Rita Moreno makes the supporting part worth watching, with musical skill and an energy that suits an ensemble. We admire that liveliness most when the role asks for more than another spirited woman.
Fi1m perspective
In Singin' in the Rain (1952), Rita Moreno is Zelda Zanders, one performer among the many pleasures of a musical built on comic timing. Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly make Hollywood's arrival of sound troublesome and funny; the slight romance is easy to forgive. We would not credit Moreno with everything we love about the film. Her supporting place in it is a useful starting point, though, because her gift is for giving an ensemble a lively, distinct presence. Across her musical work, the singing and dancing are part of how she acts.
Anita in West Side Story (1961) made that musical skill central to her reputation. It is the obvious place to look for the energetic supporting performance she does so well, but its prominence can make the rest of the work seem incidental. The repeated demand for fiery or spirited characters, both before and after that breakthrough, gave her fewer chances to be particular. Energy can become tiresome if a part asks for nothing else, and we should not praise the restriction simply because she could meet it. The shift towards television and stage followed a shortage of substantial film roles.
In Oz (1997), as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo, Moreno belongs to the ensemble of Tom Fontana's prison drama. We were disturbed by the suffering in Oz, because the performances keep it attached to people whose discomfort matters. The series' appetite for excess grows harder to defend as it continues, and strong acting cannot excuse every indulgence. Even so, we recommend it for the ensemble, which prevents the suffering from becoming merely spectacle. Moreno's place in that dramatic company deserves attention alongside the musical parts, without the faint surprise that a singer and dancer can also act.
Her return as Valentina in West Side Story (2021) brought a newly created part and a collaboration with Steven Spielberg. There is sense in returning to a performer with a different job for her to do. For the work we can recommend most firmly, start with Singin' in the Rain, then try Oz if the discomfort is bearable. Do not mistake Oz for a comfortable evening in familiar company.
Biography
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer. Born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano on 11 December 1931 in Humacao, Puerto Rico, she made her Broadway debut at the age of 13 and signed a contract with MGM in 1950. She appeared as Zelda Zanders in the musical film Singin' in the Rain (1952).
Moreno received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in West Side Story (1961). She is one of the few performers to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. Her other screen credits include The King and I (1956) and later television roles in series such as Oz (1997–2003) and Jane the Virgin (2014–2019).
She also appeared in the 2021 film adaptation of West Side Story.
