Audio problem: During the opening overture, right when the orchestra starts "Maria", you can hear someone sneeze in the background. It's easier to hear on the soundtrack but you still can hear it in the movie.
West Side Story (1961)
Ending / spoiler
Directed by: Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins
Starring: Natalie Wood, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris
After being falsely told that Maria has been killed by Chino, a distraught Tony wanders the streets, yelling for Chino to come kill him too. He discovers she is not dead when he sees her from across the playground, coming to meet him. Forgetting his sorrow, he runs towards her, and she towards him, but Chino heard Tony's screaming for him, and arrives at the same moment, shooting and killing Tony. Tony dies in Maria's arms. Maria, now a widow, declares that all the Sharks and the Jets are both responsible for all the deaths because of their hate. The Jets and Sharks at least temporarily put their feud behind them and carry Tony's body off together. Chino is escorted to a police car.
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Trivia: "West Side Story" was the first film to win the Best Picture Academy Award for two directors (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins).
Question: Why did they use actors who couldn't sing in the leading roles? Wouldn't it be easier to cast people who could sing instead of dubbing with other singing voices?
Answer: Natalie Wood was more well-known. And Wood actually COULD sing, she just couldn't hit the high notes perfectly. In fact, she was told only some of her singing would be dubbed.
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