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Who are everybody's favorite character(s) in the film West Side Story?

posted 10 years ago by friendoffilm
7 replies | jump to latest

I'm just curious.

My favorite characters in West Side Story are as follows, in no particular order:

Anita: She was so passionate, and such an overt firebrand. Beautifully played by Rita Moreno, who was excellent for the role.

Bernardo: As Anita's girlfriend, Shark gangleader, and Maria's protective brother, he was passionate and yet sardonic at the same time. He was fabulously played by George Chakiris.

Chino: The antithesis of Bernardo regarding personality. Chino was shy, while Bernardo wasn't. Chino was also Bernardo's best friend and right-hand man. Beautifully played by Jose De Vegas.

Riff: Arrogant, somewhat cocky and kind of wacky, and exuberant at the same time. Like everybody else I mentioned regarding the characters in West Side Story, he was one of the pillars of this great classic. Russ Tamblyn was excellent as Riff.

Ice: Handsome, calm, cool and collected. His calm, cool and collected demeanor and personality got him the job as the new commander of the Jets, after Riff's death during the rumble. Tucker Smith played the role of Ice beautifully.

Action: Always the instigator-trouble-maker of the gang, who had to be kept in check by Ice and other, more stable jet gang members. Yet he, too had a believable charm to him, as well. Tony Mordente was a believable Action and was great.

A-Rab: Baby-John's buddy, and somewhat cagey, to boot. David Winters pulled it off really well.

Baby-John: The youngest, least mature member of the Jets. He was the most soft-hearted, which was indicated by the fact that he was moved to tears by the killings at the Rumble, and because he put the scarf over Maria's head as she knelt on the ground, mourning for Tony after he was shot by a now-jealous and vengeful Chino.

Elliot Feld played a beautiful role of Baby-John.

Lt. Schrank: The bitter, bigoted and cynical tough top cop. You had to hate him and love him at the same time. Simon Oakland played him beautifully, too.

[–] KristenStewartForever 10 years ago

Riff
Action
Ice/Diesel
Tony

I love you, Kristen Stewart. :) You are so beautiful and talented. I would love to perform with you.

[–] pjglynndoora 10 years ago

Maria, Tony, Riff and Anita

[–] SpringBlade 9 years ago

1) Tony - how can you NOT fall in love with Richard Beymer?
2) Riff - he's just so full of life (well, you know, until he's not) and kind and happy and passionate and goddamn adorable!
3) Baby John - he's either scared enough or smart enough to worry about the consequences and question their logic
4) Ice - did they name him that because of his eyes? (the character was created just for the movie, so it is plausible) I would put my life in his hands, can't really explain it
5) Doc - you couldn't play basketball? I felt so bad for him because he worried so much and you could see his heart was breaking but he really couldn't protect the kids he loved

I must say, Bernardo is so damn cool but there's something slightly disturbing about how overprotective he is of his sister. I mean, they're always hugging and kissing, and he has to find guys to watch over her, she's practically their age!

[–] friendoffilm 9 years ago

There are so many amazing characters in the film West Side Story, that, given the fact that it's my all time favorite film, I'm often hard-pressed to find any favorite scenes or characters in this great, venerable golden-oldie-but-keeper of a classic, but all of the above-mentioned characters are what made this great classic what it is.

I liked all the characters that you mentioned, SpringBlade, but Richard Beymer was disappointed in the constraints that Robert Wise, as director, put upon him, because he would've really liked to have played the role of a Tony with a little more of an "edge" to him, if one gets the drift.

I think that Ice got his name due to his cool demeanor all around, if one gets the drift. The fact that you'd be willing to put your life in Ice's hands is because he was a cooler, more stable, and more self-controlled Jet, which is why he took over the Jet gang leadership after Riff's death during the Rumble.

[–] mplo (2356) 7 years ago

Hi, SpringBlade. You've made some articulate points about all the characters of West Side Story that you've mentioned who were your favorites. I agree that the Shark gang leader, Bernardo, was really cool, but he was often too overprotective of his younger sister, Maria.

[–] KatrinaW 8 years ago

I always had a thing for Eliot Feld as Baby John. He had one of my favorite lines, too: 'Aw, go walk the streets like your sister'.

[–] yawkee24 (629) 7 years ago

The most beautiful sound I've ever heard........MARIA !!!