When You're a Jet

Photographs of West Side Story, today-- but not film stills, rather a set taken by photographer Gjon Mili at filming of the movie, during the opening and rumble scenes. So we have different views, different compositions, and some different shots entirely, all by a master photographer. 

From the LIFE archives, 1960 (the tag is 40s/50s because the original musical premièred in 1957). 

Riff leads the Jets in a dance down a New York street. Source

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The Sharks (with Jets close behind). Source

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Choreographed confrontation. Source

Mocking courtesy from the Jets to a Shark. Source

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JETS. Source

SHARKS. Source

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Using garbage as missiles. Source

The Jets interrupt a Sharks card game. Source

Sharks pour paint on a pair of Jets.  Source

A gang confrontation. Source

Bernardo, head Shark, threatens Riff, head Jet, with a knife at the rumble. Source

The leaders circle each other with knives. Source

Gangs watch the fight under the overpass. Source

The gangs fight after their leaders are killed (er, spoiler). Source

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The gangs flee the scene at the sound of the police. Source

Tony (Romeo) cries out over the bodies of his best friend Riff and girlfriend's brother Bernardo. Source

Then Tony, too, escapes the scene. Source

A portrait of Jet leader Riff (played by Russ Tamblyn). Source

A portrait of romantic hero Tony (played by Richard Beymer). Source

A portrait of Shark leader Bernardo (played by George Chakiris). Source