Sarah

Like its predecessor, National Velvet, International Velvet (1978) boasts a stellar cast: teenager Tatum O'Neal, the gorgeous Nanette Newman, and leading men Christopher Plummer and Sir Anthony Hopkins. It also has a more believable plot and a top-notch writer/director in Bryan Forbes (The Stepford Wives, The Slipper and the Rose, The Guns of Navarone, Colditz). The main stories are Sarah Brown's (O'Neal), an American orphan who finds herself in England with an aunt she doesn't know (Newman as the adult Velvet Brown), and of the horses and people inextricably entwined in their lives. A poignant and graceful growing up story of the challenges facing a difficult teenager and the adults who raise her, International Velvet has something for both horse lovers and non horse-lovers alike. More important than Sarah's bid for the Olympics is the love that is won. The cinematography and Francis Lai's soundtrack are stunning and awards worthy; Tatum should have won another Oscar with this role, too. Beautiful scenery. An under-rated feel-good family film!

Warning: Box of tissues useful when watching this movie as, amid the love and triumph, there is some gritty realism.

My daughter and I laughed almost every time Tatum O'Neal opened her mouth. On the other hand, Anthony Hopkins was brilliant, as he is in everything he does. I wish they would have casted Elizabeth Taylor in the role of Aunt Velvet Brown. I couldn't believe how they had Velvet living with a guy - unmarried - a guy who had a hangup about marriage. The whole domestic set up is so 70's cliche! I'm glad we borrowed this movie from the library and didn't waste money renting it.

I saw this movie when I was 13. I think I must have seen it 50 times if not more. I bought 2 copies of the book, and have collected more than a few items of memorabilia that have to do with the movie over the years. I was so jealous of Tatum O'Neal, I wished it was me in the picture. I have been to Ledyard-where they filmed Sarah's first visit to the US as a member of the US team and it was awesome to see the 3 day eventing up close and personal. I love horses and even had my own for quite a while. (I even wanted to change his name to Arizona Pie but figured since he'd had his name for sometime that every time I called him, I was afraid he wouldn't come!!!) I have a copy of the movie and treasure it like it's gold! This movie is for anyone young or old who loves horses. It's a great family movie and one to be watched over and over again.

This is an americans idea of England. All Posh Voices and not a poor person in sight.This is a different world to the slum housing,Ethnic minorites dont get a look in.instead the cast mostly do a Prince Charles Voice.Real England does not get a look in.Rubbish most foul.1 out of 10

This is a good, enjoyable and fairly accurate depiction of the eventing world, with plenty of good riding action (shot with real event riders, not stunt actors) - a perfect movie for riding fans. Yes, it is set in a world of fairly wealthy people with posh accents, but that is the context of the film. You don't find many ethnic minority people from housing estates, with cockney accents, competing in top level eventing (even now).

Fans of the book National Velvet will spot lots of inconsistencies (The Pie isn't piebald and the dates are wrong). If viewed as a completely separate film in it's own right, though, then the interactions between the heroine and her 'adoptive' parents are very genuine. Even so, the plot is incidental to the riding and so some parts are a bit weak, but that won't bother any horse fans. And to the various reviewers who commented on the heroine being played by an American actor - they obviously haven't actually seen the film because the heroine is American.