It's got a bitter ending, because it's a retelling of a Shakespearean tragedy. "For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo." Great reaction, Sammy!
Okay so the film won many Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for George Chakris as Bernando, Best Supporting Actress for Rita Moreno, Both Tony and Maria were dubbed over for their singing, The person in charge of the gym dance is John Astin who will be familiar to tv audiences as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family, Watching the opening of the film I realized Robert Wise opened this film the same way he would do for Sound of Music with aerial shots of the surrounding areas our story will take place, The film is supposed to be a modern for the time Romeo and Juliet story. Now my personal experience with this film I first saw in in November 2016 and didn't know going in that Tony would die so when the ending happened I cried and I cry watching the film every time,
- No surprise that this film swept all those awards ... it's truly one of a kind! - That dubbing was perfect! Couldn't even make out it wasn't their real voice 😅 - Can't wait to watch 'Sound of Music!' - Tony's death was crushing ... After all, we all wanted Tony and Maria to make it 😣
@@latenightswithsammy A couple of other facts I forgot to share is: One they had dark paint put on Rita Moreno to make her look darker and a majority of the people playing the Sharks were not even Puerto Rican like Rita (I don't know if any background ones were, but I know that Charkis wasn't), Also in the scene when the Jets are tormenting Anita in Docs place they had to apologize profusely to Rita because she started breaking down crying.
The Jets were immigrants as well. No more than a generation or two off, if that. So was Doc. They were just “white”. Or as Anita put it, “Your mother’s a Pole; your father’s a Swede, but you were born here. That’s all that you need. But us??? FOREIGNERS!!!” The irony being that Puerto Rico became a territory by then, so the Sharks were American before they showed up in New York.
Natalie Wood (here playing Maria) actually had an accent - a Russian one, her parents being Russian. Rita Moreno (here playing Anita) is a real Puerto Rican, but she has no accent. If you want to watch a more light-hearted musical with amazing musical numbers, I recommend "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". Russ Tamblyn's (here playing Riff) acrobatics will leave you speechless.
When Leonard Bernstein first started thinking about setting Romeo & Juliet as a modern musical he intended to title it "East Side Story," as at that time the Upper East Side was still very working class, with many blocks of poor tenements. By the time he had assembled the creative team and began work on the show the Upper East Side had changed to a more upscale neighborhood, so the play was renamed. Bernstein had difficulty getting people to take the idea of a Romeo & Juliet musical seriously. Several playwrights had turned down his request to write the book. Eventually he asked Arthur Laurents, who was intrigued by the idea and signed on to write the book. The movie was filmed on the Upper West Side of Manhattan among several blocks of tenement buildings which had been acquired by New York City under eminent domain. All the residents had been relocated so the streets were empty during filming. Shortly after filming wrapped demolition began to make way for the construction of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the Lincoln Square luxury apartments. Originally Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim were to share credit for the lyrics, but when reviewers ignored Sondheim Bernstein told Sondheim that he would have sole credit and the royalties that came with it. "In an unthinking moment he would always regret Sondheim replied, “Don’t be silly. I don’t care about the money,” and turned down the opportunity to split the 4% lyric royalties. Instead of receiving 2% of the lyric royalties, Sondheim thus retained his original 1%." Also, you should look into the impact of the score on the shape of Broadway musicals generally. It was a revolutionary departure from the traditional Broadway sound.
Keep in mind you are looking at this through modern eyes but this was written originally in 1957 and the movie was made in 1960. Things have changed a lot since then although some things never changed.
This was written in 1957 and the movie came out in 1961. Birth control pills didn't become popular until The mid-1960s so when Bernardo referenced Maria being the mother of six children in a few years, he was reflecting what commonly happened.
Hi. There was a soprano named Marni Nixon who was a successful musical theatre actress. She spent part of her career dubbing the singing in some of the big movie musicals. She “ghosted” for Natalie Wood in West Side, Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and more. She appeared on screen as Sister Sophia, singing with the nuns in The Sound of Music
On the off chance that you are unfamiliar with Shakespeare's play I suggest watching Franco Zeffirelli's brilliant 1968 production of _Romeo and Juliet,_ starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. It is remains the best filming of the play in its original setting, Verona in the late 16th century.
A fantastic reaction to that version was just done two weeks on a little known channel....definitely don't miss this one as she already knows the play well: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-599RlAcEkTc.html
The Sharks are Puerto Rican, and the Jets think they are moving in on their turf. This the rivalry. As someone mentioned it is based on Romeo and Juliet.
Interesting that you liked having music over the opening credits. Leonard Bernstein was a classically trained musician and may have borrowed from Opera, which always has a musical overture containing the main tunes/themes before the curtain is raised. on the action.
