DAY 5: Greatest Movie Musical Number 1
Over the past fortnight I have counted down the top 20 greatest movie musicals of all time, from celebrated classics such as The Sound of Music and The Wizard of Oz through to more controversial choices such as South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut. But for all the also-rans, it has led to this final entry; the cream of the all-singing, all-dancing crop, the greatest movie musical of all time...
1: West Side Story
Director: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise
Year: 1961
Starring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris
Selecting pole position in this series was not an easy thing to do - going solely on personal preference would have perhaps sidled Beauty and the Beast or Moulin Rouge to the top spot, but every time I was tempted to do so it sat ill to have West Side Story anywhere but here and there are almost countless reasons for why it has naturally segued into pole position. As an adaptation of the original broadway musical which in itself was an inspired and updated retelling of the atypical Romeo and Juliet architecture, West Side Story follows the frictions between rival gangs The Sharks and The Jets in 1950’s New York, and a doomed romance that develops amidst the feud. It is reliably accessible narrative fare, yet one that anchors the film and serves as the perfect nexus around which the exceptional cast, the superlative soundtrack and visual splendour and imaginings flourish, with a rich americano-puerto rican flavouring to proceedings throughout. And whilst many have parodied the choice of marrying streetgang warfare with song and dance choreography, the execution is so consistently flawless and all involved perform with such conviction that little suspension of disbelief is required and the drama, tension and threat remain tangible and convincing throughout.
