West Side Story (1961)

I was introduced to Romeo and Juliet when I was about 13 years old. I think this is the appropriate age for a girl to read the story because as she gets older, she realizes how stupid it is. Juliet was around 13 and at that age, a girl has yet to be completely let down by her fair share of suitors. Romeo is a 15 year old guy (need I say more?) and is in love with one woman in the morning and in love with another that very night. The only way for this tragedy to happen is to make the leads young and therefor, very stupid. Oh yeah, and they come from rivaling families. I am sure that when Shakespeare wrote this story, it was gripping stuff (as we learn in Shakespeare in Love) but by 1961, people were ready for a film that brought the musical version of this story to life.

The musical is not about two Italian families who hate each other. Instead it features an Irish-American (Jets) gang and a Puerto Rican-American (Sharks) gang in New York City. They of course are rival gangs. So one of the "Irish" guys falls in love with a girl named Maria. Maria is Puerto Rican, played by the Russian-American Natalie Wood, with vocals by Marni Nixon. Rita Moreno really is Puerto Rican and won an Oscar for the role without singing. I thought that was illegal? George Chakiris is really Greek-American but he really sang his songs and he also won the Oscar. And do not even get me started on the bad fake tans they gave the "Puerto Ricans" in this movie. I imagine today it would be border-line racist.

(Spoilers) Anyone who knows Romeo and Juliet can figure out what happens to the characters in this film, with one change at the end. "Juliet" somehow manages not to die. I like that ending better. No man you have known for a few days is worth shoving a dagger through your heart. If he wants to die for you, by all means let him. Don't be such a wimp! You got along before he came into your life, you will be fine without him.

There is a Dirty Dancing tie to West Side Story. One of the songs Lisa comments she may sing in the closing show is "I Feel Pretty" and it is from this musical.