The soundtrack of the west side story film is deservedly one of the most popular soundtrack recordings of all time, and one of the relatively few to have attained longterm popularity beyond a specialized soundtracktheatrical musical audience. America, from leonard bernstein and stephen sondheims musical west side story, is a song about puerto rican immigrants living in new york city who extol the virtues of their new homeland. An adaptation of the 1957 musical, west side story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. Life can be bright in america if you can fight in america life is all right in america if youre a white in america here you are free and you have pride long as you stay on your own side free to be anything you choose free to wait tables and shine shoes everywhere grime in america organized crime in america terrible time in america you forget i. Two youngsters from rival new york city gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy. Steven spielbergs remake of the 1961 hit movie west side story will be filming this summer. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events.
Westside story is the award winning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy, romeo and juliette. It was an artistic confrontation of social issues from immigration and bigotry to. I huvudrollerna ses natalie wood, richard beymer, russ tamblyn, rita moreno och george chakiris. Maria is the leading female character in the 1957 stage play and 1961 film west side story. Actually, a lot of the songs bored ually i like musical songs, but some in this one pissed me off. With natalie wood, george chakiris, richard beymer, russ tamblyn. Although west side story was named the best picture of 1961 and won 10 academy awards, it is not much mentioned by movie fans these days, and the old warhorse singin in the rain is probably more seen and certainly better loved. West side story lyrics america movie overview albums 3 lyrics 29 moderator submit.
Everywhere grime in america organised crime in america terrible time in america anita you forget im in america. America comes from the 1957 broadway musical, west side story. The broadway version of west side story, with music from leonard bernstein and lyrics from a 25yearold stephen sondheim, opened four years before the movie, and it was an instant sensation. Whats harder to spot is the way dance can tell a story. This story is about the rivalry between the sharks puerto ricans vs. West side story 1961 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. West side story film 1961 metrogoldwynmayer studios inc. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks. But director robert wises lavish widescreen presentation broke fresh. With a screenplay by ernest lehman, the film is an adaptation of the 1957 broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet. West side story reunion w rita moreno, russ tamblyn, george chakiris the talk 16nov2011 duration. Maria is a teenage girl who has moved to the upper west side of new york city from puerto rico. For the groundbreaking musical, bernstein provided a propulsive and rhapsodic. It is an entirely different recording, it should be emphasized, from the original broadway cast.
The idea of attempting to tackle social issues via bigscale musical was still pretty novel, and west side story was a hugely elaborate show, with more dancing than anyone had. While many fans of the classic musical would disagree, sondheim describes the score as embarrassing and said in. Not all of west side story has aged gracefully, but. With ansel elgort, rachel zegler, ariana debose, david alvarez. West side story gang fight west side story is undoubtedly one of the most famous american musicals. He has a girlfriend, anita, who maria is friends with and looks up to. The feuding families become two warring new york city gangsthe white jets led by riff and the latino sharks, led by bernardo. It premiered in september of 1957 in new york and was made into a movie in the 1960s. Anita rita moreno sings about the great land of america. It was inspired by william shakespeares play romeo and juliet the story is set in the upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the mid 1950s, a multiracial, bluecollar neighborhood. Leonard bernsteins musical update of romeo and juliet, with a young stephen sondheims brilliant lyrics, had already galvanized broadway with its vivid reinvention as a parable of racial intolerance and generational conflict. The musical is based off of shakespeares romeo and juliet and this is one of the better known facts about.
West side story america movie lyrics letssingit lyrics. Her older brother bernardo is the leader of the puerto rican gang, the sharks. West side story was originally about jews and catholics. On september 26, 1957, west side story, composed by leonard bernstein, opens at the winter garden theatre on broadway. West side story 1961 cast and crew cast photos and. This affecting film of the immortal broadway musical west side story, with lovely natalie. Stephen sondheim wrote the lyrics and leonard bernstein composed the music. West side story has some of the toughest and most elaborate dance moves youll ever see. The feuding families become two warring new york city gangs the white jets led by riff and the.
West side story is an upcoming 2020 american romantic musical film directed and coproduced by steven spielberg, with a screenplay by tony kushner. Take the america sequence, which shows the competition but seductive playfulness between the puerto rican men and. Anita puerto rico my hearts devotion let it sink back in the ocean always the hurricanes blowing always the population growing and the. West side story was the kind of musical people thought was good for them, a pious expression of admirable but unrealistic liberal sentiments. West side story 410 movie clip america 1961 hd youtube. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 broadway musical of the same name by arthur laurents, leonard bernstein and stephen sondheim, which is based loosely on shakespeares romeo and juliet. America west side story, 2 pages of activities level. The racism in west side story the museum of modern theatre. Puerto rico my hearts devotion let it sink back in the ocean always the hurricanes blowing always the population growing and the money owing and the sunlight. America is a song from the 1957 musical west side story.
The story west side story is like a modern romeo and juliet. The movie, filled with exhilarating dance sequences choreographed by jerome robbins and memorable songsincluding tonight, maria, and somewhereby leonard bernstein music and stephen sondheim lyrics, won 10. America by west side story cast ensemble songfacts. West side story is a beautifullymounted, impressive, emotionridden and violent musical which, in its stark approach to a raging social problem and realism of unfoldment, may set a pattern for. While many fans of the classic musical would disagree, sondheim describes the score as. An analysis of the song america in the movie the west side. A boy like that whod kill your brother, forget that boy and find another. Some latinos say getting rid of outdated stereotypes is key. As west side story celebrates its 60th anniversary, it stands as more than art. Featured in the musical west side story, america has music by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim. In 1961, this movie adaptation of the broadway smashhit musical west side story broke box office records and won an incredible 10 academy awards, more than any other musical before or since. Spain 7 december 1962 barcelona spain 1 march 1963 madrid belgium 22 march 1963. Although it may seem at first glance to be a relatively light hearted and fun song, and its entertainment valuable is undeniable, there is also some level of satire in it. West side story is a musical with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein and lyrics by stephen sondheim.
All automobile in america, chromium steel in america, wirespoke wheel in america, very. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing west side story 1961 near you. The musical piece in west side story entitled america is one of the most memorable from the film. This storymusical takes place in upper west side neighborhood in new york city in the 1950s early 1960s. Jet song, mambo, cool, america, tonight, i feel pretty. West side story is a 1961 american musical romantic drama film directed by robert wise and jerome robbins.
When stephen sondheim talks about west side story decades after its broadway debut in 1957, it is clear that for him, most of the songs did not hold up well over time. In the stage version of the musical, the lone dissenter is one of the puerto rican women, but in the film version, it is the men who want to go back to san juan. Leonard bernstein america film lyrics genius lyrics. West side story is the awardwinning adaptation of the classic romantic tragedy romeo and juliet. West side story, american musical film, released in 1961, that was inspired by shakespeare s romeo and juliet. The musical was written with a book by arthur laurents, music by leonard bernstein, lyrics by bernstein and stephen. The making of west side story bbc, unitel 1985 dokumentiert. The movie more than retains the original choreography of jerome robbins, which is recreated in some of the most startling and balletic dance sequences ever recorded on film. Robbins acute observation and his mastery of ballet informed the style of each leap and gesture in west side story. Evrything free in america for a small fee in america. Street gangs and gang warfare a very present reality in new york city at the time the shows creators envisioned it were rough, suggestive, crude, violent, and possessed of a distinctive swagger.
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