Nat King Cole - Portrait of Jennie (Capitol Records 1948)

“Portrait of Jennie“, the title song written by Gordon Burdge & J. Russell Robinson, became subsequently a hit for Nat King Cole. It was even revisited in 1958 by pianist Red Garland on Manteca and again in 1966 by jazz trumpeter Blue Mitchell on his Bring It Home to Me. Portrait of Jennie is a 1948 fantasy film based on the novel by Robert Nathan. The film was directed by William Dieterle and produced by David O. Selznick. It stars Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten. The movie is set In 1934 where impoverished painter Eben Adams (Joseph Cotten) meets a fey little girl named Jennie Appleton (Jennifer Jones) in Central Park, New York. She is wearing old-fashioned clothing. He makes a sketch of her from memory which involves him with art dealer Miss Spinney (Ethel Barrymore), who sees potential in him. This inspires him to paint a “Portrait Of Jennie“. Eben encounters Jennie at intermittent intervals. Strangely, she appears to be growing up much more rapidly than is possible. He soon falls in love with her but is puzzled by the fact that she seems to be experiencing events that he discovers took place many years previously as if they had just happened. He sets out to investigate but does not reveal what he discovers to anyone and is puzzled by what he finds. When it was released in December 1948, it was not a success, but today it is considered a classic in the fantasy genre. With Nat on piano, he’s accompanied by Irving Ashby (guitar) and Joe Comfort (bass). Recorded in New York City, December 21, 1948. (Capitol Records) Including lyrics, this song was not featured in the movie. Yet Nat King Cole’s rendition is classic! A Portrait of Jennie More precious to me than a masterpiece how ever famous it be The portrait of Jennie is etched on my heart where her features have been sketched from the start Ah, the color and beauty of life and the glow of her sprit divine all cast... in heaven’s... own... design With a portrait of Jennie I never will part for there isn’t any portrait of Jennie except in my heart For there isn’t any portrait of Jennie except in my heart