National Velvet

National Velvet (2000)

  • 100% of critics liked it
    (23 reviews)

  • 71% of users liked it
    (9,666 ratings)

Although National Velvet was the first starring role for 11-year-old Elizabeth Taylor, the early part of the film belongs to Mickey Rooney in the showier role of Mike Taylor, a headstrong English ex-jockey. Soured on life by a serious accident, Mike plans to steal from the country family that has… More

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In Theaters
Dec 14, 1944 Wide
MGM Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

  • Manny Farber, The New Republic

    Pandro Berman, the producer, and Clarence Brown, the director, have made it into a conservatively exciting and engaging film whose chief virtue is its acting, especially a letter-perfect, beautifully felt performance by Mickey Rooney as the jockey.

  • , TIME Magazine

    National Velvet is not merely sure to delight children and the child in most adults; it is also an interesting psychological study of hysterical obsession, conversion mania, preadolescent sexuality.

  • Don Druker, Chicago Reader

    A good movie for kids and armchair Freudians.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    National Velvet is a horse picture with wide general appeal. The production also focuses attention on a new dramatic find -- moppet Elizabeth Taylor.

  • , Time Out

    This is a charmer for boys and girls of all ages, with a captivating performance from the young Liz Taylor as Velvet.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • Spencer S


    A giant cup full of feel good. Mickey Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor, two of the greatest child actors to grace the silver screen, are put together to make one of the more beautiful of trainer-athlete pairings on screen. Anne Revere as the incomparable Mrs. Brown gained an Oscar for her… More

  • Cindy I


    A warm and fuzzy family film about a young girl's love of her horse and her pursuit of a win at the Grand Nationals horse race. This stars an incredibly beautiful 12-year old Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, and Donald Crisp as the curmudgeonly but lovable father, Mr. Brown.… More

  • Leigh R


    Beautiful.

  • Constanza B


    This was one of the first colour films. Liz Taylor as the girl in one of she?s first films. Good ethics of Velvet's parents, particularly her mother is something to take into account. Velvet loves the horses and racing them so Mi Taylor (Rooney) brought her to an international… More

  • Sarah B


    This film can always give you a warm glow, but Taylor is way too earnest and the story way too inconceivable to be enjoyable.

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