Sharks and Jets: Musical History

The leader of the Sharks and the leader of the Jets, sitting side by side. Bernardo and Riff brought together by a common affection for Robert Wise, director of the Oscar-winning movie musical “West Side Story.”

“We are forever in his debt for the opportunity of a lifetime,” said George Chakiris, who won a best supporting actor Oscar as Bernardo. “He believed in what we were doing, and it created a bond that has made us a family to this day.” From the audience, a significant number of that reunited family, including Oscar-winning Rita Moreno (Anita), Russ Tamblyn (Riff) and Marni Nixon (the uncredited singing voice of Natalie Wood’s Maria) and 19 assorted Jets and Sharks cheered in agreement.

It was one of several expressions of appreciation during the reunion screening Wednesday of the 1961 musical based on the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim 1957 Broadway musical. Billed as “A tribute to director Robert Wise from the cast and crew,” the screening at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood showed off an improved picture and sound that wowed even Wise, now 88.

“I’m glad I had the chance to see it again on the big screen, the way it’s meant to be seen,” he said. During the screening, people snapped along with the Jets and clapped at each cast member’s entrance and after each number.

In the panel discussion that followed, Wise, Moreno, Chakiris, Tamblyn and Nixon, as well as assistant director Bob Relyea and executive producer Walter Mirisch, took turns expressing their gratitude at being part of the film. “I must comment on the extraordinary privilege I feel tonight to be reminded again of the genius of the creators of this material,” Mirisch said.

Ernest Lehman, the screenwriter, sent a note in his absence: “I got caught in the middle of a vicious fight between the Jets and the Sharks and luckily came away with only a broken ankle. From my wheelchair, I salute you all, especially Bob Wise and the late Jerry Robbins [choreographer and co-director]. They took a remarkable group of actors and made magic with them.”

While acknowledging both the absent Richard Beymer, who played Tony, and Wood, who died in 1981, the panel also mentioned some of the unsung heroes of the film. Moreno paid tribute to the hard work of Relyea, who was “a shepherd for us toddlers.” Nixon thanked Johnny Green, the conductor, and Saul Chaplin, the music supervisor. All of them acknowledged the work of Simon Oakland, in the antagonist role of Lieutenant Schrank. But they also agreed how fresh the story still felt. Mirisch, who said the play’s theme of racial discord “was one of the great attractions of filming it,” felt that “40 years later, it is still a radical and important film.”

Shortly before the reunion, Wise, Tamblyn, Moreno and Chakiris reminisced about the classic and its place in film history.

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The Jerome Robbins Factor

Robert Wise: The company came to me and asked if I would like to do “West Side Story.” I said yes. I saw it in New York and I felt it was very important to get Jerry Robbins on the film because it was his baby. He directed and choreographed not only the Broadway production, but the touring company and the London production. He was unwilling to come out here unless he could have more to do with the film than just choreography. I said to the company (United Artists), “Why don’t you let him direct?” They said, “No, he’s never directed a picture.” I went home that night and figuratively took my director’s hat off and put my on my producer’s hat and asked the question: What’s the best thing for the film? I went back to them the next day and said, “I thought this over and if there is some way we can work it out, I’ll go along with it.”

Finally, it was decided that he would be in charge, and the main director, so to speak, of all the musical parts of the thing, and I would be there on stage with him to make any suggestions that might help him. That worked fine for about 60% of the movie. We were getting further and further behind schedule and over budget. The company was very unhappy. They attributed the fact that we were way over schedule and budget to the co-director [Robbins] and they insisted that he leave the film. Fortunately for me, he had rehearsed all the other dance numbers we hadn’t shot and all but one of his assistants stayed on to help me, and his rehearsal pianist also stayed on.

Rita Moreno: It was hard working with Robbins because he worked you so hard. The other problem was that he was extremely sadistic. All the dances were done in sections. For “America,” we had, I guess, about three or five sections and he would have a different version for each section. So he would say, “Let me see version A of section 2.” We were learning three different dances with some variation. That is what made it confusing because some of the steps would remain the same and others would be changed. It was really wild. That being said, I would drop my drawers to work with him again. He was a genius. I was one of the people he was not mean to. I never quite understood that.

George Chakiris: No matter what anybody says about Jerry, you can’t take away his genius. He was such a perfectionist, not only for the people he was working with but also himself as well. That’s why things took longer because, to Jerry, once you got a great take on something, there was always a better way to do it or any way to try it. He was never satisfied.

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Getting the Role

Russ Tamblyn: I was under contract to MGM. This was not an MGM movie but MGM let me go and test for the part of Tony. I tested with several girls and I also tested with Michael Callan who played Riff on Broadway and I was playing Tony. What happened was my agent called me and said, “They made up their minds and they have taken Richard Beymer for the role of Tony and they offered you the part of Riff but MGM has turned it down.” I said, “What? I would love to do the part of Riff.”

So I went to the [head of MGM] and he said, “Russ you have a good reputation here and in ‘West Side Story’ you have to say all of these lines like ‘My father wears a dress’ and we don’t think this would be good for you. So we have booked you into another movie called ‘Where the Boys Are’ with Connie Francis.” I had to beg them. I almost didn’t do it.

Rita Moreno: I auditioned and screen-tested just like every other girl with brown eyes did in Hollywood. But I had made the only two movies Jerome Robbins ever made--”The King and I” and “West Side Story.” After “The King and I,” I think it was Jerry who brought me up with Bob Wise.

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Love That Bob

Rita Moreno: Robert Wise is a lovely man. He was very patient and very low-key. What’s not to love. The contrast with him and Robbins was kind of astonishing.

George Chakiris: He makes you feel wonderfully comfortable, and he gives you kind of a free rein. If you have questions, he has an answer to give you. He gives you the time that you need. It is really part of who he is as a person as well.

Russ Tamblyn: He’s good with actors who, like myself, don’t like a lot of direction. He hires people he thinks are capable of doing the job. For actors who need a lot of direction, he is not good with [them]. They seem disappointed. Bob Wise gives you a little taste and points you in the right direction and then you are on your own.

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The Legacy

Rita Moreno: Someone was asking me the other day, “When you made the movie, did you have a clue [it would become such a classic]?” I said, “We knew we were in a very special and unique movie.” It wasn’t a musical that had glittery costumes in it. No names to speak of--the movie became the star. Who knew? Here we are 40 years later and we are in this astonishing classic that broke every kind of rule about what musicals should be in movies and has yet to be equaled, as far as I am concerned.

It meant a great deal to every Hispanic actor I have ever met. Benjamin Bratt said to me, “If I hadn’t seen you, I would never ever have tried. But I figured, if you can do it, I can do it.” That is quite a tribute.