Director
Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins
Leading Actors/Actresses
Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, and Russ Tamblyn
Genre
Musical
Language
English
Awards
Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Music, and Best Sound
Date of Release
October 18, 1961
Producer
Robert Wise
Setting and Context
Set on the West Side of New York City in 1957, in the neighborhood of Lincoln Square
Narrator and Point of View
No narrator or particular point of view
Tone and Mood
Dramatic, Moving, Epic, Tense, Joyful, Romantic
Protagonist and Antagonist
Tony and Maria are the protagonists, Lieutenant Schrank and the tense atmosphere of the neighborhood are the antagonistic forces
Major Conflict
Two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, are fighting for control over their neighborhood. The gangs are divided by race— whites versus Puerto Ricans. In the midst of this conflict, Tony, a former member of the Jets, and Maria, the younger sister of the leader of the Sharks, fall in love.
Climax
There climax occurs when Chino shoots Tony.
Foreshadowing
The song "Something's Coming" functions as a perfect example of foreshadowing within the film. In this song, Tony expresses that he has been feeling as though something important is coming right around the corner, ending the song by pondering "maybe tonight." That night at the dance Tony meets Maria, which sparks the major love story and conflict of the movie.
Understatement
Both gangs frequently use understated terms when talking about violence.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
The opening scene of West Side Story uses an innovative sweeping aerial shot of New York City that progressively zooms in and moves toward the neighborhood and park where we first meet the Jets.
Allusions
The musical is an interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The Jets and the Sharks act as the feuding Montagues and Capulets. There are also allusions to Catholic saints.
Paradox
The major paradox at play in West Side Story is that only through hate, death, and violence are the gangs able to find peace and reconciliation. The final scene shows the two gangs finally able to come together after Chino shoots Tony in the playground.
Parallelism
Many of the songs in West Side Story use parallelism to highlight contrast. "America" is a fantastic example of the use of this literary tool:
Life can be bright in America
If you can fight in America
Life is all right in America
If you're a white in America
