West Side Story
For those familiar with the original 1961 film version of West Side Story, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, the latest take on the star-crossed lovers from 1950’s Upper West Side will not disappoint. As a passion project from the top-grossing director of all time, Stephen Spielberg takes this project to heart; demanding perfection as he brings all of the wonder of the original with a few important twists.
Spielberg has always wanted to do a musical, and has said in the past if he were to take on the project, it would have to be West Side Story. Growing up with the soundtrack in his household, Spielberg understood the important messages intertwined with an incredible score and choreography to match. Teaming up with long-time collaborator, screenwriter and playwright Tony Kushner (Munich, Lincoln), the pair aimed to put a new spin on a classic tale of fierce rivalries, turf wars, racism, violence and above all else, young love.
The Broadway spectacular with music from Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and original book by Arthur Laurents, is a re-imagination of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The film follows the story of two lovers, Tony (Ansel Elgort), a former member of the Jets gang, and Maria (Rachel Zegler), whose brother Bernardo (David Alvarez) heads up rival gang the Sharks. Battling over the Robert Moses-led slum areas of New York, the pointlessness of the gangs’ escapades against one another are highlighted throughout the film as both groups face the threats of gentrification. The pair of hopeful lovers get caught up in a war they do not wish to fight, and their love at first sight encounter pushes them down a path to overcome both racial and territorial tensions to protect their forbidden love.
The casting in the film cannot be understated and is a testament to the importance Spielberg has placed on the success of this project. Casting Director Cindy Tolan explained that they spent over a year to make sure Rachel Zegler was absolutely the right person to play Maria. The time invested in this decision paid off as Zegler puts on a performance of a lifetime in her debut. Working alongside Ansel Elgort (The Goldfinch, Baby Driver, The Fault in Our Stars), the pair’s chemistry manages to keep the audience constantly rooting for the hopeless romantics. From Elgort’s opening rendition of Something’s Coming, to the classic Maria, Elgort solidifies his position in a well deserved new direction. The duo’s take on The Balcony Scene (Tonight) transports you into their world, and Zegler’s I Feel Pretty communicates the joy that Maria experiences from finding her true love. It is clear to see from her performance that there are big things to come in her future.
What’s more incredible than the leads, is the sheer amount of talent in the rest of the cast. Ariana DeBose, known for her Tony-nominated role in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and her appearance alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the Tony-winning musical Hamilton, plays Anita; whose duet with Zegler in A Boy Like That / I Have A Love was a personal highlight. In a welcomed change to the original script, EGOT winner Rita Moreno plays a newly created character in the film, Valentina, who is Doc’s Puerto Rican widow. With the role being written specifically for her, Moreno is given the chance to perform Somewhere, and add an extra element previously missing in the original. Other special mentions include David Alvarez (Billy Elliott) who plays Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks and an intelligent prizefighter, as well as Mike Faist, a Tony-award nominee (Dear Evan Hansen) who plays the loveable rapscallion Riff. Both actors bring a great deal to the overall film, and are centric to the performances in each of the gangs.
Finally, last but certainly not least, the choreography from Justin Peck and the score by Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel and composer/conductor David Newman takes West Side Story to new heights. While there was a lot of hype around this latest release, Spielberg managed to capture the essence of the original and bring his own take to life. You’ll be snapping your fingers and strutting down the aisles of the cinema in no time.
West Side Story is in cinemas from Boxing Day 2021.