West Side Story is a 1961 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set among rival street gangs in 1950s New York. It won 10 Academy Awards. The story follows Maria and Tony, who fall in love at a dance but belong to opposing gangs - she is Puerto Rican and part of the Sharks, while he is Italian and a former Jet. Their love is forbidden due to the ongoing feud between the two gangs, and they meet secretly until tragedy strikes at the climactic rumble between the Sharks and Jets.

1. West Side Story
1961

2. Five Fast Facts
 Winner of 10 Academy Awards
 Soundtrack was No 1 on the Billboard Charts for 54 weeks
 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
 Based on Romeo and Juliet, which is based on a poem by Arthur Brooke
called The Tragic Historye of Romeus and Juliet, which is based on a
poem by the Roman poet Ovid called Pyramus and Thisbe
 Actors worked over 16 hours a day and Natalie
Wood begged to be fired at one point

3.  Two rival gangs are constantly at odds on the streets of New York, the
Jets, composed of European Americans and the Sharks, Puerto Ricans.

4.  Maria meets Tony at a dance in which both are at, Tony is a Jet and Maria
is the sister of the Shark’s leader, Bernardo.

5.  Maria and Tony see each other from across the room and it is love at first
sight, they steal a dance and a kiss while everyone else is dancing, when
the lights come on Maria’s brother Bernardo says, “Maria let’s leave!”

6.  Tony finds out Maria’s name after Bernardo says it and Tony leave’s the
dance singing a song about how beautiful the name is.

7.  Tony finds out where Maria lives and he then climbs up her fire escape. He
tells her to be with him he says, “I’m not one of ‘em Maria.”, Tony. “But
you are not one of us, and I am not one of you,” Maria.

8.  Tony convinces the gangs to only have a fight between one man from each
gang instead of the rumble they were going to have.

9.  Maria tells Tony to stop the rumble altogether, she says any fight is no
good for them.

10.  Maria and Tony have pretend wedding in the bridal shop Maria works at.

11.  At the rumble Tony tries to stop it but ends up killing Bernardo.

12.  One of the Sharks tells Maria that Tony killed Bernardo.

13.  Tony shows up at her house and she hits him and calls
him a killer. Tony explains he didn’t mean to hurt
Bernardo and he was going to turn himself in. Maria
says he cannot turn himself in. Then Tony says he will
take her away to a place where no one can find them,
and they sing a song about how there’s a place for
them somewhere and they will go together.

14.  Tony is shot by a Shark right before Maria and him embrace as they are
about to leave town, as both gangs witness.

15.  Tony then dies in her arms.

16.  Maria tells people are dead because of your hate.

17. Type of Relationship
 A couple who meets and falls in love instantly

18. Cultural Background of Characters
 Maria is a Puerto Rican
 Maria is the sister of the Shark leader
 Tony is Italian
 Tony is a former founding member of the Jets

20. Context of the Conversation
 Throughout the movie the love of Maria and Tony is
forbidden because they are from separate cultures.
 They must hide their love and meet in secret.
 They ask what will people think.
 They both love each other so deeply that culture does
not matter, even though it is forbidden.
 Maria seeks to understand Tony’s culture by asking what
Tony is short for.

21. Communication Competence
 They communicate competently, signing songs together
that show they know each other’s thoughts and feelings.
 Tony attempts to bridge the cultural gap by speaking
some Spanish, although Maria’s friend corrects him and
is not impressed