Continuing MUSICALS IN MARCH with *WEST SIDE STORY* (1961)

Continuing MUSICALS IN MARCH with WEST SIDE STORY (1961) | MUSICALS IN MARCH

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Күн бұрын

HELLO EVERYBODY!
Sorry for the late posts. On Wednesday, we will be on schedule!
Today, we are continuing our MUSICALS IN MARCH series with the ever-classic film WEST SIDE STORY (1961)! This extraordinary musical is based off of the popular Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, but with a touch of modern day musicality. I am so excited to watch this with all of you :)
On Wednesday, we are going back to 1935 with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in TOP HAT! Please go and watch it, then come back with all of your movie facts and insights! I can't wait to watch it with all of you :)
As always if you liked the video, please give it a thumbs up :) Also, if you haven't already, please subscribe to my channel and hit that bell notification to stay in the loop!
Please stay safe and healthy out there!
XOXO,
Mia Tiffany
#movieswithmia
#musicalsinmarch
#westsidestoryreaction
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Full Video Rundown
00:00 Intro
00:22 Film Background
01:48 Quick Synopsis
02:15 Historical Background
03:36 Interesting Facts
05:11 Film Reaction
40:14 Final Thoughts
43:00 Outro
Original Source: West Side Story (1961)
Copyright disclaimer under section 107 of the copyright act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

Пікірлер: 396

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Russ Tamblyn (Riff) said that initially he was very unhappy with his dancing in the film, until Fred Astaire came over to him at the premiere and told him that he admired his dancing in it very much.”

@TequilaToothpick Жыл бұрын

Wow. If Fred tells you that you did a good job then that's the highest compliment you can get!

@GeekGirl-ub7ki 3 жыл бұрын

My Dad, who was around in the 1950s (was born in the 1920s) had some interesting observations about gangs of youth in the 1940s-1950s. He said that the portrayal in this movie was pretty accurate. They weren't really into heavy crimes, it was more kids hanging out, taking drugs, maybe some petty crimes and acting tough. The real adult gangs wouldn't bring kids into their bloody world since they valued kids innocence. When the youth gangs had a fight (adults didn't take the violence into neighborhoods either) they had "rumbles" where they would go somewhere that wouldn't affect non-gang members. They were primarily fist-fights and you rarely heard of a serious physical injury or death resulting. It wasn't until the late 1960s that the youth gangs merged with the adult gangs that you heard about kids killing each other and being real criminals. Side note: My mom actually had a friend who was in a Hispanic youth gang in the 1940s and the worst thing she carried on her was razor blades.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! Very interesting! Okay, now I have more of an appreciation of how those gang members were portrayed! Thank you for sharing your story :)

@LittleCubSpirit 3 жыл бұрын

Something most people don't pick up on... in "I Feel Pretty" Maria is wearing an orange and yellow dress. Jets colors!

@luanahazlett9251 Жыл бұрын

I've always enjoyed this movie and I always cry at the end when Maria and Tony are talking, as he lies there dying. Chokes me up every time. 💜

@ricomakeda 2 жыл бұрын

Rita and George’s chemistry is just 🥰

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Richard Beymer later revealed that he and Natalie Wood did not have a close rapport off camera, describing her treatment of him at the time of filming as aloof at best. Beymer believed part of the problem was a screen test from a previous film that went south. However, Beymer says that a few years later he and Wood crossed paths at a night club, she said hello to him and chatted with him for a few minutes, and he was left surprised at how sweet and kind she was to him.”

@kallen868 3 жыл бұрын

She wanted Warren Beatty....and his look and demeanor made more sense.

@Muirmaiden 2 жыл бұрын

@@kallen868 She did not want Warren Beatty to play Tony. That's a myth. She and Beatty didn't get along when they worked together. They didn't start seeing each other until after she and Robert Wagner had separated. Tony Mordente played one of the Jets and helped Natalie with the choreography. He confirmed that Beatty was never around, either on the set or in the evenings when he and Natalie were working together. Whatever caused her to not get along with Richard Beymer, it wasn't that.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Rita Moreno stated that her line reading of "Don't you touch me!" after the Jets attack Anita was her imitating Marlon Brando, her then-boyfriend. Brando noticed this at the film's premiere.”

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“The stage lyrics for the song "Gee, Officer Krupke" are "My father is a bastard, my ma's an s.o.b. My grandpa's always plastered..." The lyrics had to be changed for the movie to: "My daddy beats my mommy, my mommy clobbers me, my grandpa is a commie..." Also, the stage lyric was, "Dear kindly social worker, they say go earn a buck, like be a soda jerker, which means like be a schmuck." For the film, the lines were changed to "Dear kindly social worker, they say go get a job, like be a soda jerker, which means I'd be a slob."

@Elanchana 3 жыл бұрын

One of my favorite things about West Side Story is that it "fixes" one of the major plot points in Romeo and Juliet. When Juliet fakes her own death, the only reason Romeo thinks she's actually dead is because Friar Lawrence's messenger didn't get to him in time. The whole situation is based on accidents and poor timing. But Tony and Maria's story is different. Anita could have given Tony information to help him escape with Maria, but being sexually assaulted by the Jets makes her change her mind and lie instead. It's not bad luck that causes Tony to beg for death - it's the gang rivalry and racism that has been present the whole time. It makes the ending hit *much* harder when it's caused directly by the central conflict of the plot. Oh, and the movie version of America is WAAAAAAAAAAY better than the stage version.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, totally agree with you! I liked that part of this version better! It is fitting for the story!

@tatianamelendez490 Жыл бұрын

Oh absolutely! It makes way more sense for "America" to be a battle of the sexes instead of a group of girls ganging up on one homesick girl. The men know the streets and its evils because they walk it everyday, whereas the women, by virtue of staying home are more blind to the realities of their situation and therefore ignorantly live in the American Dream. It makes the impact of Anita's sexual assault more brutal when we've had the suspense building since "America" thanks to Bernardo's warnings. Notice that until she goes to see Tony at the store, we never see Anita on the streets, nor Maria for that matter until the end. They were both blind to the harsh reality of their situation until it was too late.

@Elanchana Жыл бұрын

@@tatianamelendez490 Oh wow, I didn't even think of that! I thought the men vs. women debate was just because the men were more pessimistic, but it makes total sense to consider that women's roles at the time were mostly sheltered at home where they didn't have to deal with nearly as much racism.

@babsb9889 3 жыл бұрын

I've seen West Side Story on stage and it is electrifying. The scene where they meet at the dance--incredible. And that scene with Anita--on stage it is very very clear that she is raped which is why she tells them to tell Tony that Maria is dead. It's such a powerful scene because beforehand she is willing to help Maria and Tony and then all that hope Anita has for them turns to hate.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! That is so amazing! I’ll bet it was so exhilarating!! I really want to watch it live! Thank you for sharing :)

@billybay7248 2 жыл бұрын

I'm confused, in both the original and the new film it just looks like attempted rape.

@ACinemafanatic Жыл бұрын

@@billybay7248 yeah it was attempted still doesn’t make it right

@billybay7248 Жыл бұрын

@@ACinemafanatic did I say it was right? All I'm saying is I'm confused

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Throughout the movie, Natalie Wood wears a bracelet on her left wrist, not for any aesthetic reason, but because she had injured her wrist in the scene of The Green Promise (1949) when she fell on the bridge that collapsed during the severe rainstorm, causing an unsightly bone protrusion on her wrist. She wore the bracelet to hide the injury. It became her trademark in all of her movies.”

