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

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.

The positive aspects of this documentary were that it really reminded me (and others, I'm sure), of what an immense talent she is, as well as being so smart and attractive. She has had a career to be very proud of, and one that few will ever be able to duplicate.

The negative aspects of this documentary (as some others have already mentioned in this IMDb section), is the "woe is me", victim mentality regarding her career, particularly discussed by Gloria Estefan, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Eva Longoria, as well as a few Latina academics. While I have no doubt that there were many roadblocks and difficult times for Moreno to get to where she got, this happens to most people on their way to success...not just in Hollywood, but in many other career choices. I don't think Judy Garland had it made. Mira Sorvino's career crashed after she won her Oscar. They are both White. I could go on and on.

Rita Moreno presents her own bio doc. Dr. Christine Ford's testimony at the Kavanaugh hearings leads her into talking about her Hollywood experiences. There are the expected horrors of the casting couch. There is her epic love affair with Marlon Brando. They also go through many of her works with which I'm only half familiar. Calling out Hollywood's racism and sexual abuse is nothing new. It is always jarring to hear the true stories. This is her side of the story.

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.

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!