Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It

Greetings again from the darkness. There she sits. Rita Moreno looks directly into the camera as she tells her own story. And what a story it is. She talks about the good times and bad. She recalls the challenges of being a Puerto Rican immigrant in a predominantly white industry. Documentarian Mariem Perez Riera understands there is no one who can tell Rita's story better than Ms. Moreno herself, yet knows the story becomes even more powerful with the insight of others.

We get the background on her childhood, and what stands out is Rita's admission that she was born to be a performer and danced professionally at age 6 (made her Broadway debut at age 13). It's heart-breaking to hear her talk of breaking into movies, stating, there's nobody "like me" up there. Forced to take "exotic" roles and speak with a heavy accent while wearing makeup "the color of mud", Rita initially took every role she could. The prestige projects finally started to come: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952), THE KING AND I (1956), and yes, WEST SIDE STORY (1961). Her role as Anita in the latter won her an Oscar, which shockingly, did not lead to more quality film roles.

It's stunning to find out that she went seven years without making a movie, but Rita is never shy about her personal life ... which includes being raped by her agent, and having a 7 year affair with Marlon Brando that resulted in an abortion and a suicide attempt. Rita is matter-of-fact about the low points, and positively glowing about the good stuff: her work and music on "The Electric Company" (with Morgan Freeman) earned her a Grammy, her stage performance in "The Ritz" won her a Tony, and "The Muppet Show" and "The Rockford Files" won her Emmys. If you are keeping score, that places Rita Moreno in rarified air - she's an EGOT.

Two of the film's producers, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Norman Lear also provide their own perspective, as do Rita's daughter, fellow EGOT Whoopi Goldberg, her WEST SIDE STORY co-star George Chikiris, Mitzi Gaynor, and other Latinos who pay their respects, including Eva Longoria, Gloria Estefan, and Hector Elizondo. This is a profile and tribute to a woman who turns 90 this year and is still hard at work. Some of her recent work includes playing a nun on "Oz", being a regular on "One Day at a Time", and an upcoming role in the Steven Spielberg remake of WEST SIDE STORY ... now that is what's called "Full Circle"!

The American Dream didn't come easy for Rita Moreno, but her commitment to her profession took her to the top not just an as EGOT, but also her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She's an energetic woman with amazing talent, and director Mariem Perez Riera includes some of Moreno's work on the Civil Rights Movement and political issues. The film is part of the American Masters series on PBS, and I'll leave you with this: "Hey, you guys!" ... watch this movie!

In theaters June 18, 2021.

Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It is the ultimate in-depth documentary about one of Hollywood's most trailblazing actors. This film is the absolute tear-jerking, hysterical, educational experience of the year. By the movie's end, you just want to go for it too.

Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It recounts the life story of critically acclaimed actress Rita Moreno. Rita, who is best known for her roles of Anita in West Side Story and Carmela in The Electric Company, stars in the documentary, along with stars like Whoopie Goldberg, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Eva Longoria and more. The film features clips from a large variety of Rita's films throughout her career as well as from award shows, and photographs and footage from her personal life, including interviews with her friends and family.

This film shines a light on how incredible Rita is, and how human as she leads the way for Puerto Ricans and all Hispanics in the 1960s, stands up for women's rights and fights to be able to choose which roles she plays. She deals with being type-cast as an island or Hispanic character, and decides and turns down roles that would shove her into a tiny box. We see the good, the bad, and the ugly side of Rita's life, not just grazing at the surface. It shows how Rita struggled with hating her Hispanic roots, because it limited her as an actress. She tells how she was sexually abused, was forced into an abortion by her then-boyfriend Marlon Brando, and tried to commit suicide. The film shows exactly why Rita is such a beloved actress and person. Despite all she's been through, she never gives up and learned to value the woman she is. Rita grows into her own person throughout the movie, telling how everything that put her down at the time just made her stronger.

The moral of the film is to stay strong and keep fighting. Rita is not eighty-nine years old and one of 15 EGOT winners (acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards), just because she gave up. Being a Puerto Rican actress in New York and trying to find your way in the world wasn't as easy as Moreno makes it look. She has maintained her humbleness and blossomed into a modern woman who fights for human rights and looks great while doing it.

I give Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 13 to 18, plus adults. It is available in theaters June 18, 2021. By Heather S., KIDS FIRST!

I would have never thought of her as a victim. She and her cohorts center her experiences around the fact that she was Hispanic and sexy. Even though she has attained all there is to be had in show business. As a Hispanic woman, I would never lament my path in life as if I never had control. What does this teach our hijas? My Dear, you have lived a life like no other, show a little finesse.

This is a 90-minute documentary on the long-lasting star who turns 90 this year. Clunky title but it gets explained toward the end of the show. The film documents Moreno's early years in Puerto Rico, arrival in New York City as a kid, and her eventual entry into films under the thumb of Louis B. Mayer.

Lots of clips from Moreno's early films going back to 1950. Most, but not all, of these early roles were of the "dusky maiden" type. She played all manner of Hispanics, Indians, Polynesians and anything else that required dark make-up. Much time is spent on WEST SIDE STORY and how it didn't make her a major film star. Interesting but not earth shaking.

One complaint is that none of the film clips were named and only a few were talked about. It often looked like one of those YouTube tributes.

Another complaint is the constant whining about the roles she was given and how she rarely got to play non-ethnic parts. This said while demanding that only Hispanics should play the major Hispanic roles in films like the remake of WEST SIDE STORY or IN THE HEIGHTS. You can't have it both ways.

Talented? Yes. Likable? Not so much.

Her story is inspiring and interesting and at times emotional/sad. Rita Moreno is still a firecracker of a woman even at her more mature age, and it's inspiring to see her living her life. One of the great actresses of her generation, and she continues to be an inspiration.