@henrygonzalez8793 2 жыл бұрын

So it WAS for an aesthetic reason... btw - your comments on this film were very interesting.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Natalie Wood kept in her dressing room a list of people who had gotten on her bad side. For reasons unknown, and unbeknownst to him, Richard Beymer made the list. He didn't find out until years later, when Russ Tamblyn told him, while they were working on Twin Peaks (1990).”

@chris...9497 2 жыл бұрын

I can believe this. Do you suppose it was from being a child star? Also, once she started moving from child star to teen star, she was in a hurry to play more grownup roles and be an adult star. I think they tried to keep her in 'Annette Funicello' type roles, but she went into "Rebel Without A Cause". She did "Splendor In The Grass" and "West Side Story" at age 20, "Gypsy" at 21, "Love With the Proper Stranger" at 22, and "Sex and the Single Girl" at 23. She pretty much stayed with sex-influenced films after that. A lot of child performers turn to sexuality as their 'proof' of 'maturity'. (See Britney Spears, Mylie Cyrus)

@jeffshirton7234 3 жыл бұрын

I recommended this movie to my personal trainer at my gym, and the part he loved the most was Russ Tamblyn's "muscle-up" during the "When You're a Jet" number.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Ahh! Me too! Russ Tamblyn is so talented!!

@henrygonzalez8793 2 жыл бұрын

It my understanding that Russ Tamblyn started out as an acrobat not as a dancer. Apparently his talent was such that, thru intensive coaching, he was able to develop some fantastic dancing ability as can be seen in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers & West Side Story. Btw - there are some great interviews with a number of the films’ cast members, including Tamblyn, Moreno & Chakiris on KZfaq.

@Heaven_is_a_frequency6263 3 жыл бұрын

I think most comedic portrayals of psychologists are modeled after Sigmund Freud, who is probably the biggest figure in psychology at 25:58.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Ahh! Yeah that makes sense! Thank you for sharing your insight :)

@davidpeters44 2 жыл бұрын

Of course, he was actually a neurologist.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

"West Side Story" played for almost two years on stage in New York, racking up a total of 732 performances.”

@martiw6847 3 жыл бұрын

George and Rita did have chemistry They are besties till this day

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

That is so cute! They had SUCH good chemistry!!!

@LB-gz3ke 2 жыл бұрын

Rita Moreno IS this movie for me. She steals the show.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Contrary to popular belief, the prologue of West Side Story was not filmed where Lincoln Center is now (which is between West 62nd and 66th streets). Rather, it was filmed in what is now an area called Lincoln Center Towers--a group of large residential towers--which is north and west of Lincoln Center, stretching between 66th and 69th Streets (filmed on West 68th Street to be more specific). The street itself, West 68th between West End Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue, no longer exists). This area was condemned and the neighborhood was in the process of being razed to make way for Lincoln Center Towers. The demolition of these buildings was delayed so that the filming of these sequences could be completed.”

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Although the producers tried to keep the different gangs separate during filming to create tension, Russ Tamblyn (Riff) said that he knew of at least one "Jet" who was roommates with a "Shark" through filming.”

@TequilaToothpick Жыл бұрын

The guy who played the Jet Action married someone who played a Shark on stage.

@SRSMYTH1 3 жыл бұрын

Balletic dance fighting. So surreal, but it’s so good you totally buy in to it.

@i8rmnky 3 жыл бұрын

I caught a live showing of West Side Story about 40 years ago, and it was instantly my favorite musical ever. The choreography creates a powerful impression live that I never got from the film.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Russ Tamblyn had originally tried out for the role of Tony. It was down to just him and Richard Beymer, and Beymer ended up getting it. But then the casting directors called him back and asked him to read for Riff, and he got the part.”

@jamesmoyner7499 3 жыл бұрын

This is one of those movie musicals everyone should see and I didn’t know how it would end when I watched it for the first time on TCM in 2016 and it got me crying!

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah! I absolutely agree with you! I was teary-eyed while editing the last scene! It was such a sad moment for Maria and I felt her pain! Natalie Wood was a fantastic actor :)

@Jeff_Lichtman 3 жыл бұрын

I once went to a sing-along screening of West Side Story. Hardly anyone in the audience sang, though, because the songs are too difficult. Take America, for instance - the time signature shifts back and forth between 6/8 and 3/4, and the lyrics are fast and intricate. Something's Coming has a wide range and some unusual intervals. Probably the only easy song in the movie is I Feel Pretty. I have to give credit to the actors for making these songs flow so naturally. As for why they cast Natalie Wood as Maria, well, it's Hollywood. They did things like this all the time. They cast Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady instead of using Julie Andrews, who had originated the role on Broadway. And in both cases they used Marni Nixon to sing instead of the actresses they hired. I think Rita Moreno was well-cast as Anita, because she had a maturity that was right for the character. The makeup for the Puerto Rican characters has always bothered me. It doesn't look natural. It looks like people covered with brown paint. I think they could have done a better job, especially when you consider all the money that was spent on this movie. Thanks! I'm looking forward to Top Hat.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I agree with you about making the actors look darker. My grandfather was Puerto Rican and happened to be on the lighter side, so when I saw this for the first time, I was like "why are they all so dark? Not every Puerto Rican looks like that." I kinda wish they allowed the actors to have a more natural sun-kissed tan. I am not sure if they had the time for that, but it would have been more believable :)

@missmartylynn 2 жыл бұрын

It still bothers Rita Moreno to this day. Refer to her new documentary bio on Netflix now.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Because Natalie Wood couldn't snap her fingers, the sound of finger snaps had to be dubbed.”

@lisathuban8969 3 жыл бұрын

"Why didn't she cast Rita Moreno as Maria"? Well, two reasons, one reasonable, one not . Natalie Wood was a legit star by then, and so got the lead and would even possibly get the lead today because she was a bigger name and much more prominent actress at the time. Also, sadly, I'm sure bigotry had a hand in it as well. Also, I just realized John Astin (Sean Astin's stepdad, and the first Gomez in the Addams Family on TV) as the guy who's helping out with the gym dance. Why do actors have a German accent when imitating a Psychologist? I'm guessing because of Sigmund Freud. Looking forward to seeing Top Hat! Fred Astaire is simply amazing. Great job as usual with your review. Very in-depth and insightful.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the insight, Lisa :) I am SOO excited to watch Top Hat!!

@kathyastrom1315 3 жыл бұрын

John Astin was one of Sean Astin’s dads (a convoluted story in itself), but he was the one who raised him. He’s even the reason that Sean was desperate to get cast in LotR, after hearing from John how much fun it was to work with Peter Jackson when he got back from The Frighteners shoot.

@Divamarja_CA 2 жыл бұрын

Also, age was a consideration. Rita Moreno was 6 years older than Natalie Wood, who was still playing teenagers at this time. Rita was almost 30, and looked more grown up (it was a similar explanation for not casting Carol Lawrence, the OG Maria from Broadway). There seemed to be little interest in giving the Broadway role originators the movie roles. Exceptions have been made, of course, but the norm is to cast more established box office stars.

@willlyon7129 3 жыл бұрын

Stephen Sondheim is one of my favorite composers, he created Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Me too! He is truly an artist :)

@maestromuffin1 Жыл бұрын

you gotta love Sondheim, but he wrote the lyrics here.....the composer was Leonard Bernstein - who was truly a genius. It's a pity He didn't write more, but he spent much of his life as an amazing conductor!

