A spoiler-free comparison of the 1961 and 2021 film adaptations of the classic Broadway musical West Side Story
The musical West Side Story by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim has enthralled audiences for generations, whether it be onstage or onscreen. The classic Shakespearean tragedy of Romeo and Juliet finds itself retold in 1960s New York City, amidst a rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks; two gangs of White and Puerto Rican teenagers, respectively. One night at a school dance, two teenagers from these opposing sides, Tony and Maria, meet and fall in love. This provokes even more animosity between the two gangs, setting off a chain reaction of tragic events. This review will first compare certain aspects of the 1961 and 2021 versions of the film, then go in-depth on particular characters.
West Side Story holds a special place in the hearts of BIPOC musical theatre fans. Musical numbers such as America highlight the past and ongoing injustices against people of colour and immigrants. Many reviews have labelled the original West Side Story as a “diverse” franchise, and although this is, in part, true, the original Broadway and film productions of the musical faced controversy for having white actors play Puerto Rican characters while wearing brownface. The film also faced criticism from Latinx audiences, who called out the stereotypical portrayal of Puerto Rican characters and the overall lack of representation. The 2021 remake, however, features a cast with Latinx actors playing Latinx roles, something sadly unimaginable in the era of 1960s film. While it is certainly wonderful that the casting in the 2021 remake of West Side Story wasn’t blatantly racist, there is still much progress to be made in terms of BIPOC representation in media. West Side Story is just the beginning of a renaissance of cultural representation.
The choreography in West Side Story has always been legendary. Five-time Tony winner Jerome Robbins choreographed both the Broadway and film versions of the play, illuminating the stage and screen with graceful ballet and characteristics of flamenco. Justin Peck, the choreographer of West Side Story (2021), is also a Tony award-winning choreographer, and fills the shoes of Robbins flawlessly. Both versions of the film execute the school dance scene extremely well, but in particular, the directing in the 2021 version makes it feel as if the actors are dancing out from the screen. The choreography in the 2021 remake of West Side Story seems more energetic than its older version, but the sixty-year gap in film technology is probably to blame here, as the camera shots were more limited and stagnant in the 1961 film.
A character often overlooked in West Side Story is Anybodys, a wannabe Jet member. Anybodys was portrayed as a tomboyish girl in the original film and Broadway versions of West Side Story. Yet, the new remake is the first major production to depict Anybodys as a transmasculine nonbinary character, played by Iris Menas. Anybodys tries to join the Jets but is constantly rejected. Eventually, Anybodys plays spy for the Jets on an important task (no spoilers) and is welcomed into the gang by a Jet member, Action, who says, “You done good, buddy boy,”, essentially affirming Anybodys as one of them.
Last but not least, it is imperative to discuss Rita Moreno’s reappearance in the franchise. Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican-American actress who became the first Latina to achieve EGOT status (artists who have won at least one Emmy Award, Grammy Award, Oscar Award, and Tony Award) in 1977. Moreno originated the role of Anita in West Side Story on Broadway, and later in the 1961 film, for which she won an Oscar and a Golden Globe. In the 2021 remake of West Side Story, Moreno plays Valentina, the owner of Doc’s Drug Store. Valentina takes over the role of Doc in the previous film adaptation, running the pharmacy and giving Tony a place to stay. In the new film, Valentina is the widow of Doc, and their love story parallels that of Tony and Maria, the protagonists of the film— A white man and a Puerto Rican woman fall in love, in a culture where it is unseemly.
Perhaps one of the most breathtaking performances in the film is Somewhere, sung by Rita Moreno. Somewhere is a song about one day finding an accepting society to live in, and it was initially a duet between Tony and Maria in the original Broadway and film versions of West Side Story. The remake, however, features Somewhere as a solo by Valentina. This change gives the song a whole new meaning, with the lyrics referring to Valentina’s past with Doc, instead of referring to Tony and Maria’s possible future. Moreno delivers a poignant and lachrymose performance, with stunning live singing (she was even sick at the time!)
To conclude, both versions of West Side Story are phenomenal masterpieces that will go down in musical theatre history. While they have their differences, the one thing they have in common is stunning choreography, and the extraordinary talent of Rita Moreno. In my opinion, the original film cannot be beat, but both adaptations of West Side Story are truly breathtaking films, and a great place to start if you want to become acquainted with musical theatre
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