West Side Story quotes

View Quote Anita: I mind your nose and your head broken...Sure. They used Maria as an excuse to start World War III.
Bernardo: It is more than that.
Anita: More than what? She was only dancing.
Bernardo: With an American. He was really a Pollack.
Anita: Says the Spic.
Bernardo: You are not so cute.
Rosalia: That Tony is.
Consuelo: And he works.
Chino: As a delivery boy.
Anita: And what are you?
Chino: An assistant.
Bernardo: Si. And Chino makes half of what the Pollack makes.
Anita: Oh, here comes the whole commercial. 'Your mother's a Pole. Your father's a Swede. But you were born here. That's all that you need. You are an American.' When I think of how I thought it would be for us here, we came like children, believing, trusting.

View Quote Girls: [singing] I like to be in America, OK by me in America, Everything free in America
Bernardo: For a small fee in America.
Anita: Buying on credit is so nice.
Bernardo: One look at us and they charge twice.
Rosalia: I'll have my own washing machine.
Indio: What will you have, though, to keep clean?

View Quote Girl: [singing] Industry boom in America.
Boys: Twelve in a room in America.
Anita: Lots of new housing with more space.
Bernardo: Lots of doors slamming in our face.
Anita: I'll get the terrace apartment.
Bernardo: Better get rid of your accent.
Anita: Life can be bright in America.
Boys: If you can fight in America.
Girls: Life is all right in America.
Boys: If you're all white in America.
Girls: Here you are free and you have pride.
Boys: Long as you stay on your own side.
Girls: Free to be anything you choose.
Boys: Free to wait tables and shine shoes.

View Quote Maria: If Bernardo knew.
Tony: We'll let him know. I'm not one of 'em, Maria.
Maria: But you are not one of us. And I am not one of you.

View Quote Maria: [singing] Tonight, tonight, it all began tonight, I saw you and the world went away.
Tonight, tonight, there's only you tonight, what you are, what you do, what you say.
Tony: Today, all day I had the feeling a miracle would happen, I know now I was right.
Tony and Maria: For here you are and what was just a world is a star tonight.

View Quote Maria: What rumble?
Anita: Oh, well, uh, 'Nardo's Sharks and those boys at the dance.
Maria: They fight each other tonight?
Anita: They don't play patsy.
Maria: Why must they always fight?
Anita: Well, you saw how they dance, like they got to get rid of something quick. That's how they fight.
Maria: To get rid of what?
Anita: Too much feeling, and they do get rid of it. Boy, after a fight, that brother of yours is so healthy.

View Quote Maria: You must go and stop it.
Tony: I have stopped it. It's only gonna be a fist fight now between two of 'em...
Maria: Any fight is no good for us.
Tony: Maria, everything is good for us. We got magic.
Maria: Listen and hear me. You must go and stop it.
Tony: It means that much to you?
Maria: Yes.
Tony: All right, I will then.
Maria: I believe you. You do have magic.
Tony: Of course, I've got you.

View Quote Maria: Stay with me. Don't leave me...Hold me...Tighter.
Tony: It'll be all right, I know it. We're really together now.
Maria: But it's not us. It's everything around us.
Tony: Then I'll take you away where nothing can get to us - not anyone or anything.

View Quote Maria: [after Anita discovers Maria and Tony are still together] Now you know.
Anita: And you still don't know. He is one of them.
Maria: No, Anita.
Anita: Yes.

View Quote Anita: Bernardo was right. If one of you was lying in the street bleeding, I'd walk by and spit on you.
Action: Go on and go. Don't tell Chino that Tony's hidin' in the cellar.
Anita: Don't you touch me! I got a message for your American buddy. You tell that murderer that Maria's never going to meet him. You tell him that Chino found out about them and shot her. She's dead.
Doc: When do you kids stop? You make this world lousy.
Action: We didn't make it, Doc.
Doc: Get out of here.

View Quote It is most important that I have a wonderful time at the dancing tonight...because tonight is the real beginning of my life as a young lady of America.

View Quote [singing] I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty and witty and gay,
And I pity, any girl who isn't me today.
I feel charming, oh so charming, it's alarming how charming I feel.
And so pretty, that I hardly can believe I'm real.

View Quote [singing] Today the minutes seem like hours, the hours go so slowly and still the sky is light.
Oh moon, grow bright and make this endless day endless night.

View Quote [praying about Tony killing Bernardo] Make it not be true!...I will do anything. Make me die.

View Quote [singing] Oh no Anita, no, Anita, no, it isn't true, not for me
It's true for you, not for me.
I hear your words and in my head I know they're smart
But my heart, Anita, but my heart knows they're wrong.