A take on the "Romeo And Juliet"/"West Side Story" story set in Harlem. A black man (Hooks) falls in love with a Puerto Rican woman (Cara) against the threadbare background of the ghetto. Overview: A take on the "Romeo And Juliet"/"West Side Story" story set in Harlem. A black man (Hooks) falls in love with a Puerto Rican woman (Cara). Against the threadbare background of the ghetto, this story is all the more poignant without the trappings of wealth of Shakespeare or the musical numbers of Bernstein. Early film appearance of Irene Cara who would go on to a singing career in "Fame" and singing the title track to "Flashdance" in the 1980's.