West Side Story: Why This Timeless Musical Still Has Something to Say 65 Years Later
Sixty-five years after its theatrical debut, Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’ West Side Story remains one of Hollywood’s most celebrated musical achievements. But beneath its sweeping romance, unforgettable choreography, and now-iconic score lies a tragedy whose questions about prejudice, belonging, and the American experience have only grown more relevant over time.
There are few opening sequences in cinematic history quite like the one in West Side Story. Three sharp whistles from composer Leonard Bernstein’s score cut through the silence. Aerial shots of Manhattan gradually give way to the movement of young men navigating their neighborhood, their bodies practically speaking before any character utters a word. Then comes the music, the dancing, and the unmistakable realization that we are watching something special.
Released on October 18, 1961, West Side Story arrived with the difficult task of translating one of Broadway’s most celebrated musicals onto the big screen. Adapted from the 1957 stage production conceived by Robbins with music by Bernstein, lyrics by a then very young Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents, the film reimagined Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet against the backdrop of rival street gangs on Manhattan’s West Side. Sixty-five years later, the result remains a landmark of American filmmaking and one of the most enduring examples of what a movie musical can accomplish.
At its heart, West Side Story is a familiar tragedy. Tony (Richard Beymer, Twin Peaks), a former member of the Jets, falls in love with Maria (Natalie Wood), the younger sister of Bernardo (George Chakiris), the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks. Their romance unfolds against escalating racial tensions between the two groups, whose territorial disputes are fueled by resentment, prejudice, and an overwhelming desire to belong in New York City. The premise does borrow heavily from Shakespeare, but its emotional foundation is distinctly American. It is a story about young people inheriting conflicts they did not create and being forced to navigate a world that has already decided where they belong.
What makes the film memorable is how effectively its directors translate emotion into movement. Robbins, whose background was rooted in choreography and theater, and Robert Wise, an accomplished filmmaker with an exceptional understanding of cinematic storytelling, create a partnership that gives the film its distinctive visual identity. The choreography is not simply an intermission between scenes of dialogue. It is the language through which these characters communicate their frustrations, insecurities, loyalties, and desires.
Consider the opening sequence, the gymnasium dance, or the devastating rumble. Each sequence demonstrates how movement can advance a story just as effectively as dialogue can. The camera follows the characters through their environments, allowing the choreography to feel organic to the world they live in. Even the smallest gestures carry meaning. A glance, a shift in posture, or a character’s decision to step forward can say more than an entire monologue.
Then there is the music. Bernstein’s timeless and classic compositions paired with Sondheim’s lyrics have become inseparable from the cultural identity of the film. "Tonight," "Maria," "America," "Somewhere," and "Cool" are not just memorable musical numbers; they are essential pieces of storytelling. Each song offers a different perspective on the characters and their circumstances. "America," in particular, remains one of the production’s most fascinating numbers, presenting a lively yet contentious conversation about the promises and disappointments of life in the United States. Its exuberant choreography almost disguises the seriousness of the debate happening within the lyrics.
The film’s performances are equally essential to its legacy. Rita Moreno’s (Singin’ in the Rain) Anita is arguably its most compelling character, bringing a combination of charisma, vulnerability, humor, and strength to the screen. She understands the contradictions of her circumstances, navigating her love for Bernardo and her complicated relationship within American society in which she hopes to build a future. Moreno’s performance gives Anita an interiority that makes her eventual heartbreak in the third act all the more devastating. Her Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actress was historic. Making her the first Latina performer to win in that category.
George Chakiris also brings tremendous physicality and conviction to Bernardo, while Russ Tamblyn’s Riff captures the restless energy and bravado of a young man whose identity is inseparable from his gang. Beymer and Wood provide the film’s romantic center, although their performances are not without limitations. Their chemistry occasionally struggles to match the intensity that surrounds them. Nevertheless, there is an undeniable sincerity to their performances of two young people who believe, perhaps naively, that love might offer an escape from their world.
However, celebrating West Side Story at 65 also requires acknowledging the ways in which the film has aged. Its portrayal of Puerto Rican identity is one of its most significant complications. Although the production attempts to examine discrimination and the experiences of Puerto Ricans in New York City, its casting practices undermine some of those intentions. Wood, who played Maria, was famously not Puerto Rican, and many of the performers portraying the Sharks were not of Latin descent. The production also relied heavily on brownface makeup, an especially troubling decision when viewed through a contemporary lens. These issues are not incidental criticisms that can simply be dismissed because the film was made in 1961. They are crucial to understanding its lasting legacy. The film wants audiences to recognize the injustice experienced by the Sharks while simultaneously participating in the Hollywood practices that contributed to said marginalization of Latino and other non-white performers. It is a contradiction worth examining rather than overlooking.
Yet, acknowledging those problems does not require ignoring the film’s artistic accomplishments. In fact, its continued relevance is partly rooted in the conversation it invites. Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation, which made a conscious effort to center Hispanic performers and expand the characters’ cultural identities, demonstrated how the same story could be approached with a different understanding of representation. For example, Ariana DeBose’s Anita is notably Afro-Latina, and dialogue between her and David Alvarez’s Bernardo suggests the underlying colorism that exists within the Latino community. The existence of Spielberg’s adaptation does not diminish the original film; it offers an opportunity to examine how filmmaking and cultural expectations evolve.
Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of West Side Story is that its central conflict remains so recognizable. Its characters are young people desperate for acceptance, security, and a sense of ownership over their lives. They are surrounded by adults and institutions that offer little meaningful protection, while their communities are divided by racial and cultural prejudice. Tony and Maria’s dream of finding somewhere they can simply exist together feels increasingly impossible as the violence surrounding them escalates. The film’s tragedy is not merely that two young people fall in love and cannot be together. It is that their world makes such a love story feel impossible in the first place.
At 65, West Side Story remains a cinematic achievement, even if it is not an uncomplicated one. Its breathtaking choreography, sweeping score, ambitious filmmaking, and devastating final act have secured its place in Hollywood history. Its ten Academy Award wins, including Best Picture and Best Director, further cemented its status as one of the most celebrated movie musicals ever made.
However, its greatest achievement is its ability to leave audiences with something more than admiration for its technical aspects. Beneath the music and movement is a human story about the consequences of hatred and the terrible cost of refusing to understand one another.
West Side Story is available to stream on Tubi in Canada and in the U.S.
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