@moviebliss3893 3 жыл бұрын

I always liked this movie growing up. I played the music in band/orchestra and fell in love with the music. I am not a huge fan of the two leads voices, but that was more based on the era it was made in. I'm really excited for the new movie from Spielberg. It will be a full live action theater release. It's going to be a good year for musicals with In the Heights coming in the summer too. There is another groundbreaking movie about social issues of the time that you should watch if you haven't. It is called Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Amazing writing and acting.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Yes! I am so excited for In the Heights!! I LOVE Lin Manuel Miranda! I can’t wait to see it! Also, thank you for the recommendations! I will add it to the list :)

@JoseChavez-rf4ul 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Mia! Your viewers are absolutely killin’ it here in the comments section so I’m just here to show my support. Although I will add that I’m super excited for you to see Top Hat. You’re gonna fall in love with Astaire and Rogers’ chemistry because watching them dance together is nothing less than sheer poetry. Btw, hair was fabuloso this week!

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Jose! Your comments are greatly appreciated, as always! I am also super excited to watch Top Hat! And thank you for the hair comment 😊 I realized I hadn’t had it down in a video in a while, so I decided to let it loose for this one 😊

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Riff and Tony repeat an oath of loyalty to each other: Riff says "womb to tomb" and Tony answers "birth to earth." On stage Tony's original answer was "sperm to worm," but this was changed for the movie because it was beyond the censorship standards of the time.”

@oliverbrownlow5615 2 жыл бұрын

On stage, this exchange is repeated during the "Tonight" quintet that leads up to the rumble, but perhaps because they hadn't thought of that replacement line by the time they did the pre-recording for the quintet, in the film it is replaced by a simple count of "1-2-3," and an answering identical reply, which sounds like it was intended as a "dummy" place-holder for the revised lyric to be added later. It's embarassing that they never fixed this.

@thomast8539 3 жыл бұрын

Mia, I have to wonder if you are already familiar with Fiddler On The Roof. If not, please review the 1971 film version with Topol. It is simply fantastic.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

I haven't seen Fiddler on the Roof and I will definitely check out Topol! Thank you for recommending :)

@GrouchyMarx 3 жыл бұрын

Not a big fan of musicals, but there are a few exceptions. And this is definitely one! It's amazing that Robert Wise would go from directing THE most iconic science fiction movie in history with 1951s "The Day the Earth Stood Still", to an exceptional drama about business executive power struggles in "Executive Suite" (1954), to the awesome WWII movie "Run Silent, Run Deep" (1958), to co-directing one of (if not THE) most successful movie musicals of all time, West Side in 1961. And lots of others in between. Talk about versatility! And I really like your review of West Side. I will watch your Top Hat vid Mia, because Fred Astaire's character mentions a distant cousin of mine when observing his friend's black-eye, just after the big dance scene. And I like it too, even though it's a musical. LOL!

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Grouchy Marx! Thank you for your insight! And that is so cool! I really hope you like the Top Hat vid :)

@philipsheppard4815 2 жыл бұрын

I love that they make a big deal on the fire escape not to wake her father than 2 minutes later are singing Tonight at the top of their voices with a full orchestral backing, that's going to wake up the whole neighbourhood!

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Hahaha! I never thought of that 😂

@glennalpaugh2820 3 жыл бұрын

Great job with "West Side Story." I also recommend "The Music Man," "South Pacific," and "Oklahoma." I'm a Navy veteran and spent some time in the South Pacific, which is why the musical is near and dear to me, as is the wonderful movie "Mister Roberts." I highly recommend it if you have something like an America at war month (Memorial Day is coming up in May) . I can also recommend the following B/W war films "Fort Apache,". "Sargent York," "To Hell And Back," "In Harm's Way," "The Longest Day," and "The Best Years Of Our Lives'" which is a personal favorite about veterans returning home after WWII.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Glenn, as always for your recommendations :) I am planning a war movie month, so I will DEFINITELY add your recommendations to the list :) thank you so much for recommending :)

@glennalpaugh2820 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia Thanks Mia -- Your really doing a wonderful job! Love your visceral responses and insightful analysis of each movie. I always look forward to your posts.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

@@glennalpaugh2820 thank you 😊 I am so glad that you enjoy the videos 😊

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

mplo, omg! I am from Tucson, AZ! what part of Tucson was your summer camp in?

@Cavie1974 2 жыл бұрын

I have played in pit orchestras a bunch since the late 1960's. West Side Story is by far the most engaging, challenging, and memorable musical score I've ever encountered. Thank you Leonard Bernstein for your stellar contribution to American musical theater.

@paintedjaguar 3 жыл бұрын

"Top Hat" is peak Art Deco, so I hope you like that art style. I'm a big fan of Astaire & Rogers myself (dancing was my main passion in life for a long time). Astaire insisted on long takes and full-body framing to show off dancers and choreography. Nothing more frustrating than watching a filmed dance sequence full of close-ups and quick cuts. I also love Astaire's particular style, which made everything look fluid and effortless. Gene Kelley, his chief rival, was a great dancer too, but you could always see how hard Kelley was working. And of course in both dialogue and dance, Ginger's sass made a great counterpoint to Fred's smoothness.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah, I couldn't agree with you more! Top Hat was such a gem! I absolutely LOVED it!!!

@robertwiegman1 Жыл бұрын

Classic. The direction and cinematography are both also surprisingly innovative.

@cimarronwm9329 3 жыл бұрын

I have always loved the scene singing "America" great music and lyrics that make you think. The whole show has some great music. I have seen it on the stage and it is thrilling.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh I so envy you! I would love to see this live!

@cimarronwm9329 3 жыл бұрын

I know you would love it. When theaters open and plays are possible, I highly recommend Come From Away. It has twelve people, twelve chairs, two tables and some props and the staging is amazing, seriously. It is about 38 planes that were landed in Newfoundland when U.S. airspace was closed on Sept 11th 2001, and the community that welcomed the stranded passengers without luggage (it had to be left in the planes, nearly doubling the local population. It is marvelous, heart aching, heart warming, sad, funny and uplifting. Based on a very real situation and people. I've seen it once, but can listen to the soundtrack on a loop.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

@@cimarronwm9329 oh I am definitely gonna have to check it out!

@cimarronwm9329 3 жыл бұрын

Do. It is a true marvel. All the actors play multiple roles, with Newfoundland accents and as the people who come from away. I had tickets to see it again with friends who hadn't seen it, but lockdown ruined that plan. When it is available to go, I will go again.

@franciscogarza9633 2 жыл бұрын

buoyed by Robert wises dazzling direction Leonard Bernsteins lyrics west side story remains perhaps the most iconic of all the Shakespeare adaptations to visit the big screen, WEST SIDE STORY (1961) 92/100% Certified Approved ☑️ Maria the most beautiful sound I ever heard.

@davidclarke7122 Жыл бұрын

I didn't see the Broadway / West End production, but back in the 90's I took part in a School Production of this musical, not acting, but as lighting designer. I still think it was the best production the school ever did, possibly because I insisted we use a proper theatre and not the school hall. I have always loved this musical and it was a privilege to do the lighting.

