On Jan. 26, 1945 — 80 years ago Sunday — “National Velvet,” a children’s movie starring a 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, Donald Crisp and Angela Lansbury opened in theaters nationwide.

National Velvet (M.G.M.), from the novel by Enid Bagnold, combines some of the most attractive elements of The Song of Bernadette and of Lassie Come Home. It is almost a children’s classic. Throughout ...