In the slums of the upper West Side of Manhattan, New York, a gang of Polish-American teenagers called the Jets compete with a rival gang of recently immigrated Puerto Ricans, the Sharks, to "own" the neighborhood streets. Tensions are high between the gangs but two romantics, one from each gang, fall in love leading to tragedy.

• Seven Arts Productions
• The Mirisch Company
• Natalie Wood
• Richard Beymer
• Russ Tamblyn
• Rita Moreno
• George Chakiris
• Simon Oakland
• Ned Glass
• William Bramley