@luvlgs1 3 жыл бұрын

the music man (1962). great songs, nice story, very funny. a great movie musical.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for recommending! I will definitely check it out :)

@kirstyfairly4371 3 жыл бұрын

You asked if anyone has seen West Side Story live, well I was lucky enough to see it live on stage in the early 2000s when I was 14 during a school trip arranged by my music teacher as we were studying the music from the show at the time. It was my first time seeing a professional stage production of a musical & i was blown away by it, especially the scene at the dance in the beginning, it also happens to be my dad's favourite musical.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! How lucky!! That must have been so exhilarating!! Thank you for sharing :)

@kirstyfairly4371 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia -No problem, thank you for your reply & you're right I was lucky. It really was an exhilarating experience, I'd highly recommend seeing West Side Story on stage if you ever get the chance.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh BELIEVE ME!!! I DEFINITELY will If I ever get the chance 😆

@kirstyfairly4371 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia -Hope you enjoy it 🙂👍, I'd also highly recommend seeing Phantom Of The Opera & Sweeney Todd as well if you like musical theatre, they're both incredible shows.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Ooh! I was ALMOST going to see Phantom of the Opera on stage, but I had a scheduling conflict! I was soo sad!! That is another show that would be soo wonderful to see in person!! I have seen Wicked live, that was otherworldly!! I also got to see Othello in-the-round!! The actor who played Othello actually looked at me as he was speaking his lines!!! It was the coolest experience I’d ever experienced!!

@kathyastrom1315 3 жыл бұрын

I love this movie! I grew up watching it on tv in the days before VCRs and cable, so it was always chopped for network broadcast with the Pan-and-scan monstrosity and tons of commercials, but its beauty shone through. In high school, I was in my school production of Romeo and Juliet (crowd scene extra and then the Apothecary). Around that time, my mom, sister, and I went to a local production of West Side Story that was in the Chicago suburbs. It might have been non-Equity, but it was top-notch! It was done in-the-round, so their staging choices were fascinating. I especially loved how they did the Tonight Quintet, with each group scattered around the set and into the audience.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

OH WOW! I would love to see West Side Story in-the-round! I got to see Othello front row in-the-round and it was like I was in the action! That would be soo amazing to see!

@catherinelw9365 3 жыл бұрын

Great reaction! I share your admiration for dancers - I love the ballet. What production of Romeo and Juliet have you seen? My favorite is Franco Zeffirelli’s version - always brings me to tears! There was such an intense, natural chemistry between Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. Looking forward to the next one: Top Hat! You’re the best, Mia!!! ❤️👏🏻👍🏻

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Catherine! I absolutely love your comments! I have seen most of the movie versions of Romeo and Juliet (my favorite has to be the 1996 version, just because of the modern setting that they set it in and the actors that they chose) I absolutely agree with you about Zefirelli's version, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are amazing together! I love the guy who plays Mercutio, I just remember him being such an amazingly energetic actor! I have yet to see a live version of R&J, but I would LOVE to see it someday!!

@robertn800 3 жыл бұрын

And You get to see Romeo’s butt 🍑 in Zeffirelli’s Film 🥰

@toodlescae 3 жыл бұрын

I love musicals. Natalie Wood was a favorite of mine from Miracle on 34th Street when she was a child. The Romeo and Juliet vibe makes me miss taking my kids to Shakespeare In The Park.

@agenttheater5 3 жыл бұрын

In the same year as this movie she did 'Splendour in the Grass', was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actress for that one which is why she couldn't be nominated here (I'm sure she had a singing double because her voice wasn't quite right for the role but she still did a fantastic acting performance) because apparently the same actor or actress can't be nominated for the same award twice in one year. Sophia Loren won instead, but that was still a big deal because she was the first actress to win it who wasn't born in America.

@toodlescae 3 жыл бұрын

@@agenttheater5 I remember Splendor In The Grass. Warren Beatty was her co-star.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Wow! Interesting! I had no idea that Wood was in Splendor in the Grass! Also, didn't know that she was already nominated for an Oscar that year! I feel like I need to watch Splendor in the Grass. Thank you for sharing :)

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

OH! I would love to go to Shakespeare in the park :) And she was soooo adorable in Miracle on 34th street! Before watching that movie, I had no idea that she was a child actor :)

@toodlescae 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia She was in a lot of movies starting in the early 40's.

@kattahj 2 жыл бұрын

There are some complaints to be made about this movie, with the casting and so on, but the music is incredible, complex in structure and yet pleasant to listen to. It's been a long while since I watched the movie, but I saw the play a few years ago (somewhat updated) and I cried so much!

@kattahj 2 жыл бұрын

Welp, I cried just watching this reaction!

@baguettegott3409 2 жыл бұрын

I agree completely about the chemistry - a mistake they somehow even repeated in the remake. The "love at first thing" stuff if hard to buy anyway, because they don't get a lot of time to get to know each other and do things together to create a bond. It just has to be there right away, and if the chemistry between the actors is lacking, it just falls flat. The only reason we as the audience care about their love story is because it's conveyed though such beautiful music :)

@thefirstbourne149 2 жыл бұрын

Well, if you’re talking about Romeo and Juliet, I don’t think the point is that the romance was good, but more that it wasn’t. It was so doomed to fail and it is made blatantly obvious because they did rush it so much. They gained so much passion simply because their groups were so divided. If anything I think that’s why the remake suffers on the romance front, because it tries to make the romance somewhat realistic like they are trying to get to know each other but can only do so much, but then it quickly rushes in to them having the original innocent type of thing which doesn’t quite transition well, and this is coming from someone who LOVED the new movie.

@alexinburtonland Жыл бұрын

I think the reason for me this is the best Romeo and Juliet adaption on screen is ironically by not quoting the Shakespearean text. Now that sounds insane he’s one of the greatest writers of all time. But remember back in Elizabethan theatre, they didn’t have any sets, lighting, effects (the most they had was the costumes) so the only way to bring the story to life is the writing so it makes sense for literature and theatre (as theatre can be minimalistic). A lot of Shakespeare productions I’ve seen on stage was very minimal in how it looked to let the writing describe the story and characters. Film however is entirely different as it really is show don’t tell. Best example is the scene tony and Maria seeing each other for the first time. The blur, the closer they get everything dissolves to black and the dance becomes more gentle and tender. You immediately get the sense of star crossed lovers as it was perfectly shown through the visuals. Such a classic

@Rickhorse1 3 жыл бұрын

Re: seeing it live. It was on Broadway for years before the film, of course. My parents loved it so much, they went to see it there 4 times...and took me to see the film when I was 8 years old. (Btw, they loved both versions, but preferred the Broadway version... even had the audio album recording. If my old memory is right, Carol Lawrence was Maria.)

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Wow that is awesome! Thank you for sharing that!

@kallen868 3 жыл бұрын

I've met Carol Lawrence at her book signing. She wrote " I have no doubt you were a good Tony

@priscillamcrmy 5 ай бұрын

what a great reaction! might be my favorite

@garylee3685 3 жыл бұрын

Back when trump was disrespecting Puerto Rico, Bill Murray did "America" on Colbert's show. Sigmund Freud, the father of Psychiatry, was Austrian, hence the German accent.

@victorsixtythree 3 жыл бұрын

In case no one has mentioned it, Natalie Wood's singing was done by Marni Nixon (uncredited) - Nixon was also the singing voice for Deborah Kerr in 'The King and I' and for Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady' (both also uncredited). In 'The Sound of Music' Marni Nixon played one of the nuns at the convent (so, at least audiences got to see her face on screen. LOL.)

