West Side Story ( film ) - Wikipedia West Side Story ( film ) West Side Story Theatrical release poster by Joe Caroff Directed by Robert Wise Jerome Robbins Produced by Robert Wise Screenplay by Ernest Lehman Based on West Side Story by Jerome Robbins Leonard Bernstein Stephen Sondheim Arthur Laurents Starring Natalie Wood Richard Beymer Rita Moreno George Chakiris Russ Tamblyn Music by Leonard Bernstein Irwin Kostal Cinematography Daniel L. Fapp, A.S.C. Edited by Thomas Stanford Production company The Mirisch Corporation Seven Arts Productions Distributed by United Artists Release date October 18, 1961 ( 1961 - 10 - 18 ) Running time 152 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $6 million Box office $43.7 million West Side Story is a 1961 American musical romantic drama film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by William Shakespeare 's play Romeo and Juliet. It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris, and was photographed by Daniel L. Fapp, A.S.C., in Super Panavision 70. Released on October 18, 1961 through United Artists, the film received high praise from critics and viewers, and became the second highest grossing film of the year in the United States. The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won 10, including Best Picture ( as well as a special award for Robbins ), becoming the record holder for the most wins for a movie musical. The film has been deemed `` culturally significant '' by the United States Library of Congress and was selected for the National Film Registry in 1997. Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 2.1 Jets 2.2 Jet Girls 2.3 Sharks 2.4 Shark Girls 3 Musical numbers 4 Production 4.1 Casting 4.2 Differences from the stage show 5 Reception 5.1 Box office 6 Accolades and honors 6.1 Academy Awards 6.2 Others 7 Score and soundtrack 8 Remakes and legacy 9 See also 10 References 11 External links Plot In the summer of 1957 in the West Side 's Lincoln Square neighborhood in Manhattan, there is tension between a white gang, the Jets, led by Riff, and a Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks, led by Bernardo. After a brawl erupts, Lieutenant Schrank and Officer Krupke arrive and break it up, ordering both gangs to cease all fighting, or face the consequences. Despite their warning, the Jets decide to challenge the Sharks to a rumble for neighborhood control, at an upcoming dance. Riff decides that his best friend Tony, the co-founder of the Jets who left the gang, and works at Doc 's drug store, should fight. Riff invites Tony to the dance, but Tony is uninterested. He tells Riff that he senses something important will happen, which Riff suggests could have a correlation with the dance. Bernardo 's younger sister, Maria, tells her best friend and Bernardo 's girlfriend, Anita, how excited she is about the dance. At the dance, the gangs and girls refuse to intermingle. Tony arrives and he and Maria fall in love. However, Bernardo angrily demands that Tony stay away from her. Riff proposes a meeting with Bernardo at Doc 's drug store. Maria is sent home ; Anita argues that Bernardo is overprotective of Maria and they compare the advantages of Puerto Rico and the United States. Tony discreetly visits Maria on her fire escape, where they reaffirm their love. Krupke, who suspects the Jets are planning something, visits them and warns them not to cause trouble. Doc, the owner of the drug store also discourages fighting, but no one listens. When the Sharks arrive, both groups agree to have the showdown the following evening under the highway, with a one - on - one fist fight, under the suggestion of Tony. When Schrank arrives, the gangs feign friendship. Schrank does not buy it, and orders the Sharks out and unsuccessfully tries to get the Jets to divulge the location of the fight. After everyone else leaves, Tony tells a concerned Doc about his love. The next day at the bridal shop, Anita accidentally tells Maria about the rumble. Tony arrives to see Maria, which shocks Anita. They profess their love and Anita warns them about the consequences if Bernardo learns of their relationship. Maria has Tony promise to prevent the rumble. Tony and Maria fantasize about their wedding ceremony. The Jets and Sharks approach the area under the highway. Tony arrives to stop the fight, but Bernardo antagonizes him. Unwilling to watch Tony be humiliated, Riff initiates a knife fight. Tony tries to intervene, which leads to Bernardo killing