1. America - West Side Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e2igZexpMs America is like the holy grail of musical numbers that combines amazing talent, youthful energy, and biting social commentary. All of the Puerto Rican kids engage in a rooftop dance, pitting the girls with their promise of the American dream against the boys with their harsh reality of race relations. Rita Moreno is a national treasure, and she steals the show here with her vibrancy and charisma. There's also a very fun chemistry between her and Bernardo where they both seem to relish the give-and-take, adversarial nature of their relationship, something that makes them a little bit more interesting than bland old Tony and Maria. More than any of that, America is a ridiculously catchy song, and the choreography in this dance just feels so much more alive than anything else in the film. Which is your favourite musical number in film history? Share your thoughts below in the comments thread.
Audrey Fox
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Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
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