@oliverbrownlow5615 2 жыл бұрын

Marni played Sister Sophia in *The Sound of Music.*

@jamesmoyner7499 3 жыл бұрын

One film that came out the same year as West Side Story which is overlooked is the second to last Rogers and Hammerstein film Flower Drum Song and was the first film to have an all Asian cast.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Ohh! I gotta check that out!! Thank you for recommending :)

@jamesmoyner7499 3 жыл бұрын

@Maya Nightwolf I first saw it on an old Disney Channel vhs recording I bought used. Then last year it was on TCM when they were celebrating Asian Americans in Cinema here is a link to the intro I posted on my secondary youtube channel: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mL9xaNyiyJ_eemQ.html

@BlueShadow777 2 жыл бұрын

I played ‘Riff’ in West Side Story at the Royal Lyceum Theatre here in Edinburgh, Scotland UK, in 1987.

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! That is awesome!! What was that experience like?

@BlueShadow777 2 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia Can’t remember… it was so long ago! 😀 I was actually older than the part called for (I was 28 in 1987) but they seemed to think I fitted the part all round. I got good reviews. It was great. The big problem I had was that I was a great admirer of the movie… so much so that the movie dialogue/script was stuck in my head prior to my being cast in the stage version. It was very difficult to adapt to the original script dialogue… but I had to do it. The dancing choreography was wonderful… very similar to the film. I was originally a stage dancer, then picked up and into acting snd singing. Now I am also a jazz singer.

@BlueShadow777 2 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia I’m now 62. I first got into the old movies (both pre and post Hayes Code) when I was in my late ‘teens/early twenties. So, as an ‘old films’ buff myself I’m extremely glad I found you and your excellent analyses! I had been thinking of starting my own channel (like yours) critiquing old movies. However, now I’ve found yours I’d have to work had to work out my own approach as different to yours. Having seen some of your critiques/analyses and therefore gleaning an insight to your movie likes, I’d highly recommend the following to you: * THE QUIET MAN (1952) John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Victor McGlaglen, Barry Fitzgerald * THE BAND WAGON (1953) Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray * THE SEARCHERS (1956) John Wayne * FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950) Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor * TUNES OF GLORY (1960) Alec Guinness, John Mills * ADAM’S RIB (1949) Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Judy Holliday * GREAT EXPECTATIONS (1946) John Mills, Finlay Currie * THE LADYKILLERS (1955) Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Cecil Parker * DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson * A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH (1946) David Niven, Kim Hunter * ACE IN THE HOLE (1950) Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling * SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957) Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis * RANDOM HARVEST (1942) Ronald Colman, Greer Garson * Brighton Rock (1947) Richard Attenborough * WHITE HEAT (1948) James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Steve Cochrane

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! That is amazing!! The rehearsals leading up to the performance must have been something!! Oh I envy you! That would be such a fun production to be a part of!

@BlueShadow777 2 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia Yeah, I wish I could go back!!! Compared to then, I’m now 62, overweight 😩 and haven’t done anything acting, singing or dancing for a number of years now.

@missmartylynn 2 жыл бұрын

I checked into your playlist and didn't note that you watched the 1968 version of Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. It's a total must see. Talk about chemistry!

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Oh yes!! I am saving that one for a special occasion!!

@missmartylynn 2 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia It's so beautiful. You'll love it. Great job on the commentary, btw. We watch a couple of other reactors, but yours is by far the most thoughtful and shows your real interest in film. So many other won't go back further than when they were born. There's so much greatness to see! Happy holidays! Hope you see movies like White Christmas, The Bishop's Wife, and It's a Wonderful Life. 🌲🌲🌲

@alexandraasmuth1168 3 жыл бұрын

Also, I love your videos! You always make such good points, your videos are the perfect mix of entertaining and insightful

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, I really appreciate that :) I am glad you enjoy the videos :) Thank you for watching :)

@GrouchyMarx 3 жыл бұрын

@ 26:00. I may have answer for that Mia. The Austrian and developer of modern psychology, Dr. Sigmund Freud. When psychology is being mocked or played with, it's often with a German accent to imitate Dr. Freud.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Ahh! Interesting, I have always wondered why they had German accents when imitating a psychologist! Thank you for sharing that :)

@jonathanbowling2904 3 жыл бұрын

Not sure if others have commented this but here it goes: George and Rita actually were dating in real life at this time ( or around this time) so their chemistry on the screen comes across as believable because they dated for real. Natalie Wood (Maria) was a big star at this time and it's why she was the lead. She actually wanted her real life husband Richard Wagner to be Tony but he was too old so the studio hired Richard Beymer instead. She didn't want him to be Tony so you can see how weak their chemistry is. It's why it's so stilted.

@keithbrown8490 3 жыл бұрын

As young as Rita Moreno and George Chakiris look in this movie check out their IMDb pages they have movies that go back to 1948. You mentioned Singin' in the Rain, Rita has a part in that movie .

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

OH! I will definitely check out their IMDb pages, thank you for recommending that and I CANNOT WAIT TO WATCH SINGIN IN THE RAIN!!!!!!

@kawaii89123 2 жыл бұрын

George chakiris was 12 years old when he did that movie as a chorus boy in 1947. He was a kid. And he was in his 20s in west side story. Which makes him young at the time.

@torontomame 2 жыл бұрын

George Chakiris was also one of the male dancers wooing Marilyn Monroe in the famous "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" number in Gentleman Prefer Blondes.

@RMBittner 3 жыл бұрын

For more Russ Tamblyn - and a truly wonderful musical - I’d recommend “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” BTW, Tamblyn is the father of Amber Tamblyn, who starred in the TV show “Joan of Arcadia” as well as “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” She even had a small role in “The Ring.”

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

OMG! I never knew Russ was Amber’s father! I grew up on Sisterhood of the Traveling pants!!! Wow! That is sooo cool!! Also, thank you for your recommendation! I will definitely check it out!

@kathyastrom1315 3 жыл бұрын

Both Russ Tamblyn and Richard Beymer had big roles in the 1980s tv series Twin Peaks, which was a big talking point for us musical movie fans.

@paintedjaguar 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah. “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” is very good. The athleticism and group energy of the choreography does remind one of "West Side Story", although Howard Keel, the male lead, was a singer and not a dancer - but a really powerful singer.

@williamsmith-kd4bd 3 жыл бұрын

Rita Moreno is a national treasure, but big budget movies needed star power. If you don't know, Natalie Wood was the most beautiful, biggest name and most bankable actress of her day! She alone guaranteed the film would make money. She is easy to pick on, but she did her best when this wasn't her forte. RIP Natalie

@robertn800 3 жыл бұрын

“She did her best.” 😂

@12classics39 Жыл бұрын

There is no movie musical soundtrack that tops this one. The wide range of moods, tones, and emotions captured in the variety of songs takes you on a roller-coaster journey as the story unfolds. Absolute masterpiece.

@Mai-po1me 2 жыл бұрын

Just my observation, but I find it interesting that at the end of the movie Maria is not wearing a bridal veil but a mourning veil…

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Ooh I hadn’t noticed that before! Also, love your profile pic!! I am a HUGE fan of the True Beauty Webtoon!!

