i have the great pleasure of recently view this beautifully film wide screen adaption of the the 1943 stage revival ( which unlike the original 1935 production ) which include extensive spoken recitative . this have be the fashion at the time and so to blame the film for an 16 year tradition . the film should be see if only for sammy davis jr brilliant catlike performance a sportin life and creeping in and out of shadow . his seduction of dorothy dadridge bess there a boat dat leavin soon for new york and be one of many highlight . nearly all of the principal music be intact and beautifully sung . it certainly never bore which the recent pb and meet version do . it be a pleasure to see that time have not diminish the movie and and hopefully it will be make available in the near future for the generation that haven not have a chance to experience it .