When it was released in America, in sixty one I think, it seemed an eternity before it reached our shores. Some of my friends, were lucky enough to see it before I did down in London. I was a pain and used question them, in great detail about the film and what it was like. They told me, that one of the most striking things about the film, was the opening overture and how it was presented.
They explained to me that, as the house lights go down, you hear a faint whistle, followed by a little louder whistle, the curtains open to reveal only the middle section of the screen, a loud whistle and the overture begins. On screen there are what, seems to be small black, random, vertical lines, the background is a deep, vivid yellow. As the overture goes on the colours constantly change. Almost at the end of the overture and at the end of what I call the Mambo section, the curtains open fully, West Side Story comes up across the screen, the camera pans back and the vertical lines turn into the Manhattan skyline.
So, the Theatre Royal, Manningham Lane in Bradford is refurbished and is renamed the Royal. Lot of imagination there and is too show films in 70mm format. They opened with "My Fair Lady" After what seemed a very long time and many other films, yes! "West Side Story" was coming to the Royal and in 70mm too.
I couldn't wait. The day came, got to the theatre, bought my ticket and found what I thought was the best seat in he house, centre circle. The house lights go down, I wait for the first whistle. Nothing.The curtains open fully and we go straight into the film. They'd cut the bleeping overture!
Here is what I should have seen and heard written by the late great Leonard Bernstein.
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