West Side Story

Spielberg's take on the classic musical will introduce a new generation to the story. All the songs are great, but some stand above the others.

The song bounces to a Puerto Rican beat and is by the far the most memorable number in Spielberg’s West Side Story. This joint number between Anita (Ariana DeBose) and Maria is the most serious in West Side Story (2021). The spitting staccato of the lyrics in the first half of the song frames Anita’s anger towards Maria for choosing to be with Tony in spite of Bernardo’s murder. Showing off the more humorous side of West Side Story, this Jets tune is a hilarious critique of the societal handling of juveniles in the middle of the 20th century. This addition to the soundtrack of West Side Story (2021) is not an original, although it is the first time it has been used in service to the story. It also feels the most familiar to the Romeo and Juliet premise from which it is adapted (the musical is one of many Hollywood versions of the Shakespeare play), as Tony sings conversationally with Maria first from beneath a balcony before climbing up it. Elgort sings it well, but this is the slower of Tony’s ballads making it a slightly less exciting moment in West Side Story (2021). The 1961 movie placed the song following the rumble in which both Riff and Bernardo die but Spielberg returns it to its place from the stage show, prior to the rumble. This song works the most in his favor, as Tony sings the song to Valentina while moving dynamically around her drugstore. This duet between Tony and Maria is pretty and purports the admirable ideal of commitment in a romantic relationship. People have been singing the songs of West Side Story for decades—here is a ranking of all 13 songs featured in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of the musical. While this song may be a favorite for some, it falls to the bottom of this list because of its slowness. The songs have left a lasting impression on the world, inspiring and influencing current songwriters and playwrights such as Lin-Manuel Miranda. The 1961 film adaptation of the movie has been well-regarded over time, leaving many wondering if Spielberg could live up to its legacy.

Landing the role of Jets leader Riff in West Side Story has taken Mike Faist from the New York stage to the movie big league — and a Bafta nomination.

“I definitely want to come back to theatre. He excitedly thrusts part of a tea set in front of the camera, sent by producer Kristie Macosko Krieger and Steven Spielberg to mark the Bafta nomination for his supporting role as Riff in West Side Story. “He can do absolutely anything.” “Mike Faist is one-of-a-kind,” Spielberg has said. We were a tribe. Faist was Tony-nominated for his role in Dear Evan Hansen in 2017. We were a family. “I asked my agents, ‘Do I have to dance? “The movies that I grew up with were the old MGM films with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, and West Side Story, and Steven Spielberg movies like the Indiana Joneses. It really is crazy. At 17, he enrolled in a New York conservatory. “Moving by yourself to New York City, from smalltown Ohio at 17, was terrifying,” he recalls. Landing the role of Jets leader Riff in West Side Story has taken Mike Faist from the New York stage to the movie big league — and a Bafta nomination.

Steven Spielberg's West Side Story, nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, now streaming on Disney+.

Subscribe now and watch your favorites from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Nat Geo — all in one place. Subscribe now and watch your favorites from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and Nat Geo — all in one place. Bringing together the best of both Broadway and Hollywood, the film’s creative team includes Kushner, who also served as an executive producer; Tony Award® winner Justin Peck, who choreographed the musical numbers in the film; renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor and GRAMMY Award® winner Gustavo Dudamel, who helmed the recording of the iconic score; Academy Award®-nominated composer and conductor David Newman (“Anastasia”), who arranged the score, Tony Award®-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (“Fun Home,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie”), who supervised the cast on vocals; and GRAMMY®-nominated music supervisor Matt Sullivan (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Chicago”), who serves as executive music producer for the film.