Riff. Tony kills Bernardo with Riff 's knife and a melee ensues. Police sirens blare and everyone flees, leaving behind the bodies of Riff and Bernardo. Tony lingers a moment realizing in horror what he 's done, and barely manages to escape himself. Maria waits for Tony on the rooftop of her apartment building when Chino arrives and tells her what happened. Tony arrives and explains what transpired and asks for her forgiveness before he turns himself in to the police. Maria confirms her love for him and asks Tony to stay with her. The Jets have reassembled outside a garage, with their new leader, Ice having them focus on their reaction to the police rather than their rival gang. Anybodys arrives and warns them that Chino, armed with a stolen handgun, is searching out Tony for revenge, so Ice sends the Jets to warn Tony of the danger. Maria and Tony arrange to meet at Doc 's, where they will pick up getaway money so they can elope. Anita spots Tony leaving and chides Maria for the relationship, but Maria convinces her to help them elope. Schrank arrives and questions Maria about the rumble. To cover for Tony, Maria has Anita tell him that Maria is detained from meeting him. When Anita reaches Doc 's, the Jets, refusing to believe that she 's not helping Chino, harass her, until Doc intervenes. Anita declares that Bernardo was right about them and that Chino killed Maria. Doc banishes the Jets and gives Tony his getaway money in the basement and delivers Anita 's message. Tony runs into the streets, shouting for Chino to kill him as well. In the playground next to Doc 's, Tony spots Maria and run toward each other, only for Chino to arrive and shoot Tony. The Jets and Sharks arrive to find Maria holding Tony, who dies. Maria stops the gangs from fighting and takes the gun from Chino. She threatens to shoot everyone, blaming their hate for the deaths, before dropping the gun and breaking down in tears. Schrank, Krupke and Doc arrive on the scene, but do not intervene, and the gangs form a funeral procession, apparently setting aside their differences, with Maria following. Once they are gone, Schrank and Krupke take Chino into custody. Cast Natalie Wood as Maria Nunez, Bernardo 's younger sister, Chino 's arranged fiancée, who falls in love with Tony Marni Nixon as Maria 's singing voice Richard Beymer as Tony Wyzek, co-founder of the Jets but has outgrown their street culture. Remains best friend of Riff, works at Doc 's drug store, and becomes Maria 's star - crossed lover. Jimmy Bryant as Tony 's singing voice Russ Tamblyn as Riff Lorton, leader of the Jets, best friend of Tony Rita Moreno as Anita Palacio, Bernardo 's girlfriend, Maria 's closest confidante Betty Wand as Anita 's singing voice for `` A Boy Like That '' ( Moreno did her own singing for `` America '' and `` Quintet '' ) George Chakiris as Bernardo Nunez, leader of the Sharks, older brother of Maria and Anita 's boyfriend Simon Oakland as Lieutenant Schrank, police lieutenant Ned Glass as Doc, drugstore owner, Tony 's boss ; a decent, elderly man William Bramley as Officer Krupke, neighborhood cop and Schrank 's sergeant Uncredited John Astin as Glad Hand, well - meaning but ineffective social worker Penny Santon as Madam Lucia, bridal shop owner Jets Tucker Smith as Ice, Riff 's lieutenant, becomes leader of the Jets after Riff 's death. Tony Mordente as Action, a hot - tempered Jet. Eliot Feld as Baby John, the youngest member of the Jets. A relative innocent. David Winters as A-Rab, Baby John 's best friend Bert Michaels as Snowboy David Bean as Tiger Robert Banas as Joyboy Anthony ' Scooter ' Teague as Big Deal Harvey Evans ( Harvey Hohnecker ) as Mouthpiece Tommy Abbott as Gee - Tar Jet Girls Susan Oakes as Anybodys, a tomboy and wannabe Jet Gina Trikonis as Graziella, Riff 's girlfriend. Carole D'Andrea as Velma, Ice 's girlfriend Uncredited Rita Hyde d'Amico as Clarice, Big Deal 's girlfriend Pat Tribble as Minnie, Baby John 's girlfriend Francesca Bellini as Debby, Snowboy 's girlfriend Elaine Joyce as Hotsie, Tiger 's girlfriend Sharks Jose DeVega as Chino Martin, Bernardo 's best friend Jay Norman as Pepe, Bernardo 's lieutenant Gus Trikonis as Indio, Pepe 's best friend Eddie Verso as Juano Jaime Rogers as Loco Larry Roquemore as Rocco Robert E. Thompson as Luis Nick Covacevich as Toro Rudy Del Campo as Del Campo Andre Tayir as Chile Shark Girls Yvonne Othon as Consuelo, Pepe 's girlfriend Suzie Kaye as Rosalia, Indio 's girlfriend Joanne Miya