Rating: 
Summary: Free spirit meets civilised village life - a faultless film
Review: On a fine sunny day we see a boy walking, jauntily with a spring in his step, along a dirt lane whistling a happy tune. The lane is bordered by carefully planted shrubs which form a hedge on each side. In the distance we see an expanse of water. The titles come up in bright yellow followed by the message " ENGLAND IN THE LATE TWENTIES - A LONG TIME AGO IN A SPINNING WORLD". The boy comes to a sign and a fork in the road and ahead is visible a long stretch of beach, a blue sea with white surf breaking on white sand and the hints of settlement in the form of a village. He sits and rests, wiping his forehead. Cut to a school hall resembling a church building with ivy on its exterior, an oak at its side and children joyously spilling out of its door. Cut to interior with a class of girls standing in their places, in order of size behind their desks from front to back, in chorus singing a ditty about "Happy, happy holiday etc". Elizabeth Taylor (as "Velvet")stands out in the class, in the middle, with her jet black hair, violet eyes, red dress and white trim, and her braces; and then at the front of the group when the children rush to the front to hear the words of wisdom from the teacher showing great affection for this seminal authority figure. The light, the hope, that shines from Velvet's face is a marvel to witness. My love for this film rests much on the contrast between the theme of the free spirit versus the ordered life and the benefits that are evident in both but the difficulty indeed impossibility of having both at the same time. The horse "Pi" symbolises, like Mickey Rooney (as Mi Taylor), that free spirit, and Elizabeth Taylor(as Velvet Brown) tries to "civilise" or at least, train, both. With the horse, she succeeds through love. She succeeds up to a point with Mi. Much of the film's tension comes through the conflict between authority (of the father, the mother, the police,etc)and the likes of Mi and the horse which at one point runs wild destroying various items within the village including some carefully cultivated flowers in a private garden. I feel also that Mickey may have represented the free spirit of the American whose presence at this time in England at the time of this film's production (1944) was manifest and somewhat controversial especially regarding the attractiveness(economic and spiritual)of the American Servicemen to the English women. When Velvet wins the race posing as a boy jockey, it's her one victory and the implication is that her life will take its expected path - she rejects Hollywood offers following her astounding victory, for life in the village with her wonderful family. Pi is taken out of racing to be free to roam albeit within the confines of his enclosure by the sea. Mi returns to his travels where the world itself is his home - when Velvet first meets him she asks "Where should you be?" He replies "Anyplace my feet take me." When she tells him that she has two sisters and a brother and her father is a butcher, she asks him what he's got and he replies " The whole world. My Pa left it to me." There is tension between the Romantic and the Practical - in the beginning it seems Mi is filled with practical no nonsense information about horses, food, travel, money whilst Velvet is filled with romantic notions, hope and idealism. In the end, its Mi who continues to travel on his life's journey while Velvet decides to opt for the sensible comforts of her stable village life. Little does she know, but that her world, and ours, has changed for ever. It's the real beginning of the rise of the United States of America. There is a certain poignancy about the film, the knowledge that one kind of life is ending and another beginning. In terms of craft, acting, production values, direction, it seems to me to be faultless. It doesn't deserve to be shunted off as a "family film". It's superior by far to GONE WITH THE WIND for example. It deserves to be spoken of in the same breath as WIZARD OF OZ, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, etc
Rating:
Summary: A Classic Tale of a Girl, her Horse, a young Jockey and Mom
Review: Somehow I never got around to see this movie until I was 40 years old. I guess it was because I was never really an Elizabeth Taylor fan, although I have always enjoyed "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" But I was at the library and I had always heard good things about it and so I checked in out and took it home and watched it and feel in love with it.The plot line involving Mike (Mickey Rooney) starts off as somewhat melodramatic, the standard story (literarly in this case) of the guy who has to get back on the horse. The twist is that when he does our young heroine has decided she is the only one who can ride the Pie to victory. The twist is the Rooney achieves his victory without winning (anticipating "Rocky" in that regard when you stop and think about it). The