Continuity mistake: When the camera is zooming towards the playground, there's a guy on the right climbing the fence. He disappears from the fence half a second later.
Continuity mistake: Maria prays that her brother's death is untrue, she says "Le suplico no puede ser." Her fingers are woven between each other. When they show the back shot of her, her hands are cupped and then she goes back to the previously mentioned position. (01:48:05)
Continuity mistake: When Glad Hand is telling them about the get-together dance at the gym, you can see A-Rab putting his arm on Action's shoulder, then in the next shot he does it again.
Continuity mistake: During the number, "Gee, Officer Krupke," Ice is standing right behind Riff, right before he sings "Dear kindly judge your honor..." then suddenly he's in the doorway of Doc's candy store.
Continuity mistake: When Maria finishes singing "I feel pretty" the purple fabric rests around her left shoulder. A frame later, from a new angle, it's resting around her arm.
Continuity mistake: At the bar, 2 of the darts are very close together in one shot, and farther apart in the next.
Continuity mistake: When the Jets are playing basketball and Bernardo catches the ball, the position of the legs of the guy in the violet shirt differ between the first and second shot.
Continuity mistake: In the bar, when the cop is asking where the fight is going to take place, he addresses a guy in the back. His position and that of his tie changes in half a second when the angle changes.
Continuity mistake: When Riff is talking with Bernardo at the bar, the first shot shows one hand bent over the table. A frame later both arms are crossed together.
Continuity mistake: In the bar, when the cop is asking where the fight is going to take place, he addresses a guy in the back. His position and that of his tie changes in half a second when the angle changes.
Continuity mistake: When the gangs are fighting in the playground, in the aerial shot you see that two of the seesaws are pointing up away from the gangs. When the Jets leave a few minutes later, all of the seesaws are pointing up away from where they were originally. (00:14:16 - 00:17:39)
Continuity mistake: In the prologue, after the gangs jump over each other in the alley, Snowboy and Baby John both chase Bernardo, while A-Rab and Action go the other way to chase a different Shark. In the next shot, they are all together chasing the Shark A-Rab and Action were following.
Continuity mistake: At the dance, when everyone is swaying with their partner, you can see both of Ice's hands on Velma's back, then in the next shot when it's following baby John, you can see Ice put his hands on her back again. (00:32:30)
Continuity mistake: When the camera zooms into the basketball field, the shadow of the Jets points in a 8 o'clock direction. In the close ups it's a 2 o'clock.
Continuity mistake: After the Jets and the Sharks have challenged themselves, Tony takes his right hand to his tie, but the immediate shot shows the hand by his side.
Answer: People would not come to the theater to see Marnie Nixon despite the fact that she has sung the lead roles in West Side Story, The King and I, and My Fair Lady. They'd rather see that darling girl from "Miracle on 34th Street" again (or Deborah Kerr or Audrey Hepburn) than an unknown with actual talent.
Myridon