as Francisca, Toro 's girlfriend Uncredited Maria Jimenez Henley as Teresita, Juano 's girlfriend Yvonne Wilder as Alicia, Chile 's girlfriend Luci Stone as Estella, Loco 's girlfriend Olivia Perez as Margarita, Rocco 's girlfriend Musical numbers Act I `` Overture '' -- Orchestra `` Prologue '' -- Orchestra `` Jet Song '' -- Riff and Jets `` Something 's Coming '' -- Tony `` Dance at the Gym '' -- Orchestra `` Maria '' -- Tony `` America '' -- Anita, Bernardo, Sharks and Girls `` Tonight '' -- Tony and Maria `` Gee, Officer Krupke '' -- The Jets `` Maria ( violin ) '' -- Orchestra Act II `` I Feel Pretty '' -- Maria, Consuelo, Rosalia, and Francisca `` One Hand, One Heart '' -- Tony and Maria `` Tonight Quintet '' -- Maria, Tony, Anita, Riff, Bernardo, Jets, and Sharks `` The Rumble '' -- Orchestra `` Somewhere '' -- Tony and Maria `` Cool '' -- Ice and Jets `` A Boy Like That / I Have a Love '' -- Anita and Maria `` Somewhere ( Reprise ) '' -- Maria `` Finale '' -- Orchestra Production Veteran director Robert Wise was chosen to direct and produce because of his experience with urban New York dramas such as Odds Against Tomorrow ( 1959 ). Since he had no experience directing a musical, Wise agreed that Jerome Robbins, who had directed the stage version of West Side Story, would direct the musical and dance sequences. After about one - third of the movie had been shot, the Mirisch Company, concerned that the production was running over-budget, dismissed Robbins. According to Saul Chaplin, Robbins nearly suffered a nervous breakdown during the time he worked on the film. The remaining dance numbers were directed with the help of Robbins ' assistants. Recognizing Robbins ' considerable creative contribution to the film, Wise agreed that Robbins should be given co-directing credit, even though Wise directed the greater part of the film. The opening titles and end credits sequences were created by Saul Bass, who is also credited for `` visual consultation '' on the film. Exterior shots used the buildings of Lincoln Square, which were vacant and about to be torn down, allowing them to be used as a set. Casting This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. ( April 2011 ) Because the producers wanted actors who looked believable as teenagers, they did not consider 30 - year - old Larry Kert, the first Tony on Broadway, or 29 - year - old Carol Lawrence, the first Maria, but some had experience in stage productions. Tony Mordente, who played A-Rab on stage, was cast as Action in the film, and George Chakiris, Riff in the London stage production, played Bernardo in the film. Tucker Smith, who joined the Broadway production several months into its run, played Diesel, renamed Ice for the film. David Winters, the first stage Baby John, played A-Rab, Eliot Feld, an ensemble member and understudy for Baby John on Broadway, played Baby John. Jay Norman, Juano on stage, appeared as Pepe. Reprising their stage roles in the film were Carole D'Andrea as Velma, Tommy Abott as Gee - Tar, and William Bramley as Officer Krupke. Elvis Presley was approached for Tony, but his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, strongly believed the role to be wrong for Elvis and made him decline in favor of other movie musicals. According to legend, the Colonel did n't want Elvis associated with gang warfare and knife crime, although three years earlier, Elvis ' character Danny Fisher stabbed and killed the small - time gangster ' Shark ' played by Vic Morrow in the movie King Creole. When the movie became a hit and earned 10 Oscars, Elvis regretted having given up the part. Others who auditioned for the part included Warren Beatty, Tab Hunter, Anthony Perkins, Russ Tamblyn, Burt Reynolds, Troy Donahue, Bobby Darin, Richard Chamberlain, Dennis Hopper, and Gary Lockwood. Bobby Darin made a strong impression on the producers at his audition and was, at one point, in talks for the role. However, he turned it down due to his concert and recording commitments. Tab Hunter, then 30, and Burt Reynolds, nearly 26, were also considered, due to their Broadway and singing credits, but they were dismissed because of their age. Richard Chamberlain was also thought too old at age 26. The producers settled on their `` final five '' : Warren Beatty, Anthony Perkins, Russ Tamblyn, Troy Donahue, and Richard Beymer. Although he was 28 before filming began, Perkins ' boyish looks and Broadway resume seemed to make him a contender for the role, and