“Rita Moreno: Just Another Girl Who Decided To Go For It” premiered on the 2nd night of the Sundance 2021 Film Festival. The documentary chronicles the life of singer, actress and dancer Rita Moreno. Born in Puerto Rico, Moreno defied humble beginnings and relentless racism to become one of a select group who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award (the EGOT), and even adding to that, a Peabody Award. Over a seventy-year career, she has paved the way for Hispanic-American performers by refusing to be pigeon holed into one-dimensional stereotypes. Sundance Review: ‘Rita Moreno: Just Another Girl Who Decided To Go For It’
“The documentary focuses on the courage, transformations, and highs and lows of a brave immigrant woman trying to overcome discrimination, hatred, and humiliation. A woman who when speaking about herself, speaks to and for a lot of us,” said the film’s director Mariem Pérez Riera.
“I related to all she was saying,” continued Riera. “Her stories about … the insecurities she felt because of the way others perceived her, the complicated love relationships, and the constant need to work three times harder to prove to others that she is worthy. It was at that moment when I realized that this movie was not just a biographical documentary of Rita’s life, but a story about all the women who feel alone as they struggle to assert themselves in a patriarchal society rooted in white supremacy.”
The film includes extensive interviews with the spitfire actress as she speaks about women’s inequality and the racial tensions still plaguing the world today. We follow 89-year old Moreno, who is hilarious and quirky, and still has an amazing amount of energy, as she works 10 hour plus days filming the new adaptation of West Side Story, the 1961 musical for which she won an Oscar. She was the first Hispanic actress to win the award. One of my favorite films to this day, Moreno speaks of how excited she was to finally portray an intelligent Puerto Rican woman after years of playing Polynesian, Mexican, American Indians or Hispanic maids. But despite winning an Oscar, the studios continued to offer Moreno small stereotypical ethnic roles, ignoring her proven talent. Sundance Review: ‘Rita Moreno: Just Another Girl Who Decided To Go For It’
“Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It,” also explores the lesser-known struggles Moreno faced including Hollywood sexism and sexual abuse, a toxic relationship with Marlon Brando, and an attempted suicide a year before she won her Oscar, showing her incredible resilience and passion for her career.
Other highlights include interviews with her Hollywood colleagues and dear friends, Norman Lear (executive producer), Lin-Manuel Miranda (executive producer), George Chakiris, Héctor Elizondo, Gloria Estefan, Tom Fontana, Morgan Freeman, Mitzi Gaynor, Whoopi Goldberg, Eva Longoria, Justina Machado, Terrence McNally and Karen Olivo.
I enjoyed watching this documentary, however, I am bias because Moreno is one of my favorite actresses after seeing her sing, dance and act in the film West Side Story. Moreno, at 89, is a joy to watch and listen to. She is still sharp and witty and just the kind of lady I’d only hope to be at 89.
My favorite moments in Moreno’s career are her portrayal of the character Louise in Mike Nichol’s dramedy Carnal Knowledge (1971) and, my most memorable, Milly the Helper in the children’s TV show “The Electric Company (1971),” for which she won a Grammy for the album “The Electric Company.” And of course, her role as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo in the gritty HBO prison drama Oz (1997 – 2003).
Moreno continues to work steadily on television, in film and on the stage. Her voice is the voice of inspiration of every woman, especially of every immigrant, in the USA.
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