Pocahontas/West Side Story
Angela Kuo
similar to the "Tonight Quintet" in "West Side Story." These two movies have a
lot more in common as well...
POCAHONTAS WEST SIDE STORY
The creators of the musical The creators of the musical
acknowledge that they were doing acknowledged that they were doing
a version of "Romeo & Juliet" a version of "Romeo & Juliet"
Two conflicting groups battle over Two conflicting groups battle over
the same land. the same land.
The natives defend their land The American Jets defend their turf
while the English try to establish while the Puerto Rican Sharks try to
themselves in America. establish themselves in America.
John Smith is introduced first, Tony is introduced first, and Maria is
and Poca is introduced along with introduced along with her best friend,
her best friend, Nakoma. Anita.
One of the leads has a strange One of the leads has a strange dream
dream that something might be that something might be coming and sings
coming and sings about it in about it in "Something's Coming."
"Just Around the Riverbend."
Poca is arranged to be married to Maria is arranged to be married to Chino,
Kocoum, who she is really not that who she is really not that interested in.
interested in.
The English come to America hoping The Sharks came to America hoping for
for wealth but don't find it. wealth but don't find it.
Despite their cultural differences, Despite their cultural differences,
Smith and Poca fall in love. They Tony and Maria fall in love. They have
have a romantic scene by the river. a romantic scene on a fire escape.
When Smith goes to see Poca again, When Tony goes to see Maria again,
Nakoma finds out about their love. Anita finds out about their love.
Poca wants Smith to stop the Maria wants Tony to stop the fighting
fighting between the two sides. between the two sides.
Someone close to Poca, Kocoum, is Someone close to Maria, Bernardo, is
killed in a fight. Poca is thrown killed in a fight. Maria is thrown into
into a passionate anger and tries a passionate anger and beats up on the
to beat up the killer. killer.
Smith, accused of murder, has a Tony, guilty of murder, has a romantic
romantic scene with Poca from scene with Maria from which a love
which a love song was cut. ballet from the original show was cut.
Both sides sing about the other Both sides sing about the other side with
side with equal anger and hatred equal anger and hatred in "Tonight
in "Savages." Poca's beautiful Quintet." Maria's beautiful soprano sings
soprano sings in counterpoint. in counterpoint.
John Smith gets shot. Tony gets shot.
Poca has a moving speech toward Maria has a moving speech toward the end
the end of the movie, where she of the movie, where she makes both sides
makes both sides see how stupid see how stupid their hatred is.
their hatred is.
Poca and Smith part at the end Maria and Tony part at the end and the
and the two sides come to a truce. two sides come to a truce.
Poca, voiced by Irene Bedard, has Maria, played by Natalie Wood, has her
her singing done by Judy Kuhn. singing done by Marni Nixon.
There are probably more similiarities--after all, they do have the same basic
love story. I'm impressed with the DIFFERENCES Poca has that prevents it from
being a total clone of R&J and WSS, namely characters like Grandmother Willow,
Thomas, Ratcliffe, and Powhatan, and the slight twists in plot of who does
what (e.g. Kocoum is sort of a combo of Bernardo and Chino, some of Tony's
actions are given to Thomas rather than Smith, etc.). I love both movies--
great stories, great scores!
Angela :)