@ACinemafanatic 2 жыл бұрын

I’ll be honest that scene with the jets and Anita made the jets irredeemable to me that was just so cruel and evil for them to try and dehumanize and degrade her in the worst possible way

@jimmyaye4204 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent reaction and analysis of the film, Mia. Very knowledgeable and you express your thoughts well. Looking forward to more of your videos.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Well thank you very much :) I am glad that you enjoyed it :) Thank you for watching :)

@fringelilyfringelily391 2 жыл бұрын

On Broadway it was considered only a middling success, but the movie was a smash.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Was the first film to win a Best Director Oscar for two directors (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins). This would not happen again until 46 years later, when Joel Coen and Ethan Coen shared the award for No Country for Old Men (2007).”

@thomast8539 3 жыл бұрын

At 13:22, that is John Astin, better known as Gomez Addams, from the Addams Family (60's TV show). He is still alive, as is Rita Moreno and George Chakiris.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Very cool! Thank you for your insight!

@sirjoshyyy_2024 2 жыл бұрын

the Stephen Spielberg remake is coming out in theaters ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Ooh how exciting!!! That is an awesome birthday gift! I can’t wait to watch it!!

@kruuyai 3 жыл бұрын

Can't believe I got so far behind that you managed to post not just one but two reviews! I was at my theatrical improv class on Tuesday, and we were doing a very abstract, organically developing non-verbal group scene, and at one point, I really felt that I was in a scene from West Side Story... either the beginning fight scene or the scene where they're getting ready to rumble. And then I remembered that you were going to be reviewing this. Really appreciate your insights re Romeo and Juliette. I had no idea this script followed that story so closely. I have to agree with you about the lack of chemistry between the two leads, however. I think that may be why this was never one of my favorites even though there are so many really cool things about the movie. I also felt the chemistry between Anita and Bernardo much more strongly. When I was little, I remember sitting on the living room floor in front of the record player and listening to my parents' record of Trini Lopez singing Everything's Free in America, so I can almost sing that one by heart. And yes, still relevant today, perhaps even more so, sadly. Thanks for another great review! Now... on to the next one, because I'm giving myself a one-week break from youtube starting tomorrow. So, I'll have two or three reviews to look forward to when I come back. Yay!

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Okay, first off... I absolutely LOVE that you are taking an improv class! I need to be doing that too because I am really bad with improv and that is the most important tool in every actor’s toolbox!! So that is sooooo cool!!! Second, thank you for acknowledging the chemistry between Anita and Bernardo because OMG it was amazing!! Finally, Thank you for watching the videos! I am so happy that you have something to look forward to after your break from KZfaq :)

@kruuyai 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia aha! Do you do acting too? That would explain your enthusiasm for film. Yep, I love improv. Got into it kind of late, but have been doing it intensely for about four years now. When the pandemic hit, it mostly went online, but we did it outside in the park during the summer, and now we just started indoors classes again but at a much lower capacity and fully masked, of course. When we enter the building, we have to step on a mat soaked in disinfectant, then they squirt disinfectant gel on your hands and scan you for temperature, but other than that and keeping a distance between each other as best we can, it's improv as usual. I've also been doing improv online almost every day since lockdown began (which for us here in Barcelona was exactly a year ago today). It's been a lifesaver for me. I would have been completely isolated otherwise during the worst of the lockdown last winter, and now I can't imagine living without it. It's so great to just take a quick break from work to play with friends for an hour or to attend online classes with people from literally all over the world. If you think you might like to give it a try, I can recommend some free jams so you can get your feet wet. Or you can just search zoom improv jams on Facebook.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh wow! That is awesome that you were able to do that during all the craziness over the last year :) that is amazing :) also that is so cool that you are in Barcelona! I got a chance to visit there in 2016, and it was beautiful!! And yes I would love your improv class recommendations! Thank you so much :)

@user-xr5kp6qz8g Жыл бұрын

I think that maybe Rita didn't fit the Ingenue, innocent wholesome naive girl and more to the sassy confident and funny friend that is usually the supporting character. She had more of that type of confidence and sass to her than the innocent and childishness of Maria

@felixjaitman4715 Жыл бұрын

Romeo and Juliet were 15, if not younger, but the original play was roman and called as Ipirarmus et Prisbet, with the same storytelling, Shakespeare was famous for rewrite older plays and made them better obviously!

@williamcurry4868 3 жыл бұрын

I found your channel just now, and after binging your videos up to this one, am subscribed. Great to see someone actually looking at films that I grew up watching in the theater or on TV, something that I don’t see many people looking at these days, so I can’t wait to see where you go on from here on out.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Hi William :) Welcome to the community! I love that you enjoyed the videos :) Thank you so much for watching and subscribing! Also, I cannot tell you how wild it is to hear that you binged the videos! That is sooo cool! Thank you so much :)

@williamcurry4868 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia thank you too. This is what I’ve been looking for with reaction channels, stuff that doesn’t get so much play, when most classic reactors don’t go back much further than the seventies. Now I just need to find a dedicated b movie reactor and I’m golden. Thanks again.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh yeah! I would love to see more people reacting to B movies! Those don’t get enough attention and love! That would be awesome!

@devilusadvocatias 2 жыл бұрын

I saw this movie a long time ago and then I just saw the 2021 one. I had to go rewatch the 1961 again just to make the comparison. The one thing that gets me in the movie is the accents. The Puerto Rican ones sound really bad to me. I'm like, they spoke like that back then or was that Hollywood. But agreed that I like how they stayed very close to Romeo and Juliet and the deviation at the end was chilling. I specially like how the apothecary mix-up was done through Anita. It is so much more powerful with Anita; it drove home how hatred destroys through and through. The rape (yes, that's what they were doing) causes Anita to lash out with a lie which leads to Tony's death. Star-crossed lovers indeed.

@bespectacledheroine7292 3 жыл бұрын

13:06 I don't know if this has been pointed out, but that's John Astin who played the original Gomez Addams. I pointed this out on my last viewing of this with my mother and we both got a kick out of that.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Okay, I definitely have to check out the original Addams Family! I LOVED the one from the 90's!

@bespectacledheroine7292 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia I'm a major fan of both. They're equally as good as each other I'd say. The Halloween episodes (Of course) and the ones starring Lurch are some highlight episodes. Lurch in the 90s movies doesn't get much of a spotlight but he was one of the best aspects of the sitcom. :'D

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Ooh yeah! I have heard of that! Never seen it but I definitely want to check it out!

@ludovicoc7046 2 жыл бұрын

"Mia, I just met a girl named Mia..."

@canalwanderer 2 жыл бұрын

This is an excellent musical, perhaps the best, thank you for the review. I was interested in your comments about the lack of chemistry between Maria and Tony in the early stages. This may have been entirely in character as the two of them have only just met and are clearly aware that their relationship would not be welcomed by their friends and communities. Therefore there would be some understandable anxiety mixed in with their love for each other.

