I saw West Side Story (1961) for the first time on the big screen last night. The picture quality was so sharp that I could practically see the pores on the actors’ faces. I was also very struck by the colors. Red was prominent in the sets, and everyone’s costumes were distinctive and colorful as well.
Of course, the choreography and music is brilliant too. “Cool” is my favorite, simply because of how flamboyant and ridiculous it is. It always makes me want to run around snapping and leaping. And Russ Tamblyn is endlessly amusing as the cheeky leader of The Jets gang.
However, with all the brilliant aspects of the movie, there are also a lot of problems. What I find the most disturbing is that it superficially advocates interracial love and/or racial tolerance, and yet, several of the main characters who are supposed to be Puerto Rican are, in fact, not. Rita Moreno, who plays Anita, is actually Puerto Rican, and a few of the extras seem genuinely Hispanic, but that’s about it. Natalie Wood (Maria) and George Chakiris (Bernardo) are of Russian and Greek descent, respectively, and apparently decided that getting a deep tan and adopting a cheesy accent was enough.
I know this sort of practice was very common (and is still common today, actually) but it wasn’t until now that I realized just how messed up the film’s casting is, considering the supposed message of the story. Not to mention the song “America” is a bit cruel. “Everything free in America”? Wow.
