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

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.

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.

IN BRIEF: A loving documentary about the EGOT winner.

JIM'S REVIEW: (RECOMMENDED) Rita Moreno has been in the biz for many decades and has broken many racial barriers and and achieved many well-earned accolades and this documentary, Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It. This film is a candid look at her legendary life and status. Solidly directed by Mariem Pérez Rier, the film is a glowing tribute to this actress, perhaps too glowing. Filled with gossipy tidbits from mostly interviews by Ms. Moreno there are comments from some of her friends and co-stars such as Justina Machado, George Chakiris, Lin-Manual Miranda, Terrance McNally, and Hector Elizondo, plus devoted fans like Mitzi Gaynor, Eva Longoria, Gloria Estefan, Karen Olivo, Whoopi Goldberg, and Norman Lear. An all-star cast for an all-star.

Ms. Moreno's early family life is rarely on view as the film focuses primarily on her show biz accomplishments and the obstacles she faced throughout her long movie career. She continually discusses her need for fame and yearning for the spotlight, while bemoaning her B movie roles prior to her Oscar-winning role as Anita in West Side Story and her uphill climb after that win. Her personal life is a bit of a shamble until she finds some stability in a marriage and begins her own family later in her life. Political activism and her passion for liberal causes like the civil right movement in the 60's are also covered and exulted. But darker times come to her journey of self-worth and acceptance. Ms. Moreno also confesses to her sexual harassment encounters and date rape by her agent, her volatile 7 year romantic relationship with Marlon Brando, and her need for therapy thereafter. All insightful and sincere cinematic moments, but one wished there were more interest shown with longer clips of her musical performances to reinforce her true star power.

One troubling aside to this reviewer: the side-stepping of stereotyping in many of her earlier roles. Except for a small part in Singin' in the Rain, the actress bolstered and perpetuated the Latin spitfire bombshell or native girl on screen. Granted, those were the parts she was given, but with today's public outcry of racial profiling and her participation in playing other ethnicities during Hollywood's Golden Age, those choices are purposely downplayed in this film. At one point, she disparages her role as Tuptim in The King and I as a silly hapless victim, but she never takes accountability for her one-dimensional stereotypes early in her career that pathed the way for better and more significant roles. Ms. Moreno somehow avoids The Hattie McDonald backlash, an issue that rarely tarnished her reputation and never is honestly addressed here. (The actress does come full circle with her Tony-winning performance in The Ritz, playing an over-the-top third-rate caricature named Googie Gomez, which could have been a perfect segue to that accountability factor that the film avoids.)

Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It remains a fascinating documentary. She seemed to outlive the stigma and shame of racial profiling and made her mark as a cultural icon and survivor in her later years. She has skillfully crafted a memorable career and her accomplishments are quite a remarkable legacy for a poor girl from Puerto Rico. The filmmakers do paint a loving, if biased, portrait of this talented woman amid some gaps in storytelling, but we never really get the entire picture of her struggles and defeats, only more and more emphasis on her many many successes. (GRADE: B)

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.

I have mixed feelings about this one. Rita Moreno seems to have had and continues to have, it all. She admits that becoming a movie actress was ridiculously easy, she just showed up and LB Mayer said "you're hired!" based on her latina-tinged resemblance to Liz Taylor which she shrewdly cultivated in her getup for the interview with LBM.

But then of course nothing is going to be that easy, and like anyone, she had her struggles. The sexism she suffered is sad but happened to pretty much all female stars (and of course continues to, today, though thankfully to lesser degree, less blatant...It was the fifties, for heaven's sake!) When she talks of her several-year-affair with Brando, she gloats a bit saying, "he was the biggest star in the world and he loved...ME!" (Lest anyone miss the fact that he was a big star? But of course Brando had scads of women so, Moreno seems to have over-inflated opinion of her own important position in his life.) Moreno laments all the typecasting she suffered, always playing the Island Girl, Polynesian, Native American etc etc. I could not help thinking, "well I am sure there were some actual Polynesians and Native Americans who might have appreciated the opportunites that Moreno was given!" The Latina typecasting, OK I grant her that, though of course she IS latina. But yes, those were smallish roles for a very talented actress to be saddled with, in her early years. It seems to me, that she had been and continues to be a very lucky actress with her numerous awards to show for her fortuitious career.

Another moment of self importance, she mentions being there when MLK gave gus famous "I have a dream" speach. Moreno grinds in the fact that she was there, only several yards away from the great man when he gave his speech. LIke that is the most important thing, that she was there. Not what he said or what it meant to her but that she was there for a moment in history, yay me! She even mentions when she made a speech at a human rights event, how she loved all the attention that making that speech gave her.

And, when RM accepted any of her numerous awards, she always gave a self-absorbed speech, one of which was, along the lines of "I wish you out there could be me." like, nayah nyah, losers weepers?

But the most shocking example of self absorbed callousness is when her seeming beloved husband of many years dies and she is...relieved!! She immediately goes home and toasts his death with a large amount of wine and feels just great, like her life of selfishness can finally beging. And her late husband's faults? Loving her too much and not being fun spunky and spontaneous like she is.

Ok I had to Moreno-bash, because the woman has been clearly given, and gone and gotten herself her share of good things in life, she can survive an unknown amateur reviewer's gripes. I see that Rita was super spunky, adorable and yes, sometimes quite self effacing and vulnerable. Also a very talented actress and vivaciouls life-loving personality. So, I did enjoy getting to know this living legend.