Rating of
3.5/4
Review - West Side Story (1961)
Delorted - wrote on 11/11/07
In a musical modernization of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Tony (Richard Beymer) and Maria (Natalie Wood) are two teenagers associated with rival gangs in the streets of New York City. While the hatred between rivals grows, so does the love between Tony and Maria in the Best Picture winning film, "West Side Story."
I have always thought Romeo and Juliet was easily Shakespeare's best work, and because of this I expect it to get the respect it deserves. West Side Story gives this respect. The story plays out just as it does in its source material, but in a modernized manner that really works. Everything plays together very believably in today's (or at least that of the 1960s) society.
The acting is great and the music is fantastic. The only problem I have with the film is the dancing. While it is amazingly choreographed, it really didn't need to be in several instances. It looks really out of place and too much like it should just be performed on stage. But again, the music is so great that you can look over this most of the time.
Though I think there were some directorial problems, "West Side Story" is as timeless a musical as Romeo and Juliet itself. It is a must-see for anyone who appreciates good musicals, though I might suggest seeing it on stage as well.
Acting: 9/10
Writing: 9/10
Video/Editing: 6/10
Audio/Music: 9/10
Entertainment: 8/10
Final Score: 8.2/10