@billolsen4360 2 жыл бұрын

If Tony had lived, he & Maria would have ended up in Youngstown OH with Tony employed at the City Road crews. He & Maria try to live on love & a little money. Three babies come and they fight about money constantly. Tony then works at the local coal mine for more money and later ends up at the new GM plant in 1966 and makes enough to buy a home while Maria takes a religious correspondence course and gets a job at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church to assist Puerto Rican immigrants, helping many to land jobs in dentistry and medicine. Their only daughter starts dating Constantine, a black African boy from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe and announce they will marry at age 18. Tony is against it because Constantine is a Protestant & refuses to attend the ceremony, but relents at the end walking daughter "Little Anita" down the aisle of a non-denominational Christian church. Little Anita does well with her a modeling career and refuses to have babies as it might ruin her figure so she & Constantine fight about her changing her mind on having a family. Little Anita & Constantine separate and he moves to Midland Texas to apply his degree in geology to oil exploration where he eventually rescues a KKK member from a derrick fire, changing the man's outlook. Tony & Maria's youngest son Clyde is kicked out of high school for peddling pot to students AND teachers and must go to The Reformatory...no teachers suffer the consequences. Like many ex-cons, Clyde can't get a job so he starts a home construction company while suffering from PTSD due to abuse in the Reform School, never going for treatment and verbally abusing his four wives until they file for divorce one by one. Maria & Tony's older son Jaime is killed in Desert Storm after seven years in the Marines and Youngstown names a street after him. His Marine career was peppered with multiple courts martial for destructive drunkenness on base so Maria is always a little uncomfortable about people congratulating her on what a fine man he was...she doesn't know that when he was about to be kicked out of the service, a beautiful & talented psychiatrist Marina provided character analysis & set him back on the right track, finding out that Tony had ignored him most of his life and was only interested when the boy gained success at school or on the baseball field. The Marina mourns him in isolation as they'd originally planned to marry when he returned from the war, but later regains her footing after overhauling her practice to eliminate Freud completely...male psychiatrists she knows object, but female colleagues in the field boost her profile because much of Freud's work is exposed by her as sexist & invalid. The original Anita goes onto an acting career and wins a Tony (irony), and Oscar & an Emmy by age 55 when she is still a knockout with a sexy figure, on-stage a wildcat, offstage a lifelong student of the writings of Cervantes, Shakespeare & Winston Churchill. Tony dies of lung cancer from his time in the coal mine but his insurance pays off $750,000 and Maria takes half & returns to New York and marries Ice from the Jets, who she'd actually found to be more attractive than Tony because he doesn't think with his heart all the time nor practices substance abuse (which Tony excelled at doing). By then, Ice is a real estate developer who's turning old Hells Kitchen and Harlem tenements into chic townhouses in partnership with Donald Trump and is helping to gentrify the last corner of affordable housing on Manhattan. Maria's first grandchild Clyde Jr. attends MIT and becomes the eighth human to set foot on Mars. Maria's only granddaughter Sheighlah attends school in Rockland IL and becomes an forensic accountant in Pasadena and lives a boring life (to outsiders) but one that she's very satisfied with, her only child is a Rescue Puppy, half corgi half pit bull. Sheilghlah is a regular on Forensic Files and has a side business selling dart boards with Putin's picture on it on line.

@jnagarya519 2 жыл бұрын

Great musical: "Yankee Doodle Dandy," starring James Cagney.

@HannibalFan52 2 жыл бұрын

I tried to watch this film several years ago, but i couldn't get past the opening sequence, because i knew where it was going to go. My mother was an English teacher, and back in the late 1960s, many junior high/high schools used a 'track' system. Track 1 was high achievers, Track 2 was average students, and Track 3 was students who needed extra help. So when Mom had to teach 'Romeo and Juliet', she would use 'West Side Story' for her Track 3 students, because they could relate to it more, especially the language. Why Rita Moreno wasn't cast as Maria could have to do with box office drawing power. Natalie Wood had already had a long career in movies, including as a child in 'The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'. The same thing happened to Julie Andrews and 'My Fair Lady'. Julie had never made a movie before, so the casting directors went with Audrey Hepburn, a known box-office draw. Yes, Stephen Sondheim was an excellent lyricist, but he was also a fantastic composer. He did both book and music for 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'. The 1966 film version doesn't do it justice, but it's a rare opportunity to see Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford in the roles they originated on Broadway. It's also the only time Phil Silvers appears wtihout his trademark glasses. Oh, and one of Sondheim's colleagues on the book was Larry Gelbart, who went on to help create the TV series M*A*S*H. Sigmund Freud, considered the father of modern psychology/psychiatry, was Austrian. I suppose that's why the German accent used when parodying psychologists. if you haven't already seen 'Kiss Me, Kate', I certainly recommend it, not only for the dancing, but the role reversal between Kathryn Grayson and Jane Withers. Grayson was known for playing 'sweet' roles, and she is cast as the tempestuous Kate, while Jane Withers usually played bratty characters, and here she's the sweet Bianca. The legendary choreographer Bob Fosse plays Hortensio, too. By the way, Leonard Bernstein pronounced his surname as 'Burn-stine'. Although Jewish, his family didn't change the pronunciation of the 'ei' combination the way so Jewish immigrants did. I grew up watching the Young People's Concerts on television, and he remains my favorite conductor of all time.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“The actors in the rival gangs were instructed to play pranks on each other off the set to keep tensions high.”

@kallen868 3 жыл бұрын

And also avoid each other.

@NRTSean 2 жыл бұрын

Psychology as we know it today has much of its root in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

@Divamarja_CA 2 жыл бұрын

All the dying and lieing is what makes it a tragedy. Gets me every single time. And there have been a LOT of times!

@michaelbastraw1493 3 жыл бұрын

"Not gonna lie." Good to know. Best. Leo.

@MichaelJohnson-vi6eh 5 ай бұрын

In a way I'm glad that the Spielberg movie had a slightly different alternate ending. This ending was PERFECT.

@martyemmons3100 Жыл бұрын

There's just not enough roles for Rita Moreno, in my opinion. So anything with her in the film, I will watch. My favorite Rita Moreno movie is "Marlowe".

@davidpeters44 2 жыл бұрын

Leonard Bernstein's score is top notch. Makes the movie IMO.

@arthurrubiera8029 3 жыл бұрын

Mia, since you like Shakespeare so much you should visit Ashland, Oregon sometime. It is a Shakespeare oriented city, having festivals throughout the year. At the every least, google it,

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh thank you for letting me know! I will definitely google that!! Ooh I just got so excited 😆

@okay5045 Жыл бұрын

Rita could not pull off the innocence of Maria that's why. She was perfect as Anita

@LynneConnolly 2 жыл бұрын

this is the nearest a musical ever got to opera.

@agenttheater5 3 жыл бұрын

37:10 When people say it's a corny broadway show about gangsters snapping their fingers and just dancing around or compares them to the T-Birds of Grease, I ask them how much of the movie they've seen and ask them in particular about this scene and the rumble scene. Then I tell them about how though characters had died on Broadway before this one, half the time it was offscreen and it was rarely more than 2 characters, no Broadway show had ended the first act on two dead bodies or the second act on another body, no Broadway show had been set in the slums, and even though racism had been shown and criticised in Broadway shows before (very controversial with the song 'You've Got to Be Carefully Taught' in 'South Pacific' - you have to see the whole show beforehand to get what the song's about, it's supposed to be sung with at least a slight degree of self-loathing - and a memorable scene in the beginning of 'Show Boat') it had never been that outspoken. Plus, no one had ever danced like that on Broadway before. I've heard Jerome Robbins actually made it part of his contract that no production of the show could ever be done without his choreography. I mean I get what people say when they say the show sounds corny but I still wonder if they've actually see it, all of it. It broke down a lot of walls for it's time, and it's because of it that a lot of other shows were allowed to be on Broadway. Plus, because it had broken down a lot of walls in the 50s and 60s, when they brought the show back in 2009 (the director was the Arthur Laurents who'd written the original script back in the 50s) they were able to kick down even more doors - added to the violence, made the racism even clearer and half of the Sharks lines were in Spanish both to make them seem more believable and to get the audience to experience what it's like not to fully understand what everyone else is saying. Plus it added to the stories, the girls love it in America because they have more freedom so they speak mostly in English, the boys hate it there because of how they're treated so they speak mostly in Spanish.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, after rewatching this movie, I definitely have a new respect for it! The music is both enjoyable and meaningful! That particular rumble scene was so fantastically choreographed! This was such a great movie!

