National Velvet Review

I'd heard about National Velvet for years but never had a chance to see it. Finally, I sat down to watch it a couple nights ago on TCM and was very glad I did.

Made in 1944 and starring a 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor in the role that propelled her to celebrity, National Velvet is easily among the best family films I've seen. Although it is somewhat old-fashioned, its cinematography and editing hold their own against modern films, and the script and dialog are as good as any today.

The story is a classic: Set in England in the 1920s, a horse-crazy girl named Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor) finds a horse that no one wants and grooms it to run in the big race, the Grand National. She's helped by a young drifter who knows horses (Mickey Rooney) and wisely parented by her loving mom and dad. The day of the race comes and circumstances make Velvet the jockey in the race, although only men are permitted to be jockeys. Velvet believes in herself and in her courageous horse (named "The Pie"), and just what you expect to happen happens. Or does it? The ending is far more clever than you might think and is one of the film's best features. 

Elizabeth Taylor is luminous as Velvet Brown, dominating the screen with her shining eyes and beauty. Mickey Rooney got top billing in National Velvet and he's good too. You never quite know if he's going to disappoint the Browns, but he is also captivated by Velvet's energy and charm. One of the surprises is Velvet's smart and hardworking parents, particularly Anne Revere as the mother. Their relationship is the gentle heart of the film and their belief in Velvet makes them the role models for all cinematic parents.  

My only problem with the film is the occasional rapid dialog with heavy British accents, which was hard to understand. I couldn't turn on captions but would have done so if I was watching a DVD.

A few days before I watched National Velvet, I watched The Bourne Ultimatum in a movie theater. The two movies couldn't be more different, yet both were highly enjoyable. Both gave me characters I liked, a story that drove the action and actors who embodied their roles. Although The Bourne Ultimatum uses all the edgy tricks of modern filmmaking, it's not necessary to use them for an enjoyable film experience. Telling the story the old-fashioned way -- the National Velvet way -- works for me just as well.

If you're looking for a family film that everyone will enjoy -- especially girls who love horses -- get a copy of National Velvet from the library or Netflix. It was a surprise at just how good this movie was and I enjoyed it very much.