he was trying to avoid getting typecast after the success of Psycho. Robert Wise originally chose Beatty for the role, figuring that youth was more important than experience. Ultimately, Beymer, the most unlikely of the candidates, won the part of Tony. Tamblyn, after several callbacks, impressed the producers and was given the role of Riff. Natalie Wood was filming Splendor in the Grass with Warren Beatty and was romantically involved with him off - screen. The producers were considering her for the role of Maria. When Beatty went to screen test for the role of Tony, Wood read opposite him as Maria as a favor because she had been practicing with him. The producers fell in love with the idea of Wood as Maria but did not cast Beatty. Jill St. John, Audrey Hepburn, Diane Baker, Valerie Harper, Elizabeth Ashley, and Suzanne Pleshette were among the many actresses who lobbied for the role of Maria in the film. However, Hepburn later withdrew because she became pregnant. Differences from the stage show This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2016 ) It is Baby John who is attacked and has his ear stabbed by Sharks. In the stage show, it 's A-Rab. David Winters played Baby John on stage and he played A-Rab in the film. Both times he avoided getting attacked by Bernardo. `` Tonight '' takes place immediately after the dance in the stage show. In the film it was moved to follow `` America ''. The Sharks sing `` America '' along with the Shark Girls in the film, while it 's only the Shark Girls on stage. Anita and Rosalia sing it on stage, while Bernardo takes Rosalia 's place in the film. Therefore, the majority of the song 's lyrics are changed in the film. In the film `` Gee, Officer Krupke '' takes place before `` Cool '' and is sung by Riff instead of Action, and `` Cool '' is sung by Ice. On stage the songs are reversed. `` Cool '' comes first and sung by Riff, while `` Gee, Officer Krupke '' is sung by Action. During the Quintet, Riff sings to Tony. In the film, he sings to Ice. On stage, Action takes over as leader when Riff is killed. In the film, Ice takes over. On stage, Velma is Riff 's girl and Graziella is Diesel 's girl. In the film, Graziella is Riff 's girl and Velma is Ice 's girl. Riff 's lieutenant from the stage production is named Diesel ; he was renamed Ice for the film ( The original book, however, indicates two of the Jets are named Diesel and Ice ). Three of the Sharks from the stage... Anxious, Nibbles and Moose... are renamed Loco, Rocco and Del Campo for the film. On stage, there are 11 Jets ( including Tony ) and 10 Sharks. The film has 12 Jets and 11 Sharks with the additions of Joyboy and Chile, respectively Reception West Side Story holds a 94 % `` Certified fresh '' rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 62 reviews for an average rating of 8.3 / 10 ; the site 's critical consensus states : `` Buoyed by Robert Wise 's dazzling direction, Leonard Bernstein 's score, and Stephen Sondheim 's lyrics, West Side Story remains perhaps the most iconic of all the Shakespeare adaptations to visit the big screen. '' Box Office The film earned $19,645,000 in North American rentals. Because of profit participation, United Artists earned a profit of $2.5 million on the film. Accolades and honors Its ten Academy Awards make it the musical film with the most Academy wins, including Best Picture. Three other films ( Ben - Hur, Titanic and The Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King ) won 11 Oscars, but they were not musical films. Academy Awards Awards Academy Award for Best Picture -- Robert Wise, producer Academy Award for Best Director -- Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor -- George Chakiris Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Rita Moreno Academy Award for Best Art Direction -- Set Decoration ( Color ) -- Victor A. Gangelin and Boris Leven Academy Award for Best Cinematography ( Color ) -- Daniel L. Fapp Academy Award for Best Costume Design ( Color ) -- Irene Sharaff Academy Award for Best Film Editing -- Thomas Stanford Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture -- Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Irwin Kostal, and Sid Ramin Academy Award for Best Sound -- Fred Hynes ( Todd - AO SSD ), and Gordon E. Sawyer ( Samuel Goldwyn SSD ) Nominations Academy Award for Best Writing ( Adapted Screenplay ) -- Ernest Lehman Others Academy Award for Brilliant Achievements in the Art of Choreography on Film -- Jerome Robbins American Film Institute lists : AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Movies -- # 41 AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Passions -- # 3 AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Songs : `` Somewhere '' -- # 20 `` America '' -- # 35 `` Tonight '' -- # 59 AFI 's Greatest Movie Musicals -- # 2 AFI 's 100 Years... 