West Side Story is one of the greatest musicals ever made, and definitely one of the best musicals to ever win Best Picture. Arriving in theaters back in 1961, West Side Story is still infinitely watchable today.
In fact, even though I loved Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake, I immediately rewatched the original right after I saw it. There’s just something electric and exciting about the original West Side Story, which won a staggering 10 Oscars at the 34th Academy Awards.
This might be the number one reason why I think about the film frequently, and often hum its tunes (“Keep cooly, cool, boy.”). So, here are just a few reasons why West Side Story is still such a great movie.
First, I Respect The Representation In This Film
I remember when this Voices section was initially brought up to me. There was a lot of social unrest going on in the country at the time, so our very first article was about movies that explored race and social justice. I’m proud of that article since my colleague Erik Swann and I were brought on to pen that introduction to the section. However, as dour (but relevant) as that article was, my heart was set on the future of Voices. Yes, there would be more “serious” articles to come, but I was hopeful to write about the JOY of representation; the liveliness. What movie is more lively than West Side Story?
True, at its heart, West Side Story is just a then-modernized version of Romeo and Juliet, so of course it ENDS tragically. It’s also a story about the clash between the status quo and diversity. It’s also an EXPLOSION of culture. The Sharks are the Puerto Rican immigrants who feel they deserve to be on these mean streets just as much as the white Jets, and neither wants to give up ground.
Now, granted, I know the casting could have offered MORE representation (Outside of the great Rita Moreno, most of the main actors were non-Latinos). However, the story of Latinos struggling in this country presented an important turning point in American cinema, which it still hits today. Plus, it's just SO expressive.
The Musical Numbers Are Still Enchanting
Nowadays, the big thing on Broadway is musicals based on movies. In fact, one of the most interesting musicals I've ever seen on Broadway was based on King Kong. However, one thing about these movie-turned-musicals that might not be the greatest is that people often have to create brand-new songs to fit these stories.
However, back in the day, a lot of movie musicals originally came from the stage first, which meant that all of the great songs from the likes of Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Andrew Lloyd Webber were already baked into these adaptations. We get some of the greatest musical numbers of all time with West Side Story.
I mean, come on! “America,” “I Feel Pretty,” “Tonight,” there are just too many enchanting numbers in this movie to count, and they all have excellent choreography and expressionism. Honestly, I never grow tired of these numbers, and I likely never will.
I Also Feel The Story Of Being An Immigrant In America Is Extremely Relevant, Especially Today
Lastly, I love how West Side Story is first and foremost an immigrant story. It’s not just an immigrant story from the side of the Sharks, who are just trying to make it in America, but also the story of the white people who feel displaced by the minorities moving into the neighborhood, and this is a story that will never grow old in this country.
I mean, just look at 2023’s Pixar movie, Elemental, which was all about the immigrant experience. America’s entire history is based on immigrants (Even though Puerto Ricans, like Bad Bunny, are already Americans) coming to this country, and the people who might not particularly be happy about it.
In that way, West Side Story is a time capsule, but it’s also timeless, which might be why I still think about it frequently.
