Description

This brilliant (The New Republic) film sets the
ageless story of Romeo and Juliet against a
backdrop of gang warfare in 1950s New York.
Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and
scripted by Ernest Lehman, the film combines
Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s
unforgettable score ( Maria, America, ‘somewhere,
‘tonight ) with Robbins own exuberant choreography
to achieve an exhilarating work of art (Saturday
Review). A love affair is fated for tragedy amidst
the vicious rivalry of two street gangsthe Jets
and the Sharks. When Jets member Tony
(RichardBeymer) falls for Maria (Natalie Wood),
the sister of the Sharks leader, it’s more than
these two warring gangs can handle. And as
mounting tensions rise, a battle to the death
ensues, and innocent blood is shed in a
heartbreaking finale.