100 Movies ( 10th Anniversary Edition ) -- # 51 The film 's cast appeared and was honored at the 50th anniversary of West Side Story at the 2011 Ventura Film Festival. Score and soundtrack Leonard Bernstein was displeased with the orchestrations for the movie, which was the work of Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal, who had orchestrated the original Broadway production. That show had been orchestrated for roughly 30 musicians ; for the movie, United Artists allowed them triple that, including six saxophone parts, eight trumpets, five pianos and five xylophones. Bernstein found it `` overbearing and lacking in texture and subtlety. '' Stephen Sondheim, who did not like the arrangement of the songs in the Broadway version, had the song `` Gee, Officer Krupke '' being sung before the Rumble in place of the song `` Cool '' which is sung instead after the Rumble ; the song `` I Feel Pretty '' is also sung before the Rumble instead of after. In addition, the song `` America '' was sung in - between the two love songs `` Maria '' and `` Tonight '', instead of having the two love songs being sung consecutively. The `` Somewhere '' Ballet was omitted, because it slowed down the pace of the film, and was sung instead by Tony and Maria. Reprises of the lyrics were omitted as well, especially in the songs `` One Hand, One Heart '' and `` A Boy Like That ''. Some lyrics were changed in order to avoid censorship, especially in the songs `` Jet Song, '' `` Gee, Officer Krupke '', `` America '' and the `` Tonight Quintet. '' Even the phrase `` Womb to Tomb, Sperm to Worm '' between Riff and Tony had to be replaced with `` Womb to Tomb, Birth to Earth '' between Riff and Tony near the beginning of the film and `` One - Two - Three, One - Two - Three '' between Riff and Diesel in the Quintet. As provided in her contract, Wood prerecorded her songs and allowed the production team to decide whether to use her voice or not. She found the songs challenging, but was allowed to film her scenes lip - synching to her own vocals and was led to believe that these versions would be used, although music supervisors Saul Chaplin and Johnny Green had already decided to use Marni Nixon 's voice. Wood 's singing voice is only heard during the reprise of the song `` Somewhere '' when Tony dies. Though Nixon had recorded the songs in the same orchestra sessions as Wood, she had to re-record them to synch with Wood 's filmed performances. Even the one song for which Wood had lip - synched to Nixon 's voice, `` One Hand, One Heart '', had to be recorded again because Wood 's lip - synching was unsatisfactory. When Marni Nixon learned that she had not signed a contract for participating in the recording and demanded a percentage of the LP record, she was told that all percentages had been allocated. Bernstein gave her 0.25 % of his album royalties. This set a precedent for all future `` ghost singers ''. Beymer 's vocals were performed by Jimmy Bryant. Tucker Smith, who played Ice, dubbed the singing voice of Riff in `` Jet Song '', instead of Russ Tamblyn. Tamblyn 's own voice was used in `` Gee, Officer Krupke '' and the `` Quintet ''. Rita Moreno was dubbed by Betty Wand in the song `` A Boy Like That '' because the song needed to be performed at a register that was too low for her. However, Moreno sang her own vocals in `` America ''. Marni Nixon sang some of Moreno 's parts in the `` Quintet '' when illness prevented Moreno from doing so. Wand was also ill on the day of final recording, and so Nixon recorded Anita 's vocal line as well. For the 50th anniversary of the film 's 1961 release, a score closer to the Broadway version was created by Garth Edwin Sunderland of the Leonard Bernstein Office to be performed live at screenings of the movie with the score removed, but with the original vocals maintained. The score 's New York City premiere was presented at Lincoln Center 's Avery Fisher Hall, built atop the original film locations, which were razed in a late 1950s urban renewal project. The Stan Kenton Orchestra recorded Kenton 's West Side Story, an entire