West Side Story Movie

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 3:03am

Does it bother anyone else that the actors in this movie really aren't singing (or some of them, at least)? I know they need stars to fill seats in a movie theater, but couldn't they find some broadway stars?

[Guido Contini]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 3:24am

no I'm not bothered by it at all...I loved Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer.

[Che2be]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 4:26am

me neither, and this is an classic movie.

People didn't care if the person was singing or not in those days!

Robert

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:48am

doesn't REALLY bother me--besides, i'd rather have a good actor lip-synching than watch or in this case hear, a bad singer trying to croak out a song....Renee Z in Chicago leaps to mind...

[ProducerJeff]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:51am

It must not have bothered too many people.....after all, it probably is one of the (if not the) most successful Broadway-to-Hollywood projects out there......of course this is just my opinion.

[Glebb]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:55am

I love Natalie Wood a lot (especially in Gypsy), but her dancing is quite weak in WSS.
PS, I love the movie.

Updated On: 8/31/04 at 08:55 AM

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 8:58am

well, it was certainly successful, ProducerJeff, a boatload of Oscars, huge grosses, the fact we're still talking about it over 40 years later....

[timote316]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 9:46am

I'd rather have the actors singing, but, you know what, the WSS movie was great, a real classic. Its fine that way.

[Michael Strathmore]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 9:55am

You can hear Ms. Wood'd original singing voice when you watch the special DVD set that was released a while back.

It is a great way to enjoy the film all over again.

--M--

[CapnHook]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 10:06am

Doesn't bother me. All movie musicals are lip-synching, either to themselves, a family member, or another actor/singer.

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 10:56am

doesnt bother me at all. the movie rocks. although to be honest with u i cant get thru the prologue..something about gang members pirouetting in the middle of the 'hood doesnt seem right, other than that the movie is AMAZING.

[lildogs]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 12:57pm

yeah, marquise, they push that suspension of disbelief as far as it can go

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 1:10pm

My favorite movie of all-time...it doesn't bother me, either :) (even though I prefer the OBCR to the movie's soundtrack)

I love Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer was adorable and was just SUCH a lovable Tony.

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 1:12pm

You know what DOES bother me about the movie, though...when I first heard (I was about 11 when I heard this, so it was upsetting!) that Natalie and Richard didn't get along and she was always trying to get him fired.

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 2:33pm

LOL, that's not true. what is true is that she didn't get along with him for whatever reason, but i seriously doubt she tried to get him fired.

he just chalks it up to a strictly "professional relationship" and i've never heard him (beymer) say anything deragotary toward her.

[NativeNewYorker]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 2:40pm

Yeah, I don't think it was TOO bad, but in her latest biography, Richard was interviewed and said it was hard kissing her and telling her he loved her onscreen when there was so much tension :) and then he said he ran into her years later and she was really lovely to him.

I think word was that she wanted Warren Beatty to get the role? (Or was it Robert Wagner?) Whoever she was with at the moment.

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 2:43pm

im not sure but im pretty sure she was expecting someone other than Beymer, though i'm not exactly sure why....

she was still married to wagner, she started her relationship with beatty after WSS wrapped production, which is when her marriage to wagner fell apart.

[Che2be]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 3:20pm

That special edition two-disc set is AMAZING. There is a real neat behind the scenes part in the second disc. But nothing compares to seeing in on the big screen... -no I am not like 80 years old. A movie theatre by my house has "classics night" where they play a classic film once a month, and WSS was one of them one time... It was so great! I loved it! Robert

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 3:29pm

got to see it a couple of years ago at bryant park on the big screen...

[TEACHEROFTHEATER]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 3:56pm

I love the film of West Side Story and find the opening sequence particularly thrilling..........

the thing that has always bothered me about the film is Richard Beymer. I thought he was terribly feminine as Tony and seriously miscast.

I love the fact that Russ Tamblyn's (Riff, the leader of the Jets) daughter stars on tv as JOAN OF ARCADIA.

[tmz814]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 4:03pm

This is probably my favorite movie musical. I love WWS. Natalie Wood was ok and I don't love Richard Beymer as Tony, but I adore Ryss Tamblyn and Rita Moreno. I bought the special edition dvd a few months ago. What really bothers me is how Rita's voice was dubbed in "A Boy Like That". I wish she could've sung it herself. I think it would've been more emotional. I also didn't realize that Russ Tamblyn didn't sing "Whe Your a Jet". You can hear his original version singing the song on the dvd. I think he could've sung it, but I guess they were looking for something else.

I also love that Amber Tamblyn (Russ's daughter) is in Joan of Arcadia (she was also in General Hospital and the movie The Ring). She's very talented and it's cute to see her bring her father to the emmy's and other events. :)

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 4:08pm

i agree with teacher on beymer.... he was supposed to be this tough guy who had once led the jets and beymer played him kind of weak....

[musicalfandukie]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:52pm

it kinda bothers me...it's sad you have so much talent in hollywood and yet you have to cast people for there name and not there talent..west side story does have a great cast even tho most of them were dubed but not all. at least they don't do it in movies now as much as they did back then.

[MusicalDirector109]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 6:10pm

Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and the fabulous direction are the true stars of this great film!!

[Marquise]

Posted: 8/31/04 at 6:45pm

i think Natalie Wood (although she was dubbed) was outstanding as well.

oh and before anybody gets on her for being dubbed consider deborah kerr and audrey hepburn (who were also dubbed) in the musicals they starred in.

oh and before anybody gets on her for not being Puerto Rican, neither was Carol Lawrence.