Le Grand National

Original title: National Velvet

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

8.4K

YOUR RATING

Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney in Le Grand National (1944)

Play trailer2:07

1 Video

61 Photos

Drama Family Sport

A jaded former jockey helps a young girl prepare a wild but gifted horse for England's Grand National Sweepstakes.A jaded former jockey helps a young girl prepare a wild but gifted horse for England's Grand National Sweepstakes.A jaded former jockey helps a young girl prepare a wild but gifted horse for England's Grand National Sweepstakes.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.3/10

8.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Won 2 Oscars
- 6 wins & 5 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 2:07

National Velvet

Photos61

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Mickey Rooney had to film all of his scenes in one month before he had to report for basic training to serve in World War II.

Goofs
The horses are shown turning right at one point during the race. All turns on the Grand National course are made to the left.

Quotes
Mrs. Brown: That'll be a dispute to the end of time, Mr. Brown: whether it's better to do the right thing for the wrong reason or the wrong thing for the right reason.

Crazy credits
A frame, with music, was added to the film at the end: "To families of servicemen and women: Pictures exhibited in this theater are given to the armed forces for showing in combat areas around the world. [signed] War Activities Committee/Motion Picture Industry"

Connections
Edited into The Story of Seabiscuit (1949)

Soundtracks
Greensleeves
(uncredited)
Traditional English folk song

User reviews88

Featured review

7/10

Meet Beauty and "The Pie"

Yes. Indeed! - Regardless of National Velvet now being 70 years old, this entertaining, heart-warming tale about trust, personal victory and following one's dream is, without a doubt, an endearing, MGM classic that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

With an excellent cast, headlined by Elizabeth Taylor (12 at the time), Mickey Rooney, and Anne Revere, National Velvet's story is a rather charming "horse tale" that jauntily crosses the finish line as a bona-fide winner.

This lush, Technicolor treat (which was adapted from Enid Bagnold's novel of the same name) was set in the 1920s (in England) in the rural, coastal county of Sussex.

A real stand-out performance in this first-rate picture was that of Anne Revere (who played Velvet's mother, Araminty Brown). Revere won an Oscar for her "Best Supporting Actress" role.

I certainly recommend National Velvet highly to anyone who truly enjoys a big, wholesome slice of vintage, Hollywood movie-making.