The butcher's daughter, 12-year-old Velvet Brown :- Elizabeth Taylor in his first starring character and she did much of her own horse riding-, wins a horse in a village raffle and as she is training a sorrel gelding. She is hardly determined to train it and compete in the famed Grand National Race with the help of her best friend : Mickey Rooney, giving his energetic support.
This marvelous piece of escapism titled National Velvet made a big impression and millions reach for their handkerchieves. One of the greatest tearjerkers in which actors give nice as well as captivating interpretations all around and the sentiment is kept at a trot. Elizabeth Taylor , only 12 at the time, is good but extremely maudlin and sentimental, formerly she played "Lassie come home" that already made a lot of success, later on, she was shot to stardom. During shooting she took one especially bad fall, injuring her back to such an extent that she had suffered pain throughout her career. However, Mickey Rooney is superb as her cynic friend and trainer jockey with a secret past . Furthermore, other prestigious secondaries as the incombustible Angela Lansbury, the parents, Anne Revere who won an Oscar, Donald Crisp, Reginald Owen, among others.
Lushly decorated by the notorious designer Cedric Gibbons and colorfully photographed with special mention for the magnificently shot final race that is frankly spectacular. The Grand National was actually shot on Pasadena goof course. Rousing and adequate musical score by Herbert Stothart. This graceful motion picture was well and fluently directed by Clarence Brown with a loving eye on sensitive scenes. He was a good Hollywood director who made a lot of films, many of them considered classy movies, such as : The eagle, Flesh and devil, The trail of 98, Anna Chistie, Sadie McKee, Anna Karenina , The gorgeous Hussy, Idiot's delight, The rains came, Edison the man, The Yearling, Intruder in the dust. This is a treat for kiddies, a charmer for boys and girls of all ages, adding an outsize dose of nostalgia for movie fans.
Based on the novel by Enid Bagnold, being also adapted : National Velvet 1960 with Ann Doran, Arthur Space and a follow-up titled International Velvet 1978 by Bryan Forbes with Tatum O'Neal, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Hopkins, Nanette Newman.
This marvelous piece of escapism titled National Velvet made a big impression and millions reach for their handkerchieves. One of the greatest tearjerkers in which actors give nice as well as captivating interpretations all around and the sentiment is kept at a trot. Elizabeth Taylor , only 12 at the time, is good but extremely maudlin and sentimental, formerly she played "Lassie come home" that already made a lot of success, later on, she was shot to stardom. During shooting she took one especially bad fall, injuring her back to such an extent that she had suffered pain throughout her career. However, Mickey Rooney is superb as her cynic friend and trainer jockey with a secret past . Furthermore, other prestigious secondaries as the incombustible Angela Lansbury, the parents, Anne Revere who won an Oscar, Donald Crisp, Reginald Owen, among others.
Lushly decorated by the notorious designer Cedric Gibbons and colorfully photographed with special mention for the magnificently shot final race that is frankly spectacular. The Grand National was actually shot on Pasadena goof course. Rousing and adequate musical score by Herbert Stothart. This graceful motion picture was well and fluently directed by Clarence Brown with a loving eye on sensitive scenes. He was a good Hollywood director who made a lot of films, many of them considered classy movies, such as : The eagle, Flesh and devil, The trail of 98, Anna Chistie, Sadie McKee, Anna Karenina , The gorgeous Hussy, Idiot's delight, The rains came, Edison the man, The Yearling, Intruder in the dust. This is a treat for kiddies, a charmer for boys and girls of all ages, adding an outsize dose of nostalgia for movie fans.
Based on the novel by Enid Bagnold, being also adapted : National Velvet 1960 with Ann Doran, Arthur Space and a follow-up titled International Velvet 1978 by Bryan Forbes with Tatum O'Neal, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Hopkins, Nanette Newman.