Rita Moreno's Valentina added a whole new layer to the 'West Side Story' remake.
When a remake of West Side Story was announced, many people questioned the need for its existence. Unconvinced frowns eventually gave way to reluctant nods when the name Steven Spielberg came attached to that announcement. When the film was finally released, much of the skepticism fizzled as Spielberg’s retelling of the classic story justified its existence with beautifully choreographed numbers and many bold changes to the material.
It would have been very easy for Spielberg and Kushner to play it safe in readapting West Side Story. No one would blame them for feeling overwhelmed by the daunting task of breathing new life into a film that, many already consider perfect . And as a matter of fact, the genesis of Valentina didn’t come from either Kushner or Spielberg. The idea was pitched to Kushner by his spouse, author Mark Harris, during a conversation about Doc’s role in the story.
Beyond the story of the film, the new role for Moreno also carries a weight of personal significance for the actor. Another update of the film sees Valentina stopping the attack from the Jets on Anita. In the original film, Doc is the one who comes to Anita’s rescue upon seeing the assault.
Because of Valentina’s successful marriage to Doc, she comes to embody a tangible future Tony longs to have with Maria. The emotional precedent of their marriage makes Tony hopeful that with her guidance, he and Maria might have a chance to make it. Unfortunately for Tony, he is not aware that he is the Romeo to Maria’s Juliet, which makes his aspirations all the more tragic when their star-crossed romance inevitably ends in violence.
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