National Velvet is a 1944 film based on the novel by Enid Bagnold, published in 1935. It stars Mickey Rooney, Donald Crisp and a young Elizabeth Taylor.
In 2003 National Velvet was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
National Velvet is the story of a twelve-year girl, Velvet Brown, living in Sewels, in Sussex, England, who saves a horse from the knacker's yard and trains it for the Grand National steeplechase, aided by her father's hired hand, a young drifter, Mi Taylor. The fictional horse which Velvet Brown trained and rode in the National is called "The Pie." When she discovers that the Latvian jockey hired to ride the Pie doesn't believe he can win, she disguises herself as a male jockey and rides the horse to victory.
This is the film that launched one of the most immortal and endearing careers of the 20th century in American Film, that of "Dame" Elizabeth Taylor; a name who'll always be associated with Hollywood royalty and glamour of the age. She was just 11 years old, and stole the world's heart for her portrayal of a girl named Velvet who loved and trained her horse with the help of her dear friend Mi Taylor, played by another immortal actor in his childhood years, the beloved Mickey Rooney. But it was through her own kind yet determined nature that "The Pie" a noble horse went on to achieve true greatness, because of the girl's trust in him, and the values already present in Velvet's loyal heart. And little Liz Taylor portrayed these qualities so brilliantly at even such a young age that her career would soon soar to heights perhaps never seen before on screen.
But it's her scenes on the horse that will forever be ingrained in film fan's hearts! Even at such a young age she was able to do almost all of the intense riding sequences thanks to her past equine training...though I've heard it said more than once that she actually injured herself during shooting on the horse, leading to chronic back and spine problems throughout her entire life that affect her right up the present day!--though don't quote me on that.
