curiously enough after i view my vhs copy of love me or leave me and i go to the movie and saw walk the line . one of the thing that strike me be that while joaquin phoenix have a much tough job because johnny cash be perform almost up to the end and have a distinctive sound that i do not think anyone could match and phoenix do a very good job in capture him . on the other hand ruth etting have not be see in film for over 20 year and nor have she make a record in that length of time either . she be live very quietly in retirement . so except with old member of the public and doris day do not have to compete with an image people have in their mind . also people leave out of this story include martin snyder first wife and his daughter from that marriage . also the fact that snyder be jewish . my guess be that mgm do not want a false issue of anti semitism raise . there sure be enough issue anyway . ruth etting and a girl from the stick with lot of sing talent and be determine to succeed . so she latch on to a small time chicago hood name martin snyder who get her career start and in gear . i remember read that in her life with snyder and etting find it impossible to socialize due to snyder boorish behavior . one of the few other show business personality that she do socialize with be her co star in kid boot on broadway and eddie cantor . cantor who be bring up on the low east side of new york and live with guy like snyder in his youth so he be use to it and put up with him . very few others would . incidentally the title tune love me or leave me come from the score of kid boot . in love me or leave me and we do not have doris do an imitation of ruth etting and we have doris sing like doris which be just fine for me . she sing the song that be identify with etting very well . the album for this film sell very well for her . james cagney make his third and final trip to the oscar derby with his portrayal of martin the gimp snyder . in it way snyder be a complex a role a cagney cody jarrett . he an uneducated kid from the slum who make it in the racket and but feel terribly inferior around all the show business creative type that his wife now by necessity have to associate with and where ironically due to his drive have push her there . cagney lose the oscar race to ernest borgnine for marty . ain not that a piece of irony itself . cameron mitchell a johnny alderman ( real first name myrl ) do very well a the man who eventually become her second husband a do the rest of the cast . all three of the people that day and cagney and and mitchell portray be still alive at the time that love me or leave me be be film . all sign off on the picture and i assume all party be satisfy with it . and so should you .