There are stars who have to struggle to get to the top, and then there are those who step onto the scene and fit into stardom like the jigsaw puzzle.Elizabeth Taylorbelongs to the latter camp. London-born, her family moved to LA, and at the age of 10, she made her acting debut in Universal Pictures’ 1942 dramaThere’s One Born Every Minute(the only one she made with the studio). Two years later, she starred in the classicNational Velvet, the sports drama that made her a star at just 12 years old.The film demonstrates why its era is called the Golden Age of Hollywood,as it evokes nostalgia, a feel-good take on family, and champions ambition. Nearly eight decades later, it still boasts a near-perfect 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Being Elizabeth Taylor’s breakout role,National Velvetadds to its luminous shine as an essential film both in cinema history and as a star-making legend.
What Is ‘National Velvet’ About?
Based onEnid Bagnold’s 1935 novel, theClarence Brown-directedadaptation follows Taylor’s Velvet Brown, a go-getter girl in rural Britain who is head over heels in love with horses. Herdream is to be a famous jockeywho’ll winthe prestigious and notoriously dangerous Grand National steeplechase.Director Brown introduces us to Velvet in the opening sequence as she and her classmates leave school for long holidays. On her way home, she meets Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney), a washed-up former jockey who carries the traumas of past races and wants nothing to do with horses. Her family takes in Mi, who is sort of a drifter and who turns out to have an interesting connection with Velvet’s mom (Anne Reverein an Oscar-winning performance). This decision pays off as Mi becomes Velvet’s fiercest supporter—and when Velvet wins a spirited horse at a raffle, she decides to pursue her dream against all odds.
National Velvetis a familiar underdog story,butit wins you over with warmth, gentleness, and belief in determination.The film treats every character with reverence, as there’s no classic villain in the form of a rival racer trying to sabotage Velvet’s dream. The closest we get to such a character is her own dad, Mr. Brown (Donald Crisp), who’s really just a loving, pragmatic father who criticizes her optimism, perhaps to rile her to prove him wrong. Substituting the classic villain is the tension that lies within the characters: self-doubt, grief, past mistakes, and the skepticism of those, like her dad,who’ve long forgotten how to believe in the impossible.
‘National Velvet’ Is an Inspirational Story About Family, Dreams, and Inner Obstacles
More than anything else, Velvet’s journey is an internal one. But she’s in luck because she has a support system made up of her family and her friend, Mi. Her mother is a former athlete who also dared to dream, winning a trophy for it, and thereforerecognizes the spark in her daughter. When Velvet doubts herself,it’s her mother she goes to for encouragement.Although she sometimes differs with her siblings over priorities, like normal siblings do, they are there for her in moments that matter. The movie offers a heartfelt sense of collective familial effort, where everyone comes together to support a seemingly impossible goal,which gives the story its emotional heft.
Director Brown gives impeccable depth to his characters—from Velvet’s calm mother, who offers her unflappable support, to her somewhat goofy and charming father, Brown really digs into them,presenting fully formed characters with their own small arcs.Mi, who is haunted by past failures (reminiscent ofRobert Redford’sThe Horse Whisperer), journeys with Velvet, giving a chance to her innocence and persistence to guide him to his redemption. Velvet’s elder sister is an adolescent coming of age, dealing with her first dating experience—stolen kisses and heartbreaks. Velvet’s younger brother is at a stage of discovery, and even if he doesn’t understand her dreams, he’s content with his own world of bottled insects. The film’s rural setting adds to its beauty,with Brown, who earned an Oscar nomination for his direction,making use of the picturesque surroundings to bring about an authentic picture.
The Cast’s Performances and Clarence Brown’s Gentle Direction Are the Spark of ‘National Velvet’
National Velvetis a showcase of masterful performances, includingAnne Revere’s Oscar-winning portrayal in her supporting role.Elizabeth Taylor holds her own in a role that demands poise, subtlety, and grit. An accomplished equestrian already, Taylor rode most of her own scenes. She has a genuine bond with her horse, Pie (it reminds one ofJimmy Stewart’s famous co-star that made 17 Westerns with him). She uses her youthful eyes to portray wonder and willpower, two qualities that would define much of her career. Often, Taylor’s style leans into the Golden Era tradition, which only enhances the film’s nostalgic charm.
Brown’s direction is key to all this—he deploys restraint, trusting his characters and the audience, as well as uses soft lighting to give scenes an extra spark that’s pleasing to the eye. With no big emotional swings, his slow-burning sincerity offers an almost pastoral rhythm, crafting Velvet’s dream intoa timeless piece of art.National Velvetis tender magic that awaits movie lovers who enjoy triumphs that don’t necessarily come from defeating visible enemies.It’s a movie that implores us to conquer ourselves,for that is the first step to conquering the world. Elizabeth Taylor may have become a screen icon in the years that followed, but in this quiet, stirring story, you can already see the roots of her radiance taking hold.
