Stanley and Livingstone (1939)

Directors:

Henry King
Otto Brower

Writers:

Hal Long (historical research and story outline) and
Sam Hellman (historical research and story outline) ...

Release Date:

18 August 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History

Tagline:

IN ALL THE WORLD NO SHOW LIKE THIS! (original ad - all caps)

Plot:

When American newspaperman and adventurer Henry M. Stanley comes back from the western Indian wars,...

Plot Keywords:

Missionary | Religion | Africa | New York City | Wyoming

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	Henry M. Stanley
Nancy Kelly	...	Eve Kingsley
Richard Greene	...	Gareth Tyce
Walter Brennan	...	Jeff Slocum
Charles Coburn	...	Lord Tyce
Cedric Hardwicke	...	Dr. David Livingstone (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
Henry Hull	...	James Gordon Bennett, Jr.
Henry Travers	...	John Kingsley
Miles Mander	...	Sir John Gresham
David Torrence	...	Mr. Cranston
Holmes Herbert	...	Sir Frederick Holcomb
C. Montague Shaw	...	Sir Oliver French (as Montague Shaw)
Brandon Hurst	...	Sir Henry Forrester
Hassan Said	...	Hassan
Paul Harvey	...	Col. Grimes

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #5040)

Filming Locations:

Kenya

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Otto Brower and Osa Johnson followed Stanley's path through Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda with their crew and returned with 100,000 feet of film for use in the safari sequences.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the National Geographic Society Stanley states he is English because he was born in St. Asaph. This is actually in Wales.

Quotes:

Henry M. Stanley: Dr. Livingstone, I presume?
Dr. David Livingstone: Yes!
Henry M. Stanley: Thank God, Doctor, I have been permitted to see you.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Malibu Beach Party (1940)

Soundtrack:

Oh Susanna

In the 18th century, journalist Henry Stanley explores uncharted regions of Africa in search for a famous medical missionary who has not been heard from for several years.

I loved this movie as a young boy. It got me interested in history, especially the story of Europe's efforts to discover the geographic source of the mighty Nile River. Spencer Tracey as Stanley and Cedric Hardwicke as Livingstone are superb. Spencer Tracy didn't think much of the