National Velvet (1944)

Synopsis: NATIONAL VELVET is the poignant family story that made a young Elizabeth Taylor a star. Taylor excels as Velvet Brown, a 1920s working-class girl whose dreams of owning her own horse become a... NATIONAL VELVET is the poignant family story that made a young Elizabeth Taylor a star. Taylor excels as Velvet Brown, a 1920s working-class girl whose dreams of owning her own horse become a reality when she wins Pie, a wild and unruly horse, in a raffle. With the help of Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney), a skittish, gun-shy ex-jockey, Velvet trains Pie to be a race champion despite the wishes of her loving but cautious parents (Donald Crisp and Ann Revere). Velvet's determination pays off, and the Brown family (including Angela Lansbury as Edwina, Velvet's sophisticated older sister) pools its money and enters the family pride and joy in the prestigious Grand National race, only to have its hopes dashed when the rider renegs--leading Velvet to do something extraordinary. This uplifting adaptation of Enid Bagnold's novel features stunning photography of coastal England and acclaimed crosscut editing that heightens the tension in the famous race scene. Young costars Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney are fabulous together, full of youthful charm and exuberance, ably supported by a first-rate ensemble cast. [More]

Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Donald Crisp, Anne Revere

Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Donald Crisp, Anne Revere, Angela Lansbury, Jackie Jenkins, Arthur Treacher, Reginald Owen, Terry Kilburn, Norma Varden, Arthur Shields, Dennis Hoey, Aubrey Mather, Billy Bevan, Matthew Boulton, Colin Campbell, William Austin, Moyna MacGill, Donald Curtis, Alec Craig, Eugene Loring, Frederic Worlock, Harry Allen, Barry Maccollum, Leyland Hodgson, Leonard Carey, Frank Benson, Wally Cassell, Alec Hartford, Gerald Oliver Smith, Olaf Hytten, George Kirby, Gordon Richards, Willliam Bailey, Eric Wilton, Douglas Francis

Director: Clarence Brown

Director: Clarence Brown
Producer: Pandro S. Berman
Screenwriter: Theodore Reeves, Helen Deutsch
Story: Enid Bangold
Composer: Herbert Stothart

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