I saw an excellent stage production a couple of years ago, and it finally clicked for me. Unfortunately the film is miscast and disheveled. The orchestrations are tops, though, and would make a great CD set.
I wish someone would follow in the footsteps of the Turner/Rhino MGM soundtracks and release the R&H musicals with all of the underscoring and full length songs. The recent CDs with material straight from the film soundtrack, foley and all, were awful.
I should have clarified my post. I'm aware of the fact that the soundtrack was completed before the film was issued. I just found it an interesting document of the intended continuity.
From my LP's "Deluxe 8 page full color story and picture booklet": "PROLOGUE Riding a giraffe, Doctor John Dolittle (Rex Harrison) enters the exotically beautiful clearing around a forest pool in Equatorial Africa, tipping his tall hat and addressing various birds and beasts and reptiles...