Sixty years may have passed since West Side Story was first released, but the film about star-crossed lovers, gang violence, and racial prejudice remains one of the most beloved and relevant movie musicals ever produced. The soundtrack, including “Maria,” “Somewhere,” and “America,” has become part of the American songbook. The choreography, much of it danced on the streets of New York, still feels avant-garde. And the story, based on Romeo and Juliet, is both timeless and tragic. With stunning archival photography and new images from Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake, this LIFE special edition traces the evolution of the movie from its Broadway roots to its status as a Hollywood classic.
LIFE West Side Story
A PLACE FOR US • WITH ITS BLEND OF SPECTACLE, TRAGEDY, AND EXTRAORDINARY TALENT, WEST SIDE STORY REINVENTED THE AMERICAN MUSICAL.
THE PLOT • WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TEENS FROM WARRING GANGS FALL IN LOVE? THE SONGS OF WEST SIDE STORY SAY IT ALL.
GANGS OF NEW YORK • IN THE 1950S, SOME ALIENATED YOUTHS JOINED GANGS ACROSS THE CITY, FIGHTING MOSTLY OVER TURF AND GIRLS. SCORES WERE SETTLED BY RUMBLES, HUGE MELEES WHERE 20 TO 50 GANG MEMBERS ON EACH SIDE MET AT A PARK OR PLAY-GROUND TO FIGHT, AS THE JETS AND SHARKS DO IN WEST SIDE STORY.
THE CREATORS • LEONARD BERNSTEIN, JEROME ROBBINS, STEPHEN SONDHEIM, AND ARTHUR LAURENTS SHARED MANY BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS, AND EACH WAS A HUGE TALENT IN HIS OWN RIGHT. WORKING TOGETHER—ALBEIT OFTEN UNHAPPILY—THE FOUR MEN CREATED THEATRICAL MAGIC AND MOVIE HISTORY.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN • THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, THE FAMOUS CONDUCTOR ADDRESSED SOCIAL INJUSTICE THROUGH HIS ART.
JEROME ROBBINS • AS BRILLIANT AS HE WAS DIFFICULT, THE CHOREOGRAPHER REWROTE THE RULES OF BALLET AND BROADWAY DURING HIS CAREER.
STEPHEN SONDHEIM • THE 25-YEAR-OLD TOOK THE WEST SIDE STORY JOB AT THE URGING OF HIS MENTOR, OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II.
ARTHUR LAURENTS • THE VERSATILE SCREENWRITER, AUTHOR, AND DIRECTOR ALSO HAD AN UNCANNY ABILITY TO OFFEND.
THE STARS • NATALIE WOOD WON THE ROLE OF MARIA OVER ACTRESSES INCLUDING CLAUDIA CARDINALE AND JILL ST. JOHN, WHILE RICHARD BEYMER BEAT WARREN BEATTY AND BURT REYNOLDS FOR THE PART OF TONY.
NATALIE WOOD • THE YOUNG ACTRESS STOOD UP TO HER BOSSES AT WARNER BROS. BUT WAS INSECURE ABOUT HER TALENTS ON THE SET.
RITA MORENO • AT 9O, THE STAR RECENTLY LOOKED BACK ON THE ORIGINAL MOVIE—AND TOUCHED ON HER ROLE IN THE STEVEN SPIELBERG VERSION.
RICHARD BEYMER • THE STAR FELT MISCAST AS TONY AND UNHAPPY IN HOLLYWOOD. IN THE EARLY ’60S, HE TOOK A BREAK FROM ACTING TO HELP REGISTER BLACK VOTERS.
GEORGE CHAKIRIS • THE ACTOR’S CAREER GOT A JUMP START WHEN HE APPEARED IN A PUBLICITY STILL FOR WHITE CHRISTMAS WITH ROSEMARY CLOONEY.
03 WEST SIDE STORY 2021 • STEVEN SPIELBEG EMBRACED A CHANCE TO RETELL A STORY THAT’S FOR ANY TIME, AND ALL TIME.
PHOTO CREDITS
DESIGN STATEMENT
A TIMELESS TALE
