10 Best Musical Numbers In Film

West Side Story is a hard film to discuss because it has aged both really well and poorly at the same time. On one hand, the filmmaking and editing is superb even by modern standards, and the themes are just as relevant now as they were in the 1960s. On the other hand, the actors are all singing directly at the camera, the film is almost 3 hours long, and Natalie Wood plays a Puerto Rican.

At screenings of this classic, no song gets a bigger reaction than "America". This song perfectly captures the plight of immigrants in America in a back and forth between two halves of the ensemble. The song covers everything from the idealism that causes people to immigrate, to the bleak reality of what its like to actually live as an immigrant in America. And it does so while remaining light on its feet and extraordinarily catchy.

This number shows off the extremely well-rehearsed choreography of the cast, as well as the performances of George Chakris and Rita Moreno, the two best parts of the film's ensemble. And while it is oddly paced by modern standards - most songs that drop lyrics and end with a solid minute of choreography are - the energy is infectious and deeply personal.