Stupid unrealistic ending - West Side Story (1961) Discussion

[–] pontevedro 8 years ago

The movie starts with two gangs dancing through the streets of NY and you only became concerned about lack of realism at the end?

As is noted elsewhere, the original stage musical had Maria committing suicide at the end. That scene was removed because it was felt that it made the play too dark. I doubt that either the play or the movie would have been as successful with such an ending.

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[–] friendoffilm 8 years ago

I see absolutely nothing wrong with the fact that several Jets and Sharks came together to carry Tony's body off after he'd been shot and killed by Chino. In fact, it proved that intergroup reconciliation, as difficult as it often is, still has the possibility to develop.

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[–] pontevedro 8 years ago

FOF, I agree that the ending makes dramatic sense. I think the OP was concerned that in the real world the police wouldn't have allowed any such tampering with the crime scene.

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[–] friendoffilm 8 years ago

This:

I think the OP was concerned that in the real world the police wouldn't have allowed any such tampering with the crime scene

is entirely possible, but who knows?

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[–] !!!deleted!!! (12526472) 8 years ago

I get annoyed by inaccuracies of realism in films that are aiming to be mostly realistic, but that doesn't apply to a film like WSS which is clearly an allegorical / symbolic / dramatic interpretation of reality. People don't usually burst into group song every five minutes either...

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[–] mplo (2370) 7 years ago

West Side Story is a musical, after all. But the very story behind West Side Story, although fiction, is based on certain realities.

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[–] HelpMeRhonda (1158) 4 years ago

I was also wishing the ending followed Romeo and Juliet, but at the same time seeing Maria commit suicide would've really crossed the line. On one hand we have a fun musical, on the other hand it's a tragedy. But ending with Maria's death is really going there. It would've been interesting for sure.

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[–] mplo (2370) 4 years ago

I beg to differ here, HelpMeRhonda. The fact that Maria didn't opt to commit suicide made her an admirable person, especially due to the angry message that she conferred to both the Jets AND the Sharks, when they were once again about to clash, after Tony had been shot dead by an angry, jealous Chino, a Shark gang member:

"You ALL killed him! (meaning Tony) And my brother and Riff! Not with bullets and guns! With hate!
Well, I can kill too, because now I have hate!"

Maria's angry message towards the Jets and Sharks caused both sides to at least temporarily come to their senses after the killings, especially because several Sharks and Jets came together to help carry Tony's body off, and the fact that Maria, with several other Sharks and Jets, walked off together in a unified procession afterwards, thereby presenting hints of a possible truce between the Sharks and the Jets. A ray of hope can be seen.

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[–] HelpMeRhonda (1158) 4 years ago

It was well-done, with Maria being strong enough to call out the gangs on what they'd done. In the play, the Prince, which would be like that Lt. Whatshisface in West Side Story, call out the families how their hatred had resulted in. But that wouldn't have been as powerful.

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[–] Keelai (36065) 4 years ago

I had the impression that a huge part of Maria died, too. Not physically, but her innocence, hope and capacity to love died. In her own words, she became bitter, angry and hateful.

The contrast between "Pollyanna" Maria in the beginning vs the grieving Maria at the end always hit me hard. IMHO, both of them died in that schoolyard.

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[–] HelpMeRhonda (1158) 4 years ago

Mmm I like it. The tragedy isn't that she died physically, but she died in the way you described.

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[–] mplo (2370) 4 years ago

It's very true that in the original 1961 film version of West Side Story, Maria lost her innocence. Yes, she did become angry, but when Baby-John, the youngest Jet gang member came over to Maria and put her mourning scarf over her head, and Action gently approached her, with a somewhat sorrowful look on his face, that indicated that at least some of the Jets felt regret at everything that happened. The fact that Maria also got up and walked off with some of the Jets and Sharks who walked off together also indicates a possible truce between the Jets and Sharks.

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[–] Keelai (36065) 4 years ago

I bought the album years ago which describes that scene. There is a truce because of Tony's death, but implies it's only temporary.

That ending is among the most powerful in cinema.

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[–] mplo (2370) 4 years ago

Another interesting thing about the original 1961 film version of West Side Story is that the ending is kind of left to the audience's imagination. People, as individuals, however, will interpret the ending as they see fit, if one gets the drift.

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[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

Right, because people randomly bursting into song and choreographed group dances is so realistic.

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