And not to argue with you about everything, but the the Jeopardy question is referring to the stage version of West Side Story when they say based on a play.
And no, almost every film credit based on a movie phrases it (to the best of my recollection) as based on the musical "Chicago" or "Rent" or whatever or "based on the musical of the same name." The Sweeney phrasing seems to be an anomaly. And that could be because the credits go to read "From an adaption by Christopher Bond."
Haha, how is that arguing with me? I don't think it was referring to Romeo and Juliet. I said it was referring to the stage version. Good to know about the phrasing.
Also, going back to what Trebek said, how would King and I be a good guess? Wouldn't My Fair Lady and The Music Man be better guesses since they actually came out in in the early 60s? My Fair Lady actually IS based on a straight play too in Pygmalion, so that would have been a way more tempting guess than King and I, I would think.
Although it's pretty pointless to engage in such a silly discussion...
The word "musical" is an adjective that has been demotically used within the last 75 years or so as a noun. What we call a "musical" is more aptly called a "musical play."
The West Side Story soundtrack is a bit of a phenomenon- the biggest selling album of the 1960's (yes) and the record with the longest run at #1 on the Billboard charts.
Was the King and I soundtrack even known to chart well? I'm sure it charted back then--it was a high profile, successful R&H movie musical, but you never hear about people talking about the soundtrack being a best seller. (My Fair Lady's cast album *was* so despite not being a soundtrack--I agree).
Plus...The King and I movie was 56. Sure, My Fair Lady and Sound of Music came out after West Side Story, but they do seem to be of a more similar vintage (as well as enormous popularity) which makes those the three 'good' guesses.
I too found the entire question and answers puzzling at best. I too was bothered by referring to West Side Story as "based on a play" since it was clearly a movie they were talking about which was based on the Broadway musical. Romeo and Juliet is a play, sure, but hardly the way you'd refer to what the movie was based on!
And Sound of Music a good response? No way. But even more puzzling was Alex's comment that King and I would have been a good guess -- from the movie? -- number one song in 1961? Huh?
Well...Sound of Music was an ENORMOUSLY popular musical from vaguely the same time period. I don't think it's a ridiculous guess. I mean...I knew the answer, and the wording didn't confuse me in the least (HOW IS THE WORDING CONFUSING???), but if someone guessed The Sound of Music, I wouldn't throw a shoe at them and call them 'retard.'