In the slums of the upper West Side of Manhattan, tensions are high as a gang of Polish-Americans compete against a gang of recently immigrated Puerto Ricans, but this doesn't stop two romantics from each gang falling in love.
West Side Story is a beautifully-mounted, impressive, emotion-ridden and violent musical which, in its stark approach to a raging social problem and realism of unfoldment, may set a pattern for future musical presentations.
– Whitney Willaims,
Variety,
20 Feb 2013
fresh:
Decent 1961 adaptation of the Bernstein-Robbins musical, if you can handle Richard Beymer and Natalie Wood in the leads.
– Dave Kehr,
Chicago Reader,
9 Feb 2007
fresh:
How does the film -- which won ten Oscars on its 1961 release -- stand up now? Very well indeed.