gavin6942 A jaded former jockey (Mickey Rooney) helps a young girl (Elizabeth Taylor) prepare a wild but gifted horse for England's Grand National Sweepstakes.An 18-year-old Gene Tierney, who was then appearing on Broadway, was offered the role of Velvet Brown in 1939. Production was delayed, however, so Tierney returned to Broadway. Much of the film was shot in Pebble Beach, California, with the most-scenic views on the Pebble Beach Golf Links (with golf holes visible in the background).Elizabeth Taylor was cast in Tierney's place, and it is interesting to note in retrospect that Taylor is by far the bigger star (with all due respect to Tierney). Allegedly, Taylor was given "The Pie" as a birthday gift after filming was over. Good for her. Her spirit and optimism really made this film. Although not necessarily my kind of movie, she played her role perfectly.

onehandhailingataxicab Elizabeth Taylor is one of my favorites, and this is her breakthrough performance, worth checking out simply for the chemistry between her and Mickey Rooney. Even in their youth, both stars had remarkable timing and charisma. Hard to believe that in just a few years innocent little Liz would be burning up the screen as Maggie the Cat!The racing sequences are both remarkably dated, and breathtaking for the danger they depict. Apparently 70 years ago horse racing was extremely dangerous- and from the looks of it, stuntmen and horses alike had some rough tumbles on the set of this movie. (Hopefully, nobody was seriously injured, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn otherwise.)

capone666 National Velvet Owning a horse is basically comprised of feeding one end and cleaning up the other. However, the relationship between pony and person in this drama is much more involved than shoveling equine scat.After winning a lively colt in a raffle, the equally spirited Velvet (Elizabeth Taylor) begins breaking-in her beast for a national steeplechase.With a former jockey Mi (Mickey Rooney), Velvet and her steed, dubbed The Pi, perfect their steeple leaping performance.But when the jockey hired to ride The Pi at the Grand National backs out, it's up to Mi to put away his past and get back in the saddle - or is it?With Sussex, England serving as the pastoral setting of this girl-meets-horse tale, National Velvet is as much a visual treat as a narrative one.Unfortunately, when your horse can jump over fences and ditches, your corral has to be, like, 20-feet tall. (Green Light)vidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

inhonoredglory This movie is all charm. It is adorable, touching, incredibly sweet, and terribly precious. There is not one moment that does not touch your heart. From the Brown family - with the sisters Edwina (a young Angela Lansbury!) and Malvolia (Juanita Quigley) and the precious, freckled, innocent, and clever Donald (Jackie Jenkins). The Gibraltar of wisdom, Mrs. Brown (Anne Revere) and the Irish, folksy, can't-help-but-love-him Mr. Brown (Donald Crisp). Not to mention the stars of the program, Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney) and Velvet (the incomparable Elizabeth Taylor). Velvet is all heart, so full of her love for horses, so innocent and pure in her selflessness for Pie. And Mi, the ne'er-do-well who finds his courage and sense of self in Velvet's pure, unadulterated trust in him. What character dwells deep in these people, what stories, what charm! And even though I knew the story, I cheered and clapped in the racing scene, and I teared up with the trust and wisdom of Mrs. Brown to Velvet. A real classic, timeless and truly beautiful, that will leave you warm and inspired.