nuwan Sen
No Nonsense with Nuwan Sen 
Outstanding review! I happen to think West Side Story is fantastic–certainly top 5 of my favorite anything. I didn’t mind the 1996 version at all. The modern twist worked for me. I thought Claire Danes was a great Juliet and Leo was fine as Romeo. I liked the frenzied pace and CA as a modern setting was perfect. The Capulet ball and the fish tank scene at the party–loved it, loved it. Anyway, WSS is a better remake for sure and I do like the Hamlet version of Branagh. We share similar tastes when it comes to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I am especially fond of Al Pacino in ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ This would be a great post in it’s own right–Shakespeare remakes in general 😉
Yes, a lot of people tend to love Romeo + Juliet, but I somehow didn’t enjoy the movie as a whole, though I did like a few scenes, including the ‘Fish Tank’ scene at the party. Certain actors just seemed to be blandly voicing the dialogues. Of course, I watched it around 17 years ago. I guess I ought to give it a second look. I’ve given it a 4/10 rating so far.
I do agree we have similar taste when it comes to GOOD TASTE in CINEMA Ha!! Yes, I loved Branagh’s Hamlet and Hoffman’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I watched these around a decade or so ago. I gave each a 10/10 rating.
Unfortunately I haven’t seen Radford’s The Merchant of Venice (2004), with Al Pacino yet (I believe that’s an original adaptation). Would love to watch it.
Love Shakespeare, love both, a good original & a good modern, adaptation of his work.
Cheers
Nuwan
Even just looking at the still puts the songs in my head! I think what’s interesting about West Side Story is how it stands upon it’s own but is also such a fascinating insight into the evolution of Shakespeare and his continued relevance. I too like the 1996 Luhrman version (I love all the subtle Bard homages) but I appreciate that it has flaws. I really must watch the Branagh Hamlet. If you ever visit the UK, make some time to visit Stratford Upon Avon, the entire town is like a tribute to Shakespeare.
I actually lived in England between 2002 and 2005. And yes I visited Shakespeare’s Birth place, in Stratford-Upon-Avon, when my family came for a visit, back in Autumn 2004. What a beautiful little house that was.
Branagh’s Hamlet, is the best modern adaptation of Shakespeare I’ve seen so far. Do check it out when you can.
Cheers
Nuwan Sen
I love WEST SIDE STORY as a movie; I still remember how it had a big impact on me when I saw it as a teen. As it happens, I have seen a stage production of it (when I lived in California, our local theatre company – in Walnut Creek, which is about 45 minutes east of San Francisco – put it on), and my father had the cast album, so I was familiar with it. There are three major differences in it that I remember. The first is “America”; whereas, in the movie, it’s a musical duel between the men and the women, in the play, it’s only the women, and the lyrics are all extolling America’s virtues and putting down Puerto Rico (in the movie, of course, it’s an equal battle). The second involves “I Feel Pretty”; while in the movie, Maria performs it right before Tony visits her at the shop she works at, and they get “married”, in the play, she sings it after Bernardo and Riff are killed, and she’s anticipating Tony coming, not knowing what’s happened. Finally, “Cool” and “Gee Officer Krupke” are switched around; in the play, Riff sings “Cool” after Krupke visits them at Doc’s store to get the Jets to calm down, and the other Jets sing “Gee Officer Krupke” sometime after the rumble, while in the movie, of course, it’s the other way around. I’m kind of on the fence about “I Feel Pretty” – while I understand why it was moved, I can see the case for keeping it where it is in the original play – but otherwise, I think the filmmakers made the right decision in regards to the other songs. The only thing that rankles about the movie is the language changes they needed to do because of Code restrictions, but that’s a minor quibble. Anyway, great write-up!
Thank you, first of all, for the great insight into the differences between the play and the movie. I agree, the idea of Maria singing ‘I feel Pretty’, unaware of the fact that her brother’s been killed, and her lover’s life is in danger, sounds more intriguing. Makes more sense.
At the same time the guys singing ‘Gee, Officer Krupke’ post the rumble doesn’t sound right, while ‘Cool’ does. Thus am glad, the two songs were interchanged in the movie.
What language changes took place?? ‘Swear words’, most probably, I assume.
Cheers
NS
Yes, “swear words”. In the play, when Riff says to Tony, “Womb to tomb”, Tony’s response is “Sperm to worm”, when one of Anita’s women pals says, “We came here with our hearts open”, her boyfriend replies, “You came here with your pants open” (in the movie, it’s, “You came with your mouth open”, which is arguably dirtier), and in the play, the third verse of “Gee Officer Krupke” is, “My father is a bastard/My ma’s an S.O.B./My grandpa’s always plastered”, while in the movie, it’s, “My daddy beats my mommy/My mommy clobbers me/My grandpa is a Commie”.
Oh Boy!! Not exactly swear words, not by today’s standards anyway.
Thanks for letting me know.
NS
A movie I want to see on the big screen. Maybe TCM will consider, if possible, for the series of films they’re putting in theaters. Thanks for reminding me what a great movie it is.
True, it would be really worth watching on the big screen.
Cheers
NS
Beautiful review, with great images! I loved how you analyzed the lines in the beginning, making us think of musical notes and skyscrappers. Without a doubt, one of the best opening sequences in a film!
I love West Side Story sooooo much, and I’m tempted to say that this is my favorite Shakespearean adaptation, even with the modern twist.
Don’t forget to read my contribution to the blogathon! 🙂
Greetings!
http://criticaretro.blogspot.com.br/2014/10/variacoes-sobre-um-mesmo-tema-o-passaro.html
I sure will check out your post as well. Thanks for reading & enjoying my analysis.
Cheers
Nuwan
Hi! Thanks for the kind comment!
As for The Blue Bird, I highly recommend the 1918 version. The other two feel like movies made for children, whil the silent version is more philosophical and surprising. It can be found on YouTube in a very good quality.
Cheers!
Thanks!! I’ll definitely try and check out the 1918 version.
Cheers
NS