Does West Side Story ring a bell? No wonder. It is, only, one of the most famous musicals in the world. Just that! Created and staged in 1957 on Broadway, the show was a huge success. So big that it will be adapted, four years later, into a film by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. Today, it is Steven Spielberg, the giant of cinema, who tackles the inevitable West Side Story.
A reinterpretation of the musical…
Inspired by William Shakespeare's drama Romeo and Juliet, Spielberg made the decision in 2018 to readapt the 1957 musical, not the 1961 film. We then find the two rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, fighting for territory. But those feuds escalate when Maria, the sister of the Sharks leader, and Tony, a Jets boy, fall in love. The story will then highlight this idyll that will tear the two rival groups apart.
Wide shots from all sides, the film plunges us into total immersion in this old New York of the 1950s. And if you find that some scenes don't look like the movie, that's normal. Steven Spielberg's choice is to pay tribute mainly to the musical.
What will jump out the most will be the scene of the meeting, which is much more realistic than that of the film dating back 60 years! But that's not the only difference that will jump out at you. To see them, you will have to wait until December 8, when it is released in theaters!
… But why now?
Moreover, one wonders why, after 60 years, Steven Spielberg decided to bring this great classic up to date? Especially since it's his first musical! It is during an interview for Yahoo that the director gives his reasons. It was by drawing on his childhood memories that he came up with this idea. The songs rocked him when he grew up, and kept an important place for him. Steven Spielberg also finds that the problems raised by the show 60 years ago, are still relevant. The stories of territorial divisions, rooted in racial differences, make it a film well anchored in the present, even decades later.
The Spielberg signature
Having never directed a musical before, many are waiting for him at the turn for the reinterpretation of this classic. Known for his must-see films such as Jurassic Park, Schindler's List or more recently, Ready Player One, the director takes risks by wanting to direct West Side Story. He never ceases to push his limits and does not hesitate to go into unknown territory, as he has always done.
As you know, West Side Story is a romantic comedy and drama. Not being his specialty, the director manages to stick to the universe of the film, while remaining true to himself. As you progress through the film, you may notice a degradation of colors, dynamics, until a cut is made. This makes it possible to understand that we are tipping into a part of the story that will be darker.
A great cast
The director offers us a completely successful cast. Roles played with excellence by Ansel Elgort (Tony) and Rachel Zegler (Maria) who form the star couple. Ariana DeBose offers us a perfect interpretation of Anita as a strong and confident woman. But that's not all, Steven Spielberg offers us a nice surprise by giving a role to Rita Moreno, who played Anita. Ansel Elgort can sing and dance! Known for having played in Our Contrary Stars or Baby Driver, the actor had not yet revealed his singing talents.
The rivalry between the Sharks and the Jets takes over Tony and Maria's love story. The interpretation of the two rivals, Bernado (David Alvarez) with the Sharks and Riff (Mike Faist) with the Jets, brings us back to the social problems of the 1950s. Problems still relevant as said earlier.
A risk that works
It's a successful challenge for Spielberg. West Side Story has returned to splendor on the big screen. Dynamic, lively, the film plunges us into the New York of 1957, as if we were in front of the show on Broadway. Dances more catchy than each other, with its cult songs. We go from joy to sadness with such ease. It is therefore brilliantly that the director of Back to the Future readapts the myth of the musical. But to find out, you have to wait until December 8, to let yourself be carried away by the melodies of the film in theaters.
Check out the trailer of West Side Story, replayed by Steven Spielberg.
