when mgm acquire the right to show boat for the arthur free unit and no expense be spar in make this one of the most expensive film the studio have ever produce . a whole riverboat be construct as well a the natchez landing be completely build on a location on a lake which serve a turn of the last century mississippi river locale . no doubt also that howard keel and kathryn grayson sang beautifully together . those three jerome kern ballad and make believe and why do i love you . and you be love be just write for their voice . ava gardner be a beautiful and fetching julia . annette warren dub of julie laverne song can not help love that man and bill perfectly match ava speaking voice . the problem i have always felt with this version be that howard keel be too strong a character to be play gaylord ravenal who be essentially a weak personality . allan jones in the 1937 version perfectly capture ravenal frailty . that 1937 version also have two people from the original broadway production who make those part all their own and helen morgan a julie and charles winninger a captain andy . and it have the incomparable paul robeson though william warfield be a fabulous joe . the singing of the jerome kern oscar hammerstein ii score be in the major league . the rest of the film however be in a minor key when compare with the early sound version with allan jones and irene dunne .