``West Side Story'', which has become an eternal masterpiece, is an innovation that was ahead of its time and a perfect film adaptation from the stage.

An appeal to diversity that still appeals today

The film "West Side Story" left a strong impact on people all over the world who had not seen the stage version, and in Japan it ran for an unprecedented 500 days from December 1961 to May 1963. It was nominated for 11 categories at the Academy Awards, and achieved the feat of winning 10 of them. As Hollywood entered the 1960s, the transition of stars from old to new led to a rise in the appreciation of more innovative works, which also helped "West Side Story" to win the Academy Awards. It was also the first time in history that two Oscar statuettes were prepared for the Best Director award, but Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins never expressed their gratitude to each other on stage, and it seems that the feud on the set was real.

"West Side Story" (c)Photofest / Getty Images

What makes "West Side Story" timeless is not only its music and choreography, but also its theme, and the racial strife depicted in the play has been rekindled in the Trump era. It is a work that strongly appeals to diversity, and was ahead of its time in terms of LGBT issues, including the presence of a transgender character in the Jets. On the other hand, the lyrics of "Officer Krapke" mock sexuality, with "the older sister has a beard and the younger brother likes to cross-dress" (in the early version of the Shiki Theatre Company, "the older brother is a transvestite"), which would be considered unacceptable in modern times. I can't wait to see how Steven Spielberg will revive the play, including its theme and style, after more than half a century.

Text: Hiroaki Saito

Became freelance in 1997, contributing movie reviews and interview articles to various media such as movie magazines, theater pamphlets, and movie sites. The column is constantly updated on Yahoo! News. Star Channel's program "GO! Theater" introduces the latest released works.

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