The Classic Musical, the 1950's update of the Romeo and Juliet story set in, well, the West Side of New York. Music by Bernstein, Lyrics by Sondheim Short of a couple of obvious known songs (America etc) the music isn't all too memorable, and the dancing isn't in the same league as your classic old Hollywood musicals. The story is perfunctory, with sweet if not rounded performances from our Romantic leads. The tragedy, for what it's worth, doesn't rise to anything more profound than a tick in the box for those reading along with the Shakespearean lines.
All the same, the story snaps along, the campness of the highly unrealistic gang warfare means there's always a frothy momentum to keep the viewer entertained, and such a mainstream movie exploring themes of immigration and racism from the outsider's perspective is to be applauded. A mildly distracting, if not particularly memorable, experience.
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