And The Academy Award Goes To ...  

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And the Academy Award Goes To...

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

Paul Gambaccini traces the history of the Oscars and tells the story behind winning films

Paul Gambaccini traces the history of the Oscars and tells the story behind award-winning films

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And the Academy Award Goes To...: Series 2: West Side Story

West Side Story

Series 2

BBC Radio 4 - And the Academy Award Goes To..., Series 2, West Side Story

The behind-the-scenes arguments, dubbings and overruns of the film that won 10 Oscars.

Paul Gambaccini reveals behind-the-scenes arguments, dubbings and overruns of the 1961 film that won 10 Oscars. From February 2009.

Continuing his series on Oscar-winning films, Paul Gambaccini turns his attention to one that tackled tough issues through the medium of the musical. 

With a young fresh cast - Natalie Wood in her first adult role, Rita Moreno sweeping everyone else off the dancefloor, and a relatively inexperienced but dazzling array of support actors - the movie sizzles with colour, drama, the outstanding choreography of Jerome Robbins, the music of Leonard Bernstein and the lyrics of a young Stephen Sondheim. 

Who could tell that behind the scenes there were arguments, voice dubbings and overruns, plus issues over racial casting and 'blacking up'? 

What emerged from a tumultuous production was a triumph. 

Producer: Sara Jane Hall

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2009.

And the Academy Award Goes To...: Series 2

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