focus of the film is on Taylor and Rooney, but the heart and soul of the film is the relationship between Velvet and her mother. Anne Reeve won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of the mother, and while her scenes with husband Donald Crip are small gems scattered throughout the film (they call each other "Mr. Brown" and "Mrs. Brown" and you can tell how much they love each other every time they do it), it is the scenes with her daughter that bring home the film. Mrs. Brown uses the money from her swimming the channel to fund Velvet's dream of racing the pie in the Grand National. But for Velvet the payoff is not when she wins the race and becames a front page story, but when she arrives home and immediately runs to her mother and says, "We won, Mother. We won." Her mother already knows. All of England knows. But all that mattered was telling her mother. It is a neat scene and an ellegant payoff to the film, more so than her running off to fetch make Mike. This 1944 film was directed by Clarence Brown and is based on the novel by Enid Bagnold. Final Warning: And if after you have watched and enjoyed this classic film with your children and you screen the sequel "International Velvet" which only leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you have only yourself to blame.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic Tale of a Girl, her Horse, a young Jockey and Mom
Review: Somehow I never got around to see this movie until I was 40 years old. I guess it was because I was never really an Elizabeth Taylor fan, although I have always enjoyed "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" But I was at the library and I had always heard good things about it and so I checked in out and took it home and watched it and feel in love with it. The plot line involving Mike (Mickey Rooney) starts off as somewhat melodramatic, the standard story (literarly in this case) of the guy who has to get back on the horse. The twist is that when he does our young heroine has decided she is the only one who can ride the Pie to victory. The twist is the Rooney achieves his victory without winning (anticipating "Rocky" in that regard when you stop and think about it). The focus of the film is on Taylor and Rooney, but the heart and soul of the film is the relationship between Velvet and her mother. Anne Reeve won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of the mother, and while her scenes with husband Donald Crip are small gems scattered throughout the film (they call each other "Mr. Brown" and "Mrs. Brown" and you can tell how much they love each other every time they do it), it is the scenes with her daughter that bring home the film. Mrs. Brown uses the money from her swimming the channel to fund Velvet's dream of racing the pie in the Grand National. But for Velvet the payoff is not when she wins the race and becames a front page story, but when she arrives home and immediately runs to her mother and says, "We won, Mother. We won." Her mother already knows. All of England knows. But all that mattered was telling her mother. It is a neat scene and an ellegant payoff to the film, more so than her running off to fetch make Mike. This 1944 film was directed by Clarence Brown and is based on the novel by Enid Bagnold. Final Warning: And if after you have watched and enjoyed this classic film with your children and you screen the sequel "International Velvet" which only leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you have only yourself to blame.
Rating:
Summary: Top Notch!
Review: This is another of those classic horse movies that is STILL great today! I have seen it a hundred times, and I still enjoy it just as much as the first time. :) The story is basically a poor, horse-crazy girl named Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor) ends up with an unruly, but talented horse she calls The Pie. He's known for jumping out of pastures and being a nuisance! A young boy (Mickey Rooney) ends up staying with her family for awhile, to help out with the family business. He happens to know about horses and helps Velvet train The Pie. They end up entering the horse in the most prestigious steeplechase event in the world, the Grand National. The rest I'll keep a secret! The story is so heart warming and special... the characters are funny and sympathetic. The acting is superb! A very young Angela Landsbury has a part as Velvet's beautiful older sister! And the race at the end is just brilliant - you really can't help but cheer The Pie on - to this day I find myself standing up and screaming along as he is leaping over those fences! The movie followed the basic story of the book, but as with most movies they had to leave a lot out. The book is a classic in its own right though, and well worth reading if you haven't already. The story is so exciting and fun, its one I will never forget. I highly recommend seeing this movie, even if you're not a horse fanatic. :)
Rating:
Summary: Top Notch!
