Steven Spielberg's WEST SIDE STORY - News & Discussion Thread — Page 43

SpiritualGangster said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "SpiritualGangster said: "I Feel Pretty” in the original 1957 Broadway production took place in Maria’s bedroom - in the 1961 film it was changed to the bridal shop."



Thank you BrodyFosse123. Act 2, Scene 1 - An apartment. A bedroom and part of a parlor. The bedroom has a window opening on to the fire escape, a bed, a small shrine to the Virgin on a wall, and a curtained doorway, rear. There is a workable door between bedroom and the parlor, which has some furniture.

"I Feel Pretty"

1957 - Maria's bedroom

1961 film - Madam Lucia's Bridal Shop

2021 film - Gimbel's department store"

I'm glad Gimbel's is being brought into the story as a setting

Placement aside, the change in location from the stage to original movie location (ie, Maria's Bedroom vs. the Bridal Shop) may reflect the difference between stage and screen. Staging it in Maria's bedroom avoided the need for an additional set for the Bridal Shop. However, it actually makes a bit more sense for it not to be happening in her bedroom- if her parents "are very strict with [Maria]", as she says in the dialogue during "Tonight," she's not going to want to be telling her friends about an upcoming date- non-Puerto Rican or otherwise- where her parents may hear about it.

SpiritualGangster said:


“America”, by the looks of it isn’t anything like the 1957 Broadway song structure, and “I Feel Pretty” in the original Broadway production took place in Maria’s bedroom - in the 1961 film it was changed to the bridal shop."

Oops you’re right! Sorry! I meant structure as in “America” taking place after “Tonight” instead of before like in the ‘61 film.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the 1961 film adaptation

saxpower said: "Placement aside, the change in location from the stage to original movielocation (ie, Maria's Bedroom vs. the Bridal Shop) may reflect the difference between stage and screen. Staging it in Maria's bedroom avoided the need for an additional set for the Bridal Shop. However, it actually makes a bit more sense for it not to be happening in her bedroom- if her parents "are very strict with [Maria]", as she says in the dialogue during "Tonight," she's not going to want to be telling her friends about an upcoming date- non-Puerto Rican or otherwise- where her parents may hear about it."

The bridal shop exists in the original stage version as in the movie. In both, that is where "One Hand, One Heart" takes place. It's just that "I Feel Pretty" takes place on stage after the knife fight and the movie moved it to the same scene as "One Hand, One Heart."

Happy 60th anniversary to "West Side Story"!! This is also the 60th anniversary of "Splendor in the Grass" both of these films, released only a week apart cemented Natalie Wood's legendary status. Her reviews for both were glowing and she received her second Oscar nomination for "Splendor".



The Hollywood Reporter:

With West Side Story coming just after Splendor in the Grass, Natalie Wood sets herself firmly as the most important young star of the time and moves herself into the powerful league of some of her elders. Although her singing voice is dubbed (Marni Nixon), it is Miss Wood’s personality and her intrinsic ability that are important and her special and unique qualities have never been at higher pitch.



The New York Times:

Natalie Wood is full of luster and charm as the nubile Puerto Rican who is poignantly drawn to him.

Variety:

Natalie Wood offers an entrancing performance as the Puerto Rican who falls in love with Richard Beymer....

New York Daily News:

Natalie Wood who was made a hit in the Kazan-Inge production of "Splendor In the Grass" and is the most promising young star of today, gives a fine dramatic performance in the tale that Carol Lawrence created on the stage. Her projection of gaiety. verve, impassioned love and sorrow, as the story progresses, gives depth and breadth to the character of Maria. Her dancing scenes, too, are done with graceful agility.

@BrodyFosse123: I love that rooftop dance sequence created especially for her by Jerome Robbins. It's not a complicated dance sequence but she handles it with such grace and style...she will always be my "Maria".

"

I stand corrected! Somehow I thought One Hand One Hart was elsewhere. Admittedly, orignally production was a bit before my time- only professional version I've seen (my High School did it, but our music director tended to change things and we were pretty much limited to one set per production, making it look like whatever was needed for a scene) is a tour of the 2009 revival. That'll teach me to make assumptions.

CarlosAlberto said: "@BrodyFosse123: I love that rooftop dance sequence created especially for her by Jerome Robbins. It's not a complicated dance sequence but she handles it with such grace and style...she will always be my "Maria".""





Agree about the dance. I think it works much better at that point in the story than "I Feel Pretty."

saxpower said: "I stand corrected! Somehow I thought One Hand One Hart was elsewhere. Admittedly, orignally production was a bit before my time- only professional version I've seen (my High School did it, but our music director tended to change things and we were pretty much limited to one set per production, making it look like whatever was needed for a scene) is a tour of the 2009 revival. That'll teach me to make assumptions."

It's no big deal. I hope I didn't come across as scolding.

When I saw a very good production of My Fair Lady (with Ian Richardson, who was a superb Higgins) in Houston in the early 90's, as far as I can remember, they didn't include the scene at the ball. Act 1 ended with them leaving the townhouse for the ball, Act 2 started with their return. When I first saw the movie afterwards, I was bugged that they "added" a scene at the even, and thought that was absurdly literal. Of course, it had always been part of the show, just not the production I'd seen.

CarlosAlberto said: "Globefan said: "If Natalie Wood was still alive, I'd want to hope she'd pass the torch to Rachel"

That's a really beautiful sentiment. I wish she was alive as well to do so."

If Carol Lawrence is at the premiere, I want to see a photo of her and Rachel in a big embrace, passing the torch. I guess I'm just really sentimental.

I guess when they mean Shakespearian, they mean simple and complex running at the same time for the story and characters. When it comes to the musical it most certainly fits the bill; but judging from what we've seen and heard so far, Tony Kushner is going for a different approach with the dialogue and the characters than what Arthur Laurents and Ernest Lehman did before.