National Velvet

1944 G 2h 4m DVD

National Velvet

1944 G 2h 4m DVD
  • Overview
  • Details
Although it's a vintage flick resurrected from Hollywood's vaults, National Velvet is first-rate entertainment. Among its highlights are a young and beguiling Elizabeth Taylor as the horse-crazy Velvet Brown; Mickey Rooney as the peripatetic lad who coaches her to greatness; and a thrilling race finale as Taylor and her horse go undercover to compete in England's famed Grand National Steeplechase race!
Cast
Mickey Rooney, Elizabeth Taylor, Donald Crisp, Anne Revere, Angela Lansbury
Director
Clarence Brown
Format
DVD
Screen
Full Screen 1.33:1
Subtitles
None
CC
Yes
Audio
English: Dolby Digital Mono, French: Dolby Digital Mono
Rating
G - All ages admitted. Nothing that would offend parents for viewing by children.
age 7+
Common Sense rating OK for kids 7+
age 7+

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that National Velvet, an appealing family film released in 1944 and set in 1920s England, presents two strong female role models, both of whom succeed in fields of sport that had not been previously open to their gender: long-distance swimming and British horse-jumping. It's a movie with strong messages about dreams, risk, determination, and honesty. The only mildly frightening moments come when the preteen heroine faints, when she falls from her horse, and when the horse is ill for a time. In one lengthy sequence set during the Grand National race, a number of horses and their riders fall (in wide shots), but almost all quickly get up; no injuries are seen or referenced. A young man confesses his responsibility for a riding accident years earlier in which someone was killed. The same young man is seen drinking beer with two cronies, and he gets very drunk.

Sexual Content

Not applicable.

Violence

Some horses and their riders fall. None is shown to be injured or in real trouble. The young heroine is prone to fainting. She falls from and is thrown from her horse, but never hurt. She's also frightened when the horse is ill.

Language

Not applicable

Social Behavior

Filled with simple positive messages, expressed in words and demonstrated by actions, including: dream big; take risks and enjoy the moment, but know when it's over and move on; "everyone should have a chance at a breathtaking piece of folly at least once in life." The importance of trust and honesty is stressed.

Consumerism

Not applicable

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

The young man at the center of the story drinks beer in a pub. He gets very drunk, slurs his words, and staggers. Several men smoke pipes.

  • Age appropriate
  • Not an issue
  • Depends on your child and your family
  • Parents strongly cautioned
  • Not appropriate for kids of the age

This information for parents is provided by Common Sense Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving kids' media lives.

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