West Side Story

As a musical, it's excellent. There are fantastic dance numbers, and Russ Tamblyn also showcases some excellent acrobatic feats that really impressed me. As a variation on Romeo and Juliet, it's quite dull and unnecessarily drawn-out. There were times when I felt like an hour could have been cut from it. Still, some of the songs will linger in your head long after it's over. (08/04/2015)

When I saw West Side Story for the first time, I had some difficulty appreciating it, because I was not sure if adapting the story of "Romeo and Juliet" into a modern environment was enough to propel the plotline of a two-and-a-half-hour musical. But after a second viewing (on the big screen this time), these doubts are gone. In fact, in terms of stage set and colour/lighting work, West Side Story shines. Both the music and choreography are legendary. The casting is accurate (watching the Richard Beymer & Russ Tamblyn duo in comparison to their Twin Peaks performance is funny) and Robert Wise’s directing skills are admirable, considering he had never filmed any musical before. As for the backbone of the story, it’s only secondary in this case and, thanks to the funny and brilliantly written dialogues, one doesn’t really give it much thought. Finally, I can appreciate this picture properly! [Summer Film School 2018] (02/08/2018)

Beautifully shot, irresistibly colorful – from the colors of characters’ shirts and dresses to the exteriors and interiors, the color of which always helps set the emotional mood of individual scenes. Clothes hanging on clotheslines between windows serving as victorious flags and steep fire escapes between floors in the background of a gloomy scene... every detail in the picture completes its narratively and aesthetically tasteful arrangement. In addition, this simple and comprehensible variation of the Romeo and Juliette story features good-looking actors delivering clever dialogue that not even Steven Zaillian would be able to write. As far as musicals go, West Side Story seems to be what North by Northwest is for secret-agent adventure films. But what can I do when, with the exception of the post-modern Moulin Rouge!, the musical genre is so far from my cup of tea that even the undoubtedly aesthetically great experience of West Side Story seemed to me just like a boring wait for the post-premiere reception. (20/01/2012)

A few days before the premiere of Spielberg's version, I wanted to remind myself of a film I once enjoyed very much. Unsurprisingly, I enjoyed it again. After all, Leonard Bernstein's music is still just as brilliant, Sondheim's lyrics are still so entertaining and to the point, the choreography of the dance numbers is amazing and well thought out, the commitment of all the actors/singers/dancers is infectious (yes, Tony is still the least interesting, but that's the fate of this breed of heroes) and Wise's direction, though it feels more theatre and studios than actual film, is still very engaging. But I noticed something I had never noticed before. After each number there is a pause in the film, a quieter moment perfect for a well-deserved applause. I wondered if that was intentional. And it was. Reportedly, people in the cinemas routinely rewarded West Side Story with thunderous applause as if they were in a theatre, and I wonder not only if there will be room for applause in Spielberg's version, but more importantly, if there will be clapping as well. I hope so, so that the contemporary viewer, transported back sixty years, can have that kind of fun. We’ll see. (06/12/2021)

In this case, I deliberately abstain from giving a rating because I’m at a loss. West Side Story feels to me like a museum piece that undoubtedly has value as a historical statement about choreography and the musical style of the late 1950s and early 1960s. I wouldn’t mind watching it as part of a film club for cinephile enthusiasts. However, as a piece meant to entertain and resonate with today’s audience, it does not work at all. Grease, which is 45 years old, remains fully functional, playful, and five-star, whereas West Side Story feels outdated in its choreography and naive in its message. I’m familiar with it from the stage as well, and thanks to modern adaptations, it was far more bearable there. I believe the film deserves a high-quality remake. This time, I’ll forgo an overall impression. (20/08/2024)