Little known fact Juilliard had inexpensive dance and singing classes only for local gangs of NYC in the 50s. (Joking of course, but me and my friends were riffing with this explanation on all the dancing/singing in the movie about gangs.) Fun Fact: Rita Moreno stated that her line reading of "Don't you touch me!" after the Jets attack Anita was her imitating Marlon Brando, her then-boyfriend. Brando noticed this at the film's premiere. Bonus Fact: The actors in the rival gangs were instructed to play pranks on each other off the set to keep tensions high. Bonus Fact: During the entire production, the actors wore out 200 pairs of shoes, applied more than 100lbs of make-up, split 27 pairs of pants and performed in 30 different recording sessions.
That's a funny joke 😂 - How incredible for Brando to notice his own influence 😆 - That's great directing .. kinda reminds me of Jared Leto's Joker preparation 😅 - Super understandable ... those performances look very physical 👌
LOL. Funny, but probably not far from the truth. Back in the 'old days' kids actually did learn basic ballroom dances as part of school/phys ed curricula.
Love that you know who Saul Bass is! Right on! You know he did credits in the 90s for Scorsese! Goodfellas, Cape Fear and Casino I think are all done by Saul Bass. (definitely Cape Fear and Goodfellas). So sorry I'm late to this reaction, I was out of town for a couple of weeks! 22:00 - Great observation. This whole reaction is filled with great observations, you've actually made me like this movie MORE than I already did. Robert Wise was the editor of "Citizen Kane"! (also directed "The Day The Earth Stood Still"!). Amazing, these old directors, they could do ANYTHING./ One of your trivia points was about how this album was a best-seller. You're definitely right; EVERYONE had that album in their house, be it the grandmother, mom, sister, or you yourself! You'd go into people's houses and that was one that most people had.
This is based on Romeo and Juliet (so it could have ended worse -lol). It is a ground breaking musical with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It lost the Tony award when it opened on Broadway to the "Music Man". Jerome Robbins choreography was also remarkable. Great reaction, as always!
Speaking of *The Music Man* (1962), that's another great movie Sammy ought to see. Just make sure you get the original version starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones.
PS: They were ALL immigrants. the irish, then the Italians were much maligned immigrant communities. They're all in poverty, and the Puerto Ricans are the newest immigrants in town, but the Irish and Italians were seen as immigrants and each experienced great prejudice (in fact, they passed laws to limit Italians coming in during the 20s)
I love Natalie Wood but she couldn’t sing and she wasn’t Hispanic. It would have been more authentic if she was Hispanic and COULD sing. Anita, played by Rita Moreno, sang her parts as well as Maria’s parts. Rita is one of the main characters who is still alive today. She’s in her 90s.
This movie was my introduction to musicals, when, in the late 1960s, watching it on TV was a homework assignments in elementary school. Not only was this my musical introduction, but it also introduced to the writings of William Shakespeare, as this is a retelling of "Romeo and Juliet." I've seen the remake of this movie. It is well done, but IMO, does not hold up to the original. It is worth a watch.
Robert Wise received two Oscars for this film : best film, best director. He received the same two Oscars for an other musical which had an ever bigger success… Can you guess ? … Yes, The Sound Of Music, three years later. I wish you’d comment this film for us, almost if you haven’t seen it before. Thanks from France 🇫🇷
Have a request for a movie first because you are delving into musicals ＆ second because this is Gay Pride Month. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. It's about 3 drag queens traveling across Australia in a pink bus that they christened Priscilla. The music isn't original but crosses a wide spectrum of music, classical, disco, 50's, ＆ Abba just to mention a few genres. It won an Oscar for best costumes ＆ they are unique ＆ eye catching. Love your reaction to this movie which is one of my favorites for all the aspects you pointed out ＆ have a question for you regarding it. Who was your favorite actor in this movie? Thank you for your excellent commentary on this near masterpiece of a movie.
