West Side Story (2021)

DVD CASE/ SIDE

Length of film: 156 Minutes

Rated: 12

Genre: Musical, Romance, Drama

Director: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Brian d’Arcy James

IMDB Rank: 7.1 /10

Part 1 Time:   106 Minutes

Part 2 Time:   50 Minutes

***Although the film does not include an official intermission, a good intermission point would be at the end of Act 1 (after the Rumble) similar to the original Broadway production.

Where does the first part end? The police descend on the aftermath of the brawl, where the bodies of Riff (Mike Faist) and Bernardo (David Alvarez) are.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: Anybodys (Iris Menas) shouts, “Tony, come on!”

First line of dialogue on the second part: At the Gimbels department store Maria (Rachel Zegler), Rosalia (Ana Isabelle), clean the sales floor. Rosalia speaks; “We’re gonna get apartments in the new buildings. Right where we live now.”

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Jarring, as the tension is at an all time high as both sides suffer causalities during the Rumble. Maria is unaware of the Rumble and still believes that her and Tony’s relationship can overcome the hatred between the Jets and Sharks.

Which part is better? Part one is memorable as it includes various musical scores (i.e., Jet Song, Dance at the Gym, and America) as well as the Rumble. Part two offers many strong dramatic performances, as the tension steadily increases due to the aftermath of the Rumble. Part two is given a slight edge as the finale of the film brings forth the tragic conclusion, which is quite memorable.

Academy Awards: 2022- Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose- Winner), Best Picture (Nominated), Best Production Design (Nominated), Best Sound (Nominated), Best Costume Design (Nominated), Best Cinematography (Nominated) Best Director (Nominated)

Other Awards: 2022 BAFTA- Best Supporting Actress (Ariana DeBose- Winner), Best Supporting Actor (Mike Faist- Nominated), Best Casting (Nominated), Best Production Design (Nominated), Best Sound (Nominated); 2022 Golden Globes- Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Winner), Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Rachel Zegler- Winner), Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Ariana DeBose- Winner), Best Director Motion Picture (Nominated)