Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler in “West Side Story” 2021. IMDb photo

Here it is. For this reviewer and ex-New Yorker who saw the Broadway musical before it opened, walked his dog on the debris that became Lincoln Center, watched Jerome Robbins’ first dance sketches at the City Center Ballet and thanks to my life in all those places, I come with legitimate credentials and strong opinions.

MOVIE INFO

“WEST SIDE STORY”

Crime, Drama, Musical
An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.
LENGTH: 156 minutes
RATING: Some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material and brief smoking.
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
WRITERS: Tony Kushner (screenplay by), Arthur Laurents (based on the stage play, book by)
STARS: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose
NETWORK: Disney+ and HBO Max

I never hated the original movie but for the brilliant Rita Moreno who is still a star. I wasn’t swept away.

Will a Spielberg or Miranda, or any one, ever attempt a remake of “Singing In The Rain,” recast the dancing sailors in “On The Town” or try to recreate the gentle blush of “Gigi?” Do we even want them to?

The music of Leonard Bernstein and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim are like precious jewels, even if they are found in dumpsters. They will glow forever.

Steven Spielberg, a Hollywood legend, and the great writer playwright Tony Kushner, along with Justin Peck’s choreography, can’t be faulted. They are professionals.

But we just came away from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s lesser effort “In The Heights,” with Puerto Rican kids dancing in the middle of traffic, where I didn’t see much sweat or smell any hot tostones.

The actors? Rachel Zegler (Maria) a half Columbian actress, raised in New York, is letter perfect as the fresh off-of-the-boat Maria.

She is ultra charming, talented and heartbreaking in her final scenes, so very much better than the painted on “color” of Natalie Wood, the stiffness of Richard Beymer’s Tony and George Chakiris’ Bernardo.

Ariana DeBose (“Bullet” in “Hamilton”) as Anita, (Rita Moreno’s old role ) doesn’t speak Spanish, but you could fool me. She is razor sharp.

Ansel Elgort as “Tony” gave it his best and will hopefully grow into a good actor, but his Tony appeared to have just gotten off the train from the soft tree lined streets of Chappaqua. Fresh out of prison? Where did that come from? Nobody gets off of New York’s Riker Island without facial scars.

David Alvarez’s Bernardo gave a hot shot of realism that erased George Chakiris’s Bernardo.

For my two cents, the very real Corey Stoll (“House of Cards” “Billions” ) as Lieutenant Schrank in the gritty opening shot, stole the opening scenes with a realistic speech about the old neighborhood.

Spielberg’s reputation won’t be tarnished by this effort. His resume is printed on linen and burned in cinema history.

And then there is Rita, the imperial Moreno, who enriches this version as “Doc,” the candy store lady.

This is Rita Moreno, who after winning the Oscar for “Anita” in the original film, didn’t work again for eight years. Count them. EIGHT YEARS.

Rita is a legend and there nothing more I can add to a legend.

“West Side Story” streams on Disney+ and HBO Max.

J.P. Devine of Waterville is a former stage and screen actor.