Reflecting the European setting of
Stanley Donen
's 1963 comedy thriller
Charade
,
Henry Mancini
's soundtrack provides an easy listening tour of continental musical history: Parisian cafe songs on
"Bistro,"
Eastern European gypsy music on
"Bateau Mouche,"
Schubert
quartets on
"Bye Charlie,"
and some beer barrel polka on
"Punch and Judy."
Thrown in for variety's sake are dashes of
Bond
soundtracks, Cossack songs, and
Strauss
waltzes. With
Mancini
's typically cohesive approach, though,
doesn't become a messy pastiche (even with his mix of Latin rhythms and classical music on some tracks). And in the spirit of inclusiveness,
also shows his south of the border touch on
"Mambo Parisienne"
(picture
Perez Prado
sporting an accordion),
"Latin Snowfall"
(transcendentally gorgeous bolero, one of his best), and
"Megeve"
(bossa nova for the Biarritz set). Also don't overlook one of his biggest hits and finest melodies,
"Charade"
(done here in instrumental, vocal, and carousel? versions). A great
recording made during the same fruitful, early-'60s period that produced two other fine soundtracks of his,
Breakfast at Tiffany's
and
The Pink Panther
. ~ Stephen Cook