no one should expect a well wrought and intricately develop plot from a film that be design a a showpiece for the american baritone laurence tibbett and any more than one would expect it from a warner backstage musical from the 1930s . tibbett be one of the few stellar performer of the metropolitan opera who be equally at home and successful in popular music . ( i believe at one time and toward the end of his opera career and he be feature on your hit parade and sing what be supposedly the five or six most popular song of the week and judge by record sale . ) at the metropolitan opera he play the lead in the premiere of american opera such a merry mount and emperor jones and the king henchman . i believe that he make the first commercial recording from porgy and bess a porgy and use the same dialect a in this film when he sing the negro spiritual glory road in a perhaps over dramatic rendition . the role of bess be sing by another caucasian opera star . helen jepson and who make one more hollywood appearance in the pathetic goldwyn folly . the support cast of experience character actor and as often happen and manage to give the claptrap plot a measure of credibility . virginia bruce and the lead lady and be an actress or singer who never break through to stardom and despite a lengthy filmography . she have a beautiful soprano voice and a lovely appearance and but do not project much warmth a in the manner of top star and even in her one solo from carmen and a the timid and love micaela . her voice belong in operetta and not in either opera or show business tune . jeanette macdonald have the former cornered and and there be many with more sensuous voice who succeed with the latter . but she do look terrific at the top of the wed cake number in the great ziegfeld and the most prominent role of her career .