Review: This is another of those classic horse movies that is STILL great today! I have seen it a hundred times, and I still enjoy it just as much as the first time. :) The story is basically a poor, horse-crazy girl named Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor) ends up with an unruly, but talented horse she calls The Pie. He's known for jumping out of pastures and being a nuisance! A young boy (Mickey Rooney) ends up staying with her family for awhile, to help out with the family business. He happens to know about horses and helps Velvet train The Pie. They end up entering the horse in the most prestigious steeplechase event in the world, the Grand National. The rest I'll keep a secret! The story is so heart warming and special... the characters are funny and sympathetic. The acting is superb! A very young Angela Landsbury has a part as Velvet's beautiful older sister! And the race at the end is just brilliant - you really can't help but cheer The Pie on - to this day I find myself standing up and screaming along as he is leaping over those fences! The movie followed the basic story of the book, but as with most movies they had to leave a lot out. The book is a classic in its own right though, and well worth reading if you haven't already. The story is so exciting and fun, its one I will never forget. I highly recommend seeing this movie, even if you're not a horse fanatic. :)
Rating:
Summary: National Velvet--Required for all School Curriculums
Review: This is not just a magnificent cinematic masterpiece, but tells the story of how to have a successful life! Wonderful scenes depicting what a great marriage and parenting is all about--Mother Anne Revere received an Oscar for her performance here.
Just heard Liz Taylor on Larry King recently state that she actually rode the horse in all the scenes, no stunt doubles. She said, "I had to do it, everyone was afraid of the horse, but me". She was given the horse as a gift after the filming wrapped. Larry asked her "which movie did you enjoy making the most?". She quickly replied, "National Velvet, of course".
Rating:
Summary: National Velvet--Required for all School Curriculums
Review: This is not just a magnificent cinematic masterpiece, but tells the story of how to have a successful life! Wonderful scenes depicting what a great marriage and parenting is all about--Mother Anne Revere received an Oscar for her performance here.
Just heard Liz Taylor on Larry King recently state that she actually rode the horse in all the scenes, no stunt doubles. She said, "I had to do it, everyone was afraid of the horse, but me". She was given the horse as a gift after the filming wrapped. Larry asked her "which movie did you enjoy making the most?". She quickly replied, "National Velvet, of course".
Rating:
Summary: NOTHING BEATS THIS MOVIE
Review: This movie is a true classic in the very sense of the word. The story, the cinematography, the acting of Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney. All together can not be beat.
Rating:
Summary: A classic for horse lovers
Review: This movie is as charming and watcheable today as it was when it came out. Elizabeth Taylor is delightful (if sometimes a little overly obsessive) as Velvet. Mickey Rooney as Mi Taylor does a good job of playing a boy that is good at heart but having to deal with some hard luck in life. Mr. and Mrs. Brown give us some of the best moments in the film, it is very touching in the end when they address each other by their first names (rather than just as Mrs. Brown or Mr. Brown). Velvet's little brother is a great example of annoying little brothers everywhere. The story moves along quickly, never really gets dull, and comes to the usual happy ending for all.
Rating:
Summary: Great family entertainment & grt. role model for young girls
Review: This was about Velvets love of the horse and the love of the sport, her love of the horse (pie) and her "friendship" with mike, a boy, and how she took on the "boys" at their own game and won! Not about any "love affair" by a 12 year old girl.(reference another review). Frankly it's wonderful to see a 12 year old have a great friendship with a boy (mike-Mickey Rooney)and how he supports her for the race. Plus it's appropriate to see Mike move on because at 12 years old, girls see boys come and go and it's not the end of the world. Life moves on, certainly at 12. It's a great role model for young girls to be able to compete equally with men, even though at the time it was not popular. This is a great movie and our 5 year old daughter loved it (and she also loved the horses as she is just starting riding lessons). It's a great example of how her family lets HER decide what to do next after winning the race and how she keeps her perspective with pie's best interests. The relationship between the mother and velvet is wonderful and overall they seemed to have a wonderful marriage, even if a little stiff. :) If any young girl doesn't like this movie, then I'd personally be really worried why not? If any family doesn't enjoy watching this movie, then perhaps they best go back to playing murder and mayhem video games together!
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