I want you to know that this really does have a message behind it but before I do tell you this about the film that I would just let them just find it out and one of your voice it was due to the interference of Maria caused the death of Tony and Bernardo and Chris but you should know it’s been her fault and it’s also their own fault for allowing them personal prejudice you know from the full size of each jeans of the old modern New York and yes I mean that just a sex place in the lower west side of New York that is why it was known as New York and the slums of it that means it is a story from the west side and reverse from its own title as west side story but I do want to say is this now about what happened with the flight one I just got a find it out and get it all over with so I had to agree with them doing the fighting and now Martin any interference from the outside questioning that if you want to know what a rumble is and here it is for you It is a prearranged fight by the leaders and their warlords where it is acceptable to have weapons or fight with plane fish that makes you a man but it is a prearranged fight acceptable and the conditions of it to get rid of the turf that you’re funny for that’s what the Jets wanted to protect their side of The turf that the cops that’s trying to get them to get along with the other gang personal rivalries is never good but with the rumble it is a prearranged fight set down by its leaders I should know I have the movie and I seen the remake or it goes more story towards the west side story movies and there’s other movies to like China girl and Knights of the city and father Street game films this one is about a Romeo and Juliet set an alert west side of New York but ask for the two games is concerned they are fighting to protect your turf and the girls and the term for that is bopper you’re out to fight with the American side of things we have the jets and from Puerto Rico we get the sharks with Bernardo point of view of America was hoping to better themselves from their own native land which is in fact Puerto Rico and they supposed to be like Puerto Ricans entering American culture and not knowing any better than anything else and never learned about the culture of America and all that and they see only one thing freedom from oppression and that is all it was personal rivalries personal attention and pregn and personal privileges now because they are Puerto Ricans but they are a gang that is a threat to them you know with the Jets didn’t want them on their turf And the only way to take care of that is to have a prearranged fight a rumble it was acceptable for like weapons like that is the day would have you know like rocks bats clubs bottles chains garbage and all those things and it is a romantic sized toilet where they have a prearranged fight where it is acceptable for weapons or just plain skin that is why I rumble truly is not just that I also have my own game because of this movie and I was in a criminal Game either it’s a peaceful club game type deal where it is a game that rules out anything that goes with any violence whatsoever or the tag game or game related things that I left out the only part I do like how old is film is the brotherhood and protecting turf and whatever but I do respect games not because from fear I respect them because I just don’t because they deserve it back in those days they have like a zip line gun and there is not that used in this one And I started the refugees with my friends family to whatever else that I can use an alarm from that to over the years was other names and I came to the realization that I can go by as a name as being just a Crusaders or just somewhere to the resort name The names of us will be withheld but you can know who I am Robbie Anson you might see it in your camera box here but yeah and now getting to the message of the movie here is to say is this any kind of prejudice is wrong and they realize that because they finally realize it because they didn’t realize that the sister of Bernardo was it Yvette Maria who interfered with their affairs who causes their deaths but they weren’t listening to Anita she was causing more harm than being there at docs medicine store then doing good or something like that would happen to her so I don’t blame them for harassing her like that I wanna go to a place right I am not wanted but it’s a great said this movie is about overcoming a personal prejudice and it results really grim ending there’s other movies that fall on this movie and followed on the the classic film so I was able to say that I am here now and I am subscribe to you if you do take request I would like for you to do the new West side story it will give you a bit more backstory or give you more information about how the Jets got started and how they was reimagined by Steve Spielberg and most have seen the original movie give it a bit more of an upbeat film I have seen that movie crazy times myself and with the first time when Tony and Maria was introduced she does I’ll break kiss dumb and she’s like no I’m not gonna kiss you for a single kissing you yeah because description so how much I just got to do it I’m gonna do that kiss is kind of forced but there’s a little movie is fine with me but I would like to see you to do it first time movie watch of that version of West side story or it will give you a bit more of the story arc oh what would happen to New York before it fell into disarray or well you should know original Anitta owned that store to a quick little hint for that one but this time around it’s still a musical but it is more modernized saw that kids was forced I don’t really care because it’s still a great movie I do love the lights pretty cool and I am fine with it but other than that I hope that you get a chance to do A request because I know you don’t have a Patreon I know you don’t do records from just those that his supporters on Patreon or anything like that so I would like to request that you get that chance it to take my request on West side story first Time movie watch and I hope that you get to do that one I don’t know if you do it yet but I am requesting it here now for you so if you do want to have a shout out when you do it so other than that Be blessed and the grace of God
So yeah, given that this is a modern take on Romeo and Juliet, the situation could've gone far worse than it did. But yeah, this is one of my all time favorite musicals.
I would love to take the two leads in Spielberg's remake (Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler) and place them in *this* movie. The original film genuinely tries to transfer the stage show's ethos on to film (and even though it's not 100% successful it's such an exciting try that I forgive a lot of the rough spots). Spielberg's movie is much better "movie making" but it relies too much on the screenplay to provide the characters with backstories and characterizations that are meant to come out of the choreography and the music. Spielberg's is the better movie, but Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins' is the better WEST SIDE STORY (which isn't surprising given that Robbins conceived, directed and choreographed the original Broadway show). I'd love to see your reaction to the 2021 remake!
I wouldn't change anything in this movie. I think it's definitely better than Spielberg's. Speilberg's version has the Jets more closely alligned to the police, which removes the fact both sides suffer racism and are looked down on.