@kathyastrom1315 3 жыл бұрын

Also, Sondheim brought in Lin-Manuel Miranda to write the Spanish lyrics! Sondheim has been an amazing mentor to so many younger show writers, just like he was mentored by Oscar Hammerstein.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh yes! I read about that! I would love to hear that version! Thank you so much for sharing :)

@beansfriend7033 3 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia I saw that revival and loved it, but I will say that having the Sharks' songs in Spanish seemed to distract some from the audience's enjoyment or investment in some of the story. By that I mean, you're listening to "I Feel Pretty," but if you don't know Spanish or already know what the English lyrics are, you might not get the wit and the humor. Or consider in "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love" when Maria and Anita are hitting that climax of their argument, with Anita singing her anguished ""A boy who kills cannot love, and he's the boy who gets your love, and gets your heart, very smart, Maria, very smart!" and Maria is responding with her passionate, "You should know better - you were in love, or so you said!" It's really emotional and impactful, but a lot of people missed it; they knew something important happened, but not quite what. If there had been a sort of subtitle available, it might have filled in the blanks for those people a bit better. That said, I did adore the Spanish versions of the songs (I'm not great at Spanish, I just know the English lyrics well). Also, the phenomenal Karen Olivo was Anita in the version I saw. She is a powerhouse! You really couldn't take your eyes off of her. Josefina Scaglione was Maria, and honestly, her version of Maria was the only one that has really impressed me; normally, I find the Maria character bland. Scaglione was very talented, both fragile and determined and relatable.

@epsteinisms1483 3 жыл бұрын

Mia... Hello again. This is a follow up to my previous post which included the Larry Kert link. Glad you enjoyed it, 'though I didn't really mean to make you shed tears!. You expressed a desire to see the original performances from the show. I can help you out a little right here. For many years columnist and TV impresario Ed Sullivan had a variety show on Sunday evenings. He always had a great love for the American Musical Theater, and quite often his show featured scenes that were recreated from current Broadway shows with the original casts! Many of these performances have been preserved, and are readily available on KZfaq. And so, here's a KZfaq link to just such a recreation : the BALCONY scene with the original Tony and Maria, Larry Kert and Carol Lawrence. Hope you are as thrilled seeing this as I always am. Hope you don't cry as much as I always do! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l7J4mK-Gl8qrcps.html

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much :) I am definitely going to check that out :)

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

OH MY GOSH! That was fantastic! You were so right, their chemistry was electrifying! My heart was so full after watching that :) Thank you for sharing :)

@tlw1950 3 жыл бұрын

TCM is bringing West Side Story back on the big screen for 2 days this fall to mark the film’s 60th Anniversary. The dates are November 28 and December 1. Please check out TCM Big Screen Classics for theaters and times.

@nowthatisawesome5431 2 жыл бұрын

You kept mentioning the lack of chemistry between Tony and Maria, and compared it to Bernardo and Anita. Growing up every time I saw this movie I always understood that Tony and Maria had a new romance. It was filled with infatuation. I mean, they literally JUST met each other. As opposed to Anita and Nardo who had an established long term relationship. It didn’t seem weird to me at all. It seemed natural and right. Tony and Maria didn’t know each other and therefore acted a bit like strangers experiencing a type of puppy love. Anita and Nardo were as comfortable around each other as an old married couple. Which makes sense. They knew each other longer and were even sexually active with each other. So maybe that was the impression the directors were going for? 🤷🏽‍♀️

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Yes, I suppose so. They did play the strangers to lovers bit well, but something wasn’t there for me… take Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in Romeo + Juliet. I think this is a fantastic example because off screen, they weren’t fond of each other, much like Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer (really it was more on the part of Natalie Wood, she was cold to Beymer) Even though Danes and DiCaprio didn’t get on together off screen, they still convey this chemistry that paints the picture of this new, young love. You feel it as soon as he sees her through the fish tank (as unrealistic as it may be) it’s in their eye contact, proximity, physical contact, you know he is infatuated with her and vice versa. I didn’t get that from Wood and Beymer. It seemed like they were only there to complete a job. Contrast that to Rita Moreno and George Chakiris. Yes, they are supposed to be in a seasoned relationship, which we get from them, but that chemistry is there between them. That unspoken thing that doesn’t feel rehearsed or trained, rather natural and relatable. You can tell that they had developed some sort of friendship or platonic relationship off screen, or at least an understanding of their character’s relationship. But with Wood and Beymer, I could feel a distance between them, as subtle as it was, that unspoken thing wasn’t there and it impacted their chemistry, at least in my opinion. But, you do make a great point, that could have been the director’s vision.

@nowthatisawesome5431 2 жыл бұрын

@@MoviesWithMia Fair enough. We can agree to disagree. 🙂 Love your channel BTW 🤗❤️

@MoviesWithMia 2 жыл бұрын

Yes!! I love to be a part of these conversations 😊 thank you for sharing your thoughts and listening to mine!! And thank you so much for watching 😁

@okay5045 Жыл бұрын

The chemistry doesn't work for you but it works for me and the rest of the people who watched all these years

@dirkbogarde44 3 жыл бұрын

Look up the Capeman murders. That's the real West Side Story. Which was ironically turned into a musical.

@billolsen4360 2 жыл бұрын

Rita Moreno made this movie, for me anyway. For some reason, having a Puerto Rican actor in a film always gives it a touch of class. Jose Ferrer brought the same thing to his films too.

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Jerome Robbins initially refused to work on the film unless he could direct it. Producer Walter Mirisch was nervous about handing the reins entirely over to Robbins, who had never made a film before, so he enlisted Robert Wise to direct the drama while Robbins would handle the singing and dancing sequences. Robbins developed a habit of shooting numerous takes of each scene, to the point where the film went over budget and behind schedule. This led to his firing.”

@bobstewart1668 8 ай бұрын

BTW- ROBERT WISE (one of the Directors) came from an Editing background before he went into directing. That's why the transitions are so exciting and seamless in WSS 1960. FUN FACT: Robert Wise edited CITIZEN KANE too. (Look at those editing transitions!!!)

@MingoWayama 3 жыл бұрын

For dancing expressing a story, I recommend the 2007 video of Rudolf Nureyev's version of Cinderella, available on Amazon Prime.

@MoviesWithMia 3 жыл бұрын

Oh I have to check that out! Thank you for recommending :)

@kallen868 3 жыл бұрын

I saw him in the King and I

@randywhite3947 3 жыл бұрын

“Eliot Feld (Baby John) collapsed and ended up hospitalized with pneumonia during the demanding filming of "Cool".

@kallen868 3 жыл бұрын

Truth.

@oliverbrownlow5615 2 жыл бұрын

Not cool!

@DeanLamont-hq5mg Жыл бұрын

Here's a instresting fact elvis presley was considered as the character of tony and when elvis heard about it he was excited and said yes to it but his manager said no because he's not playing a hoodlum and the shooting schedule and his manager's moto for presleys movies was make them fast and make them cheap and he even said to elvis dont go for any Oscar's because we don't have tuxedos