Francis Lai - International Velvet

A charming sequel to the hit "National Velvet" follows our young heroine and her trusty steed overseas. "National Velvet" is a 1944 film based on the novel by Enid Bagnold, first published in 1935. It stars a very young Elizabeth Taylor. This movie won two Oscars in 1945 (Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Anne Revere and Best Film Editing for Robert Kern). Is the story of a twelve-year girl, Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor), living in Sewels in Sussex, England, who saves a horse from the knacker's yard and trains it for the Grand National steeplechase, aided by her father's hired hand, a young drifter, Mi Taylor. The fictional horse which Velvet Brown trained and rode in the National is called "The Pie". However, when she discovers that the Latvian jockey hired to ride the Pie doesn't believe he can win, she disguises herself as a male jockey and rides the horse to victory herself. "International Velvet" is a 1978 film and is the story of an American girl, Sarah Brown (Tatum O'Neal), who is orphaned when her parents are killed in a car crash. She is sent to England to live with her aunt, Velvet Brown (Nanette Newman). When Velvet was a similar age to Sarah, she entered the legendary Grand National horse race and won, however was instantly disqualified as she was too young and women were not allowed to ride in the race. The horse Velvet rode on that occasion was known as The Pie. The horse was retired to a stud, sired a last foal which Sarah attempts to save to buy the foal, taking on the role as an author to help her uncle with his writers block. After much saving she is told that the foal has been bought only to find it was her Aunt Velvet has bought him and Sarah aptly names him "Arizona Pie" (combining the name of the stallion and the state in America where Sarah lived). Sarah lives up to her dream and enters the Olympic Three Day Event helping Great Britain win the team competition. She falls in love with an American competitor, and moves back to America with him. At the conclusion of the film, she sends her aunt Velvet her Olympic medal, saying here was a prize Velvet could keep. For this movie Miss Nanette Newman won the "Evening Standard British Film Award" how best Actress. taken from Wikipedia and The Internet Movie Database.