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.

National Velvet was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Director (Clarence Brown), Best Color Cinematography (Leonard Smith) and Best Interior Decoration. It won in the categories of Best Editing (Robert J. Kern) and Best Supporting Actress (Revere).

National Velvet was adapted into a short-lived television series in 1960, starring Lori Martin. The film was followed decades later by a poorly received sequel featuring Tatum O'Neal, International Velvet (1978)!!

• Attractive Retail Box
• Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Coming Of Age, Drama, Classic, Animals, Recommended, Family Film
• Rating: G (MPAA)
• Starring: Elizabeth Taylor - Velvet Brown, Mickey Rooney - Mi Taylor, Donald Crisp - Mr. Brown, Anne Revere - Mrs. Brown, Angela Lansbury - Edwina Brown, Arthur Treacher - Race Patron, Reginald Owen - Farmer Ede
• Directed By: Clarence Brown
• Release Information:
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• Theatrical Release Date: January 26, 1945
• DVD Release Date: February 3, 2004
• Run Time: 124 minutes
• Production Company: Warner Home Video
• Package Type: Snap Case
• DVD Features:
• Encoding: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only). This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries.
• Aspect Ratio(s):
• Full Screen (Standard) - 1.33:1
• Available Audio Tracks:
• English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Available Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
• Languages: English and French
• Closed Captioned: Yes
• Bonus Features:
• Theatrical Trailer
• Interactive Features:
• Scene Access
• Interactive Menus

• DVD Player

• http://www.threemoviebuffs.com/reviews/nationalvelvet.php
• http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=parentsguide&id=1800099395
• http://www.filmvalues.com/Review.cfm?RecordID=407
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/02/16/national_velvet_1944_review.shtml