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West Side Story
1961 153 min United States of America 12+
★8.3
Crime, Drama, Romance
Director: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise
🎭 Based on
«West Side Story»
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Description
In Manhattan’s Upper West Side, rival gangs of Polish-Americans and newly arrived Puerto Ricans clash for control of the neighborhood, even as two young members from opposite sides fall dangerously in love.
Budget:
$6M
US Gross:
$44.06M
Worldwide:
$43.7M
Starring
Natalie Wood
Actor
George Chakiris
Actor
Richard Beymer
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Costume Design (Color)
Golden Globe 1962
— Best Picture (Musical)
BAFTA 1963
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Cinematography (Color)
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Film Editing
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Sound
Golden Globe 1962
— Best Supporting Actor
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Picture
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Supporting Actor
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Production Design (Color)
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Golden Globe 1962
— Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe 1962
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1962
— Best Score for a Musical
Golden Globe 1962
— Best Actor (Comedy or Musical)
Key opinion
West Side Story (1961) is widely regarded as a landmark cinematic musical that successfully blends Shakespearean tragedy with 1950s New York street culture. While its technical achievements in choreography, score, and production design are iconic, opinions remain divided on the lead performances and the film's theatrical, sometimes dated, narrative delivery.
| Score | The film features a masterful and influential integration of Bernstein’s iconic score and Robbins’s energetic, acrobatic choreography. | |
| Acting | Rita Moreno and George Chakiris deliver standout, Oscar-winning performances that provide necessary emotional weight to the production. | |
| Production | The stylized production design and vibrant color palette create a visually striking, high-art experience that defines the film's classic status. | |
| Acting | The central romance between Tony and Maria is hindered by unconvincing chemistry and weak performances from lead actors Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer. | |
| Direction | The film’s overt theatricality and stage-to-screen adaptation style feel dated to modern viewers who struggle with the lack of cinematic realism. | |
| Pacing | The three-hour runtime and deliberate pacing reward viewers who embrace the musical’s contemplative tempo, while others find it to be an exhausting and unengaging experience. |