Do you know the movie and/or the song "Invitation"? The movie Invitation is a slight 1952 drama directed by Gottfried Reinhardt. I only heard of it because it comes up in the book Picture by Lillian Ross. I encourage you to read that book - - she was friends with John Huston and he thought it would be good for her to shadow him through the entire process of making a movie, from pre-production through production through release. The movie was The Red Badge of Courage and her observations are fascinating. Picture was Truman Capote's inspiration for In Cold Blood. Roth wrote a non fiction book in such an engaging way it felt like fiction.
The producer of The Red Badge of Courage was Gottfried Reinhardt (son of the great Max Reinhardt) and he seemed like a real character. He and Huston talked after the movie was done - - Huston asked what his next project was and Reinhardt said, "Actually I'm directing a picture for the first time." That movie was Invitation. Expertly made, not ambitious, a strong little movie. Adorable Van Johnson, terse Dorothy McGuire, and the divine Ruth Roman. I stalked the movie for YEARS on TCM and finally saw it about ten years ago. Here's a little clip:
This little-known movie is also the source of a little-known ballad that has obsessed me for years, "Invitation." I first heard it in this Rosemary Clooney recording in a dreamy arrangement by her (then lover) Nelson Riddle. I love the opening, it sounds like the entrance of Perry Mason.
Next up, Singers Unlimited, another obsession of mine. This arrangement is a little groovy:
Oh my, yet another obsession of mine? The Four Freshmen:
How about Sarah Vaughan? With the one and only Quincy Jones. Miss Vaughan's performance is rather straightforward, by her standards:
I think we have time for one final obsession - - Percy Freaking Faith. Oh dear Lord, those strings totally unglue me. Also the dreamy, gauzy ending, sort of a "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" effect.
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