Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins from Ernest Lehman's screenplay, the film combines the unforgettable score of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim with Robbins' exuberant choreography to create a transcendent fusion of realism and fantasy that will forever be a feast for the eye, the ear, and ultimately, the heart. A triumph on every level, this electrifying musical sets the ageless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet against a backdrop of gang warfare in the slums of 1950's New York.
Directed by
Jerome Robbins; Robert Wise.
Written by
Jerome Robbins (conception); Arthur Laurents (play); Ernest Lehman (screenplay); William Shakespeare (play "Romeo and Juliet") (uncredited).
Starring
Natalie Wood (Maria); Richard Beymer (Tony); Russ Tamblyn (Riff); Rita Moreno (Anita); George Chakiris (Bernardo); Simon Oakland (Lieutenant Schrank); Ned Glass (Doc); William Bramley (Officer Krupke); Tucker Smith (Ice); Tony Mordente (Action); David Winters (A-rab); Eliot Feld (Baby John); Bert Michaels (Snowboy); David Bean (Tiger); Robert Banas (Joyboy). Please contact SFC to add other cast members and characters.
Important: the following essays and comments are authored by Soul Food Cinema readers. Whilst the Editor prays for the spiritual integrity of all content of this site, it should be noted that these represent personal opinions and carry no official endorsement. If you consider any content to be a misrepresentation of Catholic teaching, please contact SFC. May God bless you and enlighten you in your reading.
-
Articles, Essays and Reviews
-
Please contact SFC if you are interested in submitting an essay on this film.
-
Readers' Comments and Opinions
-
Click the link to comment on this film. You may like to copy the film title and year (as given above) to your clipboard now for pasting into the following form.