album of Johnny Richards ' jazz orchestrations based on the Bernstein scores in 1961. It was previewed at Capitol Records by the producers of the motion picture during the editing and mix down who lamented that, had they known of its existence, it would have been used as the musical foundation of the new film. The Kenton version won the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Recording by a Large Group. A still picture from the movie is the front cover of the Kenton LP. Remakes and legacy The 2000 Bollywood film Josh is a loose adaptation of West Side Story. In 2014, director Steven Spielberg has expressed interest in directing a remake of the film. In 2009, photographer Mark Seliger re-created scenes from the film for magazine Vanity Fair called West Side Story Revisited, using Camilla Belle as Maria, Ben Barnes as Tony, Jennifer Lopez as Anita, Rodrigo Santoro as Bernardo and Chris Evans as Riff. Portraying the Sharks are Minka Kelly, Jay Hernandez, Natalie Martinez, Brandon T. Jackson and Melonie Diaz. Portraying the Jets are Ashley Tisdale, Sean Faris, Robert Pattinson, Cam Gigandet, Trilby Glover, Brittany Snow and Drake Bell. See also List of American films of 1961 References Jump up ^ `` West Side Story ( AA ) ''. British Board of Film Classification. January 12, 1962. Retrieved June 19, 2013. ^ Jump up to : Berson, Misha ( 2011 ). Something 's Coming, Something Good : West Side Story and the American Imagination. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 155. Jump up ^ `` David Winters Tribute Site ''. Davidwinters.net. 2003 - 04 - 01. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 14. Jump up ^ www.elvisechoesofthepast.com Jump up ^ West Side Story at Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved July 19, 2014 Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database Jump up ^ Tino Balio, United Artists : The Company That Changed the Film Industry, Uni of Wisconsin Press, 1987, p. 177 Jump up ^ Grant, Barry Keith ( 2012 ). The Hollywood Film Musical. Wiley - Blackwell. p. 100. Jump up ^ `` West Side Story ( 1961 ) -- Awards ''. The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2008. Jump up ^ `` The 34th Academy Awards ( 1962 ) Nominees and Winners ''. oscars.org. Retrieved 2011 - 08 - 22. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ West Side Story 50th Anniversary at the Ventura Film Festival ^ Jump up to : Wakin, Daniel ( September 6, 2011 ), `` Classic Score by Bernstein is Remade '', The New York Times, retrieved September 7, 2011 Jump up ^ West Side Story -- `` Something 's Coming, '' YouTube Jump up ^ Nixon, Marni ( 2006 ). I Could Have Sung All Night : My Story. Billboard Books. pp. 132ff. Jump up ^ Secret Voices of Hollywood. BBC4. 3 Jan 2014 Jump up ^ `` Path of Discovery : West Side Story at 50 '', Justin M. Craig, September 27, 2011, leonardbernstein.com Jump up ^ Sarah Waxman, `` The History of the Upper West Side '', ny.com Jump up ^ Nemiroff, Perri ( 2014 - 08 - 08 ). `` West Side Story Remake Is Still on Steven Spielberg 's Mind ''. Collider.com. Retrieved 2016 - 06 - 01. Jump up ^ Seliger, Mark ( March 17, 2009 ). `` West Side Story Revisited ''. Vanity Fair. Retrieved July 18, 2010. 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( 1958 ) Odds Against Tomorrow ( 1959 ) West Side Story ( 1961 ) Two for the Seesaw ( 1962 ) The Haunting ( 1963 ) The Sound of Music ( 1965 ) The Sand Pebbles ( 1966 ) Star ! ( 1968 ) The Andromeda Strain ( 1971 ) Two People ( 1973 ) The Hindenburg ( 1975 ) Audrey Rose ( 1977 ) Star Trek : The Motion Picture ( 1979 ) Rooftops ( 1989 ) William Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet Characters Romeo Juliet Mercutio Tybalt Benvolio Friar Laurence Nurse Paris Rosaline Queen Mab Atomy Sources The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet Pyramus and Thisbe Palace of Pleasure Troilus and Criseyde Ballets Romeo and Juliet ( 1938, Prokofiev ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1962, Cranko ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1965, MacMillan ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1977, Nureyev ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1965, Lavery ) Radio and Juliet ( 2005 ) Romeo + Juliet ( 2007, Martins ) Romeo and Juliet ( 2008, Pastor ) Operas Romeo und Julie ( 1776, Benda ) Giulietta e Romeo ( 1796, Zingarelli ) Giulietta e Romeo ( 1825, Vaccai ) I Capuleti ei Montecchi ( 1830, Bellini ) Gloria ( 1874, Cilea ) Roméo et Juliette ( 1867, Gounod ) A Village Romeo and Juliet ( 1907, Delius ) Romeo und Julia ( 1940, Sutermeister ) Musicals The Belle of Mayfair ( 1906 ) West Side Story ( 1957 ) Once on This Island ( 1990 ) Roméo et Juliette, de la Haine à l'Amour ( 2001 ) Giulietta e Romeo ( 2007 ) Classical Beethoven 's String Quartet No. 1 ( c. 1800 ) Roméo et Juliette ( 1839, Berlioz ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1870, Tchaikovsky ) On screen 1900 1908 1916 Metro Pictures 1916 Fox 1936 1953 1954 1955 1968 1978 ( TV ) 1992 ( TV ) 2006 2007 2013 Film adaptations English Beneath the 12 - Mile Reef ( 1953 ) Romanoff and Juliet ( 1961 ) West Side Story ( 1961 ) Gonks Go Beat ( 1965 ) Lonesome Cowboys ( 1968 ) The Secret Sex Lives of Romeo and Juliet ( 1969 ) Romie - 0 and Julie - 8 ( TV ; 1979 ) The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet ( 1982 ) Valley Girl ( 1983 ) Bullies ( 1986 ) China Girl ( 1987 ) Romeo. Juliet ( 1990 ) Tromeo and Juliet ( 1996 ) Love Is All There Is ( 1996 ) Rose by Any Other Name... ( 1997 ) The Lion King II : Simba 's Pride ( 1998 ) Shakespeare in Love ( 1998 ) The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns ( 1999 ) Romeo Must Die ( 2000 ) Brooklyn Babylon ( 2001 ) Pizza My Heart ( TV ; 2005 ) West Bank Story ( 2005 ) Life and Lyrics ( 2006 ) Romeo & Juliet : Sealed with a Kiss ( 2006 ) Rome & Jewel ( 2006 ) David & Fatima ( 2008 ) The Cross Road ( 2008 ) Vicious Circle ( 2008 ) Gnomeo & Juliet ( 2011 ) Private Romeo ( 2011 ) Warm Bodies ( 2013 ) Make Your Move ( 2013 ) Romeo & Juliet ( 2013 ) Gnomeo & Juliet : Sherlock Gnomes ( 2018 ) Foreign Ambikapathy ( Tamil 1937 ) Romeo and Juliet ( Spanish 1940 ) Les amants de Vérone ( French 1949 ) Romeo, Juliet and Darkness ( Czech 1960 ) Los Tarantos ( Spanish 1963 ) Fury of Johnny Kid ( Italian 1967 ) Ma che musica maestro ( Italian 1971 ) Maro Charitra ( Telugu 1978 ) Mônica e Cebolinha : No Mundo de Romeu e Julieta ( Portuguese 1979 ) Ek Duuje Ke Liye ( Hindi 1981 ) The Sea Prince and the Fire Child ( Japanese 1981 ) Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak ( Hindi 1988 ) Saudagar ( Hindi 1991 ) The Phantom Lover ( Mandarin 1995 ) 30 : e november ( Swedish / Spanish 1995 ) Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi ( Telugu 1996 ) Chicken Rice War ( Cantonese / English 2000 ) Kalisundam Raa ( Telugu 2000 ) Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein ( Hindi 2002 ) Bollywood Queen ( English / Hindi 2002 ) Amar te duele ( Spanish 2002 ) Ondagona Baa ( Kannada 2003 ) Mamay ( Ukrainian 2003 ) The District ! ( Hungarian 2004 ) O Casamento de Romeu e Julieta ( Portuguese 2005 ) In Fair Palestine : A Story of Romeo and Juliet ( 2006 ) The Bubble ( Hebrew / Arabic 2006 ) Maro Charitra ( Telugu 2010 ) Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram - Leela ( Hindi 2013 ) Issaq ( Hindi 2013 ) Priyatama ( Marathi 2014 ) Arshinagar ( Bengali 2015 ) TV series Sons and Daughters ( 1982 ) Family and Friends ( 1990 ) Villa Quintana ( 1995 ) Yo amo a Paquita Gallego ( 1998 ) Skin ( 2003 ) A Touch Away ( 2006 ) Dangerous ( 2007 ) Romeo × Juliet ( 2007 ) Romeo y Julieta ( 2007 ) Saints & Sinners ( 2007 ) Harina de otro costal ( 2010 ) Villa Quintana ( 2013 ) Westside ( 2013 pilot ) Star - Crossed ( 2014 ) Still Star - Crossed ( 2017 ) Plays Romanoff and Juliet ( 1956 ) Romeo and Juliet ( 2013 ) Songs Lan và Điệp ( 1930s ) `` Montagues and Capulets '' ( 1935 ) `` Fever '' ( 1956 ) Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) `` ( Do n't Fear ) The Reaper '' ( 1976 ) `` Angelo '' ( 1978 ) `` Romeo and Juliet '' ( 1978 ) `` Romeo and Juliet '' ( 1981 ) `` Cherish '' ( 1989 ) `` Amor Prohibido '' ( 1994 ) `` Kissing You '' ( 1996 ) `` Exit Music '' ( 1997 ) `` Romeo and Juliet '' ( 1998 ) `` Starcrossed '' ( 2004 ) `` Peut - être toi '' ( 2006 ) `` Mademoiselle Juliette '' ( 2007 ) `` Love Story '' ( 2008 ) `` Love Me Again '' ( 2013 ) Albums Romeo and Juliet ( 1968 ) Romeo + Juliet ( 1996 ) Romeo & Julia ( 2006 ) Tragic Lovers ( 2008 ) Literature Les Chouans The Wandering Jew ( 1844 ) The Stolen Dormouse ( 1941 ) The Faraway Lurs ( 1963 ) Romiette and Julio ( 2001 ) New Moon ( 2006 ) Warm Bodies ( 2010 ) Art Romeo and Juliet : the Tomb Scene ( 1790 ) Romeo and Juliet ( 1978 ) Phrases `` Star - crossed '' `` A rose by any other name would smell as sweet '' Story within a story Nicholas Nickleby 1912 film 1947 film 1980 play 2001 film 2002 film The Picture of Dorian Gray 1910 film 1913 film 