The directors and cast
Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins share directing credit. Natalie Wood plays Maria, Richard Beymer plays Tony, Rita Moreno plays Anita, George Chakiris plays Bernardo and Russ Tamblyn plays Riff. The Academy awarded the film ten Oscars, including Best Picture as well as supporting acting wins for Moreno and Chakiris. Award ceremony dates and film release years differ: use 1961 for the film and 1962 for the ceremony.
What the camera makes possible
The opening uses an aerial view to place the city before drawing attention to who controls the street. Theatre spectators can choose where to look in a group formation. Film editing takes over that choice, cutting from bodies in formation to a specific face or gesture. Compare the gym dance in wide shots and close-ups. Whose awareness of the room matches the viewer's?
Listen to the reordered score
The film moves “Cool” after the rumble, where its restraint reads as a response to shock. “Gee, Officer Krupke” moves earlier than in the stage version. Keep a scene-order list as you watch. The same song can land differently depending on what an audience knows and whose loss is fresh.
Cast versus sound recording
An actor's screen credit and a vocal performance credit answer different questions. When researching dubbing, record the role, actor and credited or documented singer separately and check the AFI catalogue and soundtrack notes. The film is also a historical object. Pair any account of its technical achievements with attention to casting and representation.