Broadway Breakdown: WEST SIDE STORY (2021 Movie) w/ Margaret Hall

Date: October 24, 2024
Host: Matt Koplik
Guest: Margaret Hall (Playbill)
Theme: An in-depth, passionate, and opinionated breakdown of Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner’s 2021 film adaptation of West Side Story—its history, legacy, fresh interpretations, the performances, and its place in both Broadway and movie musical history.

Episode Overview

Matt welcomes back friend of the pod Margaret Hall, a theatre expert and Playbill contributor, for a deep dive into Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021). The conversation covers the film’s challenging legacy, its connection to previous West Side Story versions, Kushner’s screenplay, controversies, Oscar outcomes, choreography, performances, and the film’s contributions (as well as its missed opportunities) in the ongoing evolution of stage-to-screen musicals. This is a true “theatre geek” discussion, blending personal history with sharp-eyed critique and plenty of laughs and memorable quips.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Personal Histories with West Side Story

(05:02 – 14:56)

• Margaret’s Early Memories:

  • Grew up constantly aware of West Side Story: “I do not remember a point in my life in which I did not know West Side Story existed.” (05:25)
  • Fell in love seeing a high school production in rural Ohio: “I cried. I had known that I loved musical theater before then, but I hadn’t seen someone in front of me that wasn’t a professional move me in the way that that high school production moved me.” (08:31)

• Connection to Sondheim, Bernstein, Gimanani:

  • Margaret wrote a book with Paul Gemignani (longtime Sondheim conductor) and discussed how deeply the show’s music resonated with her and the Sondheim circle, noting this film as “the first major Sondheim project going out that did not have a Gemignani name at the helm.” (09:37)

• Matt’s Family Theatre Legacy:

  • “I come from a theatre loving family. …My grandfather was an entertainment lawyer… his wife worked at Lincoln Center… his second wife was a casting director…” (15:04)
  • Shared memories of seeing the all-white JCC production and participating in West Side Story youth theater—“we were all just like little Jewish kids who just wanted to do any role that was given to us…” (17:19)

2. Approaching the 2021 Remake: Skepticism and Excitement

(03:56 – 13:39, 24:38 – 27:11)

• Spielberg’s multiyear development process created “the weirdest little, like, tease in the industry for the better part of a decade… people wouldn’t get excited about because they’re like, it’s never gonna happen.” (04:05)

• Legacy of the original: “The 1961 movie is considered one of the greatest movie musicals of all time. It was super impactful, incredibly influential… The movie is what made it an institution.” (12:23)

• Why remake perfection?

  • Spielberg’s first musical; intimidating legacy.
  • Matt points out that Spielberg’s energy pays off but that the why now? is always a question: “Why would you do that?” (12:19)

3. Key Creative Decisions: Kushner’s Script, Representation, and Updating the Story

(13:39 – 14:33, 26:57 – 38:09, 39:03 – 43:05, 56:10 – 59:00, 116:49 – 117:33)

Libretto & Adaptation

• Lawrence’s original libretto discussed as “economic storytelling”—a script built to support the music and dance.
• Kushner’s screenplay praised for depth but critiqued by Matt as sometimes too “over-articulate” and leaving “a little too much air.” (13:39 – 14:11, 58:53 – 59:00)
• Dramaturgy: Kushner adds real-world context (post-war NYC, Lincoln Center demolition), explores race and class more deeply, and makes characters more realistic and complex.

Representation & Spanish Dialogue

• “I have so much affection for the art of making art. And this film, I feel—you can feel it in every single cel.” – Margaret (11:24)
• Use of Spanish without subtitles: “I have so much respect for the choice that they made to not caption this film at all in any of the Spanish…” (37:33)
• Improved representation for Puerto Rican and Latinx actors and culture, compared to the infamous whitewashing of previous versions.

4. Performances: The Standouts & Oscar Conversation

(43:38 – 54:22, 62:07 – 71:38, 92:59 – 98:38, 172:45 – 176:46)

• Star-Making Turns:

  • “Mike Feist, through talent and chutzpah alone… turned [Riff into] the role.” (46:00)
  • Rachel Zegler as Maria: “I walked out going, ‘Oh, the two performances of this movie are Mike Feist and Rachel Zegler. Like, they own this movie.’” (47:53)

• Ariana DeBose as Anita:

  • Acclaimed as “lovely,” did the part, but Matt personally finds the performance not the heart of the movie.
  • Her best-in-show Oscar sweep discussed as perhaps a historical oddity: “…not saying Ariana’s bad, but these pundits are looking back, going, she was that undeniable?” (102:43)

• Ansel Elgort as Tony:

  • “I think Ansel is giving a half successful performance and a half not successful. Part of it is the part. Part of it is him, part of it is Spielberg.” (51:14)
  • “His eyes are constantly empty. …I like my men to look smart.” —Margaret (62:14)

Oscar Outcomes & Legacy

• How the film’s success appeared impacted by COVID and Elgort allegations more than by its quality.
• Ultimately, the movie’s “legacy” seems to be as a launchpad for Feist and Zegler, not for DeBose, despite her Oscar.
• “Feist has probably cashed in a bit better than Zegler. …They are young, lives are long, and everything is in flux.” (47:01)

5. Choreography: Robbins vs Peck and the Role of Dance

(73:32 – 79:05, 119:26 – 123:02, 148:01 – 151:17)

• Justin Peck’s choreography: energetic, contemporary, fitting the film’s realism, but missing the storytelling clarity and structure of Jerome Robbins’ original.
  • “What Peck does really well is Peck does energy via dance really well…” (74:00)
• “Mambo needs more for me. Needed more personality and a difference from both sides. …America just plateaus from the start and stays there.” (75:06)
• Appreciation for the restaging of “Cool” as a knife-chase between Tony and Riff, though debate over whether dance is successful at all moments.

6. Story, Character Changes, & Thematic Knots

(34:14 – 36:40, 41:41 – 44:28, 56:33 – 57:16, 135:03 – 138:29)

• Tony & Maria’s Relationship:
  “This movie made it more understandable to me, the attraction [between Tony and Maria]. …It’s a chemical thing.” (58:30)

  • Some feel Maria too strong for Tony’s “himbo” energy; others praise giving Maria and Anita more agency.

• Riff & Graziella:

  • “Graziella is the Little Rock Nine photo crossed with a Handmaid’s Tale wife.” (91:08)
  • Matt and Margaret closely read Riff and Tony’s relationship—a “breakup” scene that’s emotionally layered.

• Violence and Reality:

  • Spielberg amped up the real stakes—graphic violence (Baby John’s impaled ear), racism, sexual assault—making the story hit harder for 2021.
  • “Spielberg and Kushner are not shying away from the brutalism of this piece.” (82:28)

• Major Additions/Critiques:

  • Maria sharper, more fleshed out.

  • Tony’s parole, criminal past, and post-prison frustration with Riff deepen his character.

  • The use of Valentina (Rita Moreno) as “Doc”—gives a survivor’s perspective and lets Moreno sing “Somewhere."

    • “Giving her somewhere, like, it’s more—the fact that I love the idea of that character singing it and Marita Moreno sells it. Where it happens, where it happens in the movie is not necessarily my fault.” (114:12)

  • Critique: “The biggest issue I have with this movie is that there’s a little too much air. …There are a couple of things where (the script) fumbles because of that.” (58:53)

7. Musical Numbers: Highs & Lows

(152:01 – 155:27, 165:01 – 167:07)

• Best:

  • “Best numbers are the prologue, ‘One Hand, One Heart,’ and ‘Tonight.’” (119:26, 172:50)
  • “The orchestra in this movie sounds incredible.” (151:23)

• Weakest:

  • “For me, it’s ‘Something’s Coming’ because I just—I don’t buy Ansel in this film… That song’s supposed to make you fall in love with Tony and it did not.” (165:03)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Time | Speaker | Quote | |----------|-----------|---------------------------------------------------| | 04:05 | Margaret | “And it was the weirdest little, like, tease in the industry for the better part of a decade. …It was a project that people wouldn’t get excited about because they’re like, it’s never gonna happen.” | | 11:24 | Margaret | “I feel—really, you can feel it in every single cel.” | | 13:39 | Matt | “Movie musicals are hard. They're so hard to do, especially modern day ones.” | | 46:00 | Margaret | “Mike Feist, through talent and chutzpah alone… turned [Riff into] the role.” | | 47:53 | Matt | “The two performances of this movie are Mike Feist and Rachel Zegler. Like, they own this movie.” | | 53:44 | Matt | “If you make her [Maria] so much stronger, then some of the purpleness of the romance now feels less passionate to me.” | | 62:14 | Margaret | “Ansel Elgort never made sense to me because for me, everything is always about the eyes. And his eyes are constantly empty.” | | 82:07 | Margaret | “From the get go… Spielberg and Kushner are not shying away from the brutalism of this piece.” | | 102:43 | Matt | “It’s more that it’s rare when someone just sweeps that way… and there are very few times we look back and go, totally.” | | 116:49 | Matt | “My biggest issue with the screenplay… is that there is a time—Kushner is just so smart… There are times in the screenplay where he thinks to himself, a lot of people have questions about this… [and] don’t give Maria the line when she finds… Just do something off of impulse.” | | 146:30 | Matt | “I just, I… don’t have a lot of major overhauls I want to make with this movie. So much as I want to go in with him and be like, can we go through the entire thing and cut five seconds out of every scene and five seconds out of every transition? Just shave off five minutes.” | | 172:50 | Matt | “You think the number ones are ‘One Hand, One Heart’, ‘Prologue.’ Weakest are ‘Maria’ and ‘Something’s Coming.’” | | 177:13 | Margaret | “I am glad that it exists in concert to the original film. …You cannot just love musical theater to make a movie, and you cannot just love movies to make a musical.” |

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introductions & Background: 00:39–05:25
• Personal Histories with West Side Story: 05:25–14:56
• Spielberg’s Remake: Development & Reception: 03:56–14:33, 24:38–27:11
• The Kushner Screenplay & Representation: 26:57–38:09, 39:03–43:05
• Choreography: Robbins vs Peck: 73:32–79:05
• Performances: Standouts & Oscar Talk: 43:38–54:22, 62:07–71:38, 92:59–98:38
• Violence and Realism in the Film: 79:35–85:22
• Musical Numbers: Best & Weakest: 119:26–123:02, 152:01–167:07
• Screenplay Critiques & Third Act Issues: 116:49–123:18
• Legacy, Impact, and Final Thoughts: 177:13–end

Conclusion

Matt and Margaret’s detailed discussion celebrates the ambition, artistry, and travails of Spielberg’s West Side Story while candidly acknowledging its shortcomings—especially regarding pacing and certain performances. The episode underscores the importance of understanding both cinema and musical theatre to make a movie musical soar, and hopes that Wicked and future adaptations will continue to evolve the genre.

Closing Quote:

“You cannot just love musical theater to make a movie, and you cannot just love movies to make a musical. You have to understand how both art forms work… in order to truly put them in conversation and make it meld.” — Margaret Hall (177:13)

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