1915 film 1916 film 1917 film 1918 film 1945 film 1976 TV special 2009 film Harlequinade W Juliet `` Nothing Broken but My Heart '' Panic Button Bare : A Pop Opera `` '' Into the Light '' Bolji život The Sky Is Everywhere Pay as You Exit The White Mercedes She Died a Lady `` Moonshine River '' Rendez - vous Fame `` I Am Unicorn '' The Frog Prince Molly Smart Girls Get What They Want Tumbleweeds `` The Thief of Baghead '' The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke Prince Charming Km. 0 Phileine Says Sorry Hamateur Night `` Say You 'll Be Mine '' Into the Gauntlet Wandering Son K - On ! Foreign stories Adam Khan and Durkhanai Tum Teav Yusuf Khan and Sherbano Solomon & Gaenor Butterfly Lovers Hani and Sheh Mureed Lục Vân Tiên film Teav Aek Layla and Majnun Lovers of Teruel film Lord Saltoun and Auchanachie Ishaqzaade Other Such Tweet Sorrow Romeo and Juliet effect After Juliet `` Upper West Side Story '' ( 2012 ) Millennium Dome Show Inge Sylten and Heinz Drosihn Boys Do n't Cry My Wedding and Other Secrets Donkey in Lahore Upside Down Letters to Juliet Book : Romeo and Juliet Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim 's West Side Story ( 1957 ) Characters Maria Inspiration William Shakespeare 's Romeo and Juliet Adaptations West Side Story ( 1961 film ) West Side Story Suite ( 1995 ballet ) Variations Deaf Side Story ( c. 2002 musical ) Swango ( 2002 musical ) West Bank Story ( 2005 parody film ) Boogie Town ( 2012 film ) Songs Act 1 `` Something 's Coming '' `` Maria '' `` Tonight '' `` America '' `` Cool '' `` One Hand, One Heart '' `` Tonight ( Quintet & Chorus ) '' Act 2 `` I Feel Pretty '' `` Somewhere '' `` A Boy Like That '' Albums West Side Story ( 1957 original cast ) West Side Story ( 1959 Previn ) West Side Story ( 1961 soundtrack ) West Side Story ( 1961 Tjader ) Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein ( 1961 Brubeck Quartet ) West Side Story ( 1962 Peterson Trio ) Kenton 's West Side Story ( 1962 Kenton ) Toshiko -- Mariano Quartet ( in West Side ) ( 1963 Akiyoshi ) West Side Story ( 1974 Earl Hines ) Related `` The First Time '' `` Upper West Side Story '' Wild Side Story China Girl `` Roses '' Play It Again Josh Superjail ! New York City portal Dance portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=West_Side_Story_(film)&oldid=807224348 '' Categories : 1961 films English - language films 1960s musical films 1960s romantic drama films American films American dance films American musical drama films American romantic musical films American teen musical films Films directed by Robert Wise Best Musical or Comedy Picture Golden Globe winners Best Picture Academy Award winners Films about race and ethnicity Films based on musicals Films based on Romeo and Juliet Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award - winning performance Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe winning performance Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award - winning performance Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe - winning performance Films set in 1957 Films set in New York City Films shot in New York City Films that won the Best Costume Design Academy Award Films that won the Best Original Score Academy Award Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award Films whose art director won the Best Art Direction Academy Award Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography Academy Award Films whose editor won the Best Film Editing Academy Award American gang films Films about interracial romance Historical romance films Modern adaptations of works by William Shakespeare United States National Film Registry films United Artists films American romantic drama films Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from July 2014 Articles that may contain original research from April 2011 All articles that may contain original research Articles needing additional references from July 2016 All articles needing additional references Official website different in Wikidata and Wikipedia Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Asturianu বাংলা Български Bosanski Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית Magyar Македонски मराठी Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska தமிழ் Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 26 October 2017, at 18 : 00. 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Question: when did west side story movie come out
Answer: October 18, 1961