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West Side Story
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West Side Story (1961) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.8/10   26,620 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 19% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Writers:
Ernest Lehman (screenplay)
Arthur Laurents (book)
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Contact:
View company contact information for West Side Story on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 December 1961 (Japan) more
Genre:
Musical | Romance | Drama more
Tagline:
"BEST PICTURE!" Winner of 10 Academy Awards! - 1961 (post-Oscar) more
Plot:
Musical about two youngsters from rival NYC gangs who fall in love. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won 10 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 6 nominations more
User Comments:
Still The Best more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
152 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | Spanish
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (Westrex Recording System) (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)
Certification:
USA:Approved (certificate #19949) | West Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:MG6 | Brazil:Livre | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 (re-rating) (1970) | Sweden:15 (original rating) | Ireland:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Peru:PT | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Russ Tamblyn (Riff) was dubbed for "The Jet Song" by Tucker Smith, who played Ice, his lieutenant in the movie. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Riff changes position in his chair between shots when the Jets and Sharks are sitting down for the War Council. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
[the Jets dance across the streets of New York, eventually coming to a playground where they toss around a basketball. The ball is intercepted by Bernardo, leader of the Sharks]
Riff: [snaps fingers at Bernardo] Come on.
[Bernardo drops the ball, Riff picks it up]
Riff: Beat it.
more
Movie Connections:
References Show Boat (1929) more
Soundtrack:
Something's Coming more

FAQ

Is this movie based on a novel?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
How old were Maria and Tony?
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31 out of 48 people found the following comment useful:-
Still The Best, 29 December 2004
10/10
Author: zimmedc from United States

As a now 50-year old, I first saw 'West Side Story' when I was about 7. It may have been the first movie I ever saw outside home (actually at a drive-in--remember those?), and it's certainly the most memorable of movies I saw during that time of my life (although 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'The Music Man' are right up there too). In fact, as I watch the DVD now, I'm reminded why when asked, I typically cite it as my favorite movie of all time. The story is hundreds of years old, and now with the onset of drive-by shootings, the threat to the community presented by the Jets and Sharks seems a little dated, but then there's the amazing Bernstein score, and the fabulous Robbins' choreography, heartbreaking songs by Sondheim like "One Hand, One Heart" and "I Have a Love," innovative camera work by director Robert Wise, and unforgettable performances by the luminous Natalie Wood and the phenomenal Rita Moreno.

I'm not old enough to have seen the original Broadway play, but I saw a recent revival, and the movie even improves on the play by moving a couple of musical numbers around so they fit better with the plot. Great movie musicals are few and far between these days ('Chicago' sold well--I couldn't quite deal with Richard Gere as a song and dance man); I wish there was another 'West Side Story' in store to entertain me for the next 50 years of my life.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for West Side Story (1961)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Doogie Houser's dad? myleighsaunt
The West Side Story REMAKE philipkeenan-2
Did anyone else see WSS in original theatrical release? GWJ2001US
If this is based on Romeo and Juliet then how come...? clive-ihd
What was your favorite sequence? XLCH1000
Which is more tragic? witchangel
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