She's so beautiful. Even in her older age

Rita I love you... but.. I thought the dance at the gym scene worked for me as an audience member... it blew me away , and I still enjoy it !!

I agree 1000% on what RIta said on the last 1.5 minutes of this video! There is no other movie of the musical gender that can match the magic and perfection of West Side Story... also the film audiences these days fail to recognise how beautiful they can be... I have fealt so many times before that I was born on the wrong place and time :S I would give anything to go back in time and watch the very original West Side Story production & performance...

I am also scratching my head when it comes to Rita saying that Dance at The Gym/Mambo didn't work. I thought it was the best scene in the movie except for Cool(which is my favorite).

Incredible amount of talent on that West Side Story set. I know Rita would not use the term 'genius' lightly. Jerome Robbins and Stanley Donnen. Wow.

She DID sing her own part in "America" and "Tonight (Quintet", but she had said in an interview that she could not hit the low nots for "A Boy Like That" and that's when they brought in Betty Wand... She had also said in the interview that she didn't like the result because in her opinion her expressions and reactions to Maria did not much with Betty's tone of voice.

When I think of “WSS” do I see drippy Maria and/or squeeky clean Tony? Do I see Russ Tamblyn and those cute white boys? No. I see Anita’s flying orchid-colored petticoats as she strutted and flew around, sometimes with with handsome George Chakiris. She was the life of the movie.

The CD credits are incorrect; Rita Moreno most definitely sang ALL of "America" and her solo part in the quintet. When the ensemble begins, Anita's lines are sung by Marni Nixon and Betty Wand sings "A Boy LIke That." This is all well documented.

Authenticity heard here. Enjoy folks.

In the movie, Tony was sung by Jim Bryant, Anita by Betty Wand and, as you wrote, Maria by Marni Nixon (who also dubbed Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady"). All the other characters were sung by their players.

I disagree with Rita on the Mambo sequence on film. I think it's thrilling! :)

She's a goddess.

@weirdoinchains: It's a risky think, to recreate classic movies and magical movies such as West Side Story. Considering that film musicals do not sell that much any more and that it is very hard to find people who can dance, act and sing in Hollywood these days that makes WSS particularly challenging to remake. Maybe in 20 years time they'll think about it again, but now is not the time...

I was 9 years old when the movie came out in 1961, and children were not permitted into the theater, I suppose because of the violence that is quite tame these days in comparison. I wanted desperately to see this movie that, upon its release, took the world by storm. After, I had the opportunity to do the show twice, then see the film. My perceptions had changed. I feel that Miss Moreno and the choice to film in NYC were the most outstanding aspects. Unfortunately, the Somewhere Ballet was cut - it would not have worked on film. I do love Miss Moreno. And I don't think she's singing on the soundtrack. Sad.

You' re; welcome!! |/:).

At the end of when she talks about how her nephew Thomas reacted to THE KING AND I saying "weird with all the singing" it is indeed heartbreaking. Just think of all the people with the a world of music, opera, and Broadway at their fingertips like never before, yet unable to understand and appreciate it in their lives. As Rita says "such a shame". It's hard to imagine a life without the pure joy of a Mozart opera or a Bernstein musical. I don't believe tragic is an overreaction.

@hughkelly1993 . This is true, but aside from West Side Story, Rita Moreno could sing, dance, and act.

According to the CD credits (Sony 01-048211-10), Betty Wand did all the singing parts.

@Troublemaker1991 People don't know what real dancing is anymore. They think it's all pseudo "sexy' bump and grind stuff al la MTV, and almost no one can sing either. Seldom do you have anyone who can do all three like Rita Moreno and others from her generation.

its funny that she said that she felt "threatened" by beautiful when she had to audition for sometihng b/c i'm sure moreno made a lot of women jealous. she was so gorgeous and still is