Invitation to the Dance

Gene Kelly's original intention was to make a film that would educate mainstream audiences about professional dancing in the world. To this end, he wanted to cast the greatest dancers in Europe for the four segments in leading roles. He himself would appear in only one - the Popular Song sequence, which ended up being cut. MGM, however, refused to allow the picture unless he appeared in all of them. Many of the professionals who worked in the film agreed that this was one of the film's great weaknesses.

During the "Scheherazade" sequence, the color of the palace guard's costume changes from green to blue.

Edited into American Masters: Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (2002)