West Side Story

Upper West Side Manhattan 1957. Neighborhood being demolished for Lincoln Center. Jets white gang territory. Sharks Puerto Rican immigrants. Lieutenant Schrank prejudiced cop. Officer Krupke ineffective. Before love crosses divide. Hate established.

Valentina to Riff: "You, you people. You make this world lousy." Theme of prejudice destroying love, cycle of violence, and hatred learned not innate. Love could transcend but society prevents.

Tony ex-Jet trying to go straight. Working for Valentina. Riff best friend wants him back. Dance tonight. Maria arriving from Puerto Rico. Anita and Bernardo couple. Sharks vs. Jets rivalry. Before dance changes everything.

Dance. Tony and Maria see each other. "Maria." Instant love. Dance together. Kiss. Magic. But she is Bernardo sister. He is ex-Jet. Wrong sides. Forbidden love. Everything changes in moment. Cannot undo connection.

Can love survive when families hate each other? Fire escape. "Tonight." Balcony scene. Planning future. But gangs planning rumble. Bernardo forbids. Anita warns. Society opposes. Pure love vs. tribal hate. Romeo and Juliet repeating.

Wedding dress shop. Maria and Tony marry themselves before God. "One Hand One Heart." Committed despite world. Also rumble planned. Tony promises to stop it. Entering world where love battles hate. Must choose sides or transcend.

Maria and Tony love story. Pure, innocent. Also Anita and Bernardo - passionate but threatened. Tony and Riff friendship. Maria and Anita sisterhood. Relationships tested by prejudice. Love on all sides fighting hatred. Connection vs. division.

Musical numbers. "America." "Gee Officer Krupke." "I Feel Pretty." Promise: spectacular musical, dancing, romance, social commentary. Beauty and energy. Hope that love and community can overcome. Joy despite darkness.

Rumble under highway. Tony tries to stop fight. Bernardo kills Riff. Tony kills Bernardo in rage. False defeat: violence won. Love brother dead. Maria brother dead. Everything destroyed. Hate triumphed. Cannot take back. Tragedy begun.

Tony hiding. Maria learns Bernardo dead. Heartbroken but forgives Tony - loves him still. Sharks want revenge. Jets hunting. Chino has gun. Police closing in. Schrank beating information. Anita angry. Everyone hunting Tony. Death coming.

Anita tries to help Maria. Jets assault her. Trauma. Rage. Tells them Maria dead - lie to hurt Tony. Chino hunting. Tony believes Maria dead. Despair. Calls for Chino to kill him. Lost everything. Love destroyed by hate.

Tony searching for Chino to die. Suicidal. Lost Maria. Killed her brother. No hope. Pure grief. Maria actually alive but cannot reach him. Tragedy of miscommunication. Hate separated them finally. Love defeated.

Maria appears! "Tony!" Relief! Running to each other! Synthesis: love survives despite everything! But Chino shoots Tony. Dying in Maria arms. "Hold my hand, we are home." Love real but death wins. Tragedy complete.

Tony dies. Maria takes gun. Points at everyone. "We all killed him!" Gangs see truth. Shame. Violence ended nothing. Jets and Sharks carry Tony body together. United in grief. Hate recognized as destroyer. Too late.

Maria walks behind, alone. Neighborhood being demolished. Both gangs carrying Tony. Cycle of hate continues but maybe lesson learned. Love was real, society killed it. Tragedy of prejudice. Hope only in recognition. Devastating ending.