West Side Story

Synopsis
Steven Spielberg’s period film adaptation, set in the 1950s, of the stage musical by Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim and Jerome Robbins that was inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The cast includes Ansel Elgort as Tony, Rachel Zegler as Maria, Ariana DeBose as Anita, David Alvarez as Bernardo, Corey Stoll as Lieutenant Schrank and Brian d’Arcy James as Sergeant Krupke.
Language
English (United States)
Country
United States
Medium
Film
Technical information
Colour / Sound
Year of release
2021
Duration
156 mins

Credits

Director
Steven Spielberg
Cinematographer
Janusz Kaminski
Writer
Arthur Laurents
Screenplay
Tony Kushner
Music
Leonard Bernstein
Production Design
Adam Stockhausen
Contributor
Jerome Robbins; Stephen Sondheim
Cast
Ansel ElgortTony (Romeo)
Rachel ZeglerMaria (Juliet)
Mike FaistRiff (Mercutio)
Rita MorenoValentina (Friar Laurence)
Ariana DeBoseAnita (Nurse)
Corey StollLieutenant Schrank (Escalus, Prince of Verona)
David AlvarezBernardo (Tybalt)
Josh Andrés RiveraChino (Paris)
Sean Harrison JonesAction (Benvolio)

Additional Details

Production type
Operas and Musicals
Historical period
1950s
Plays
Romeo and Juliet
Subjects
Drama; Music; Shakespeare
Keywords
Shakespeare, William (1564-1616)
Related items
Leonard Bernstein Conducts’West Side Story’
Making of West Side Story, The
Place for Us: Fifty Years of West Side Story, A
Tonight Tonight, It’s West Side Story Night
West Side Story

Notes

Notes
Budget c$100,000,000. Released in cinemas by Fox in the USA and by Disney in most other territories.
General
Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 film version, plays a new character, Valentina, based on the drugstore owner Doc from the original musical, a rough equivalent of Shakespeare’s Friar Laurence and the apothecary from the play.
History
Originally due to be released in cinemas in late 2020, this was pushed back to December 2021 due to the Covid pandemic.

Production Company

Name

20th Century Fox

Name

Amblin Entertainment

How to cite this record

Shakespeare, "West Side Story". https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/shakespeare/search/index.php/title/av79143 (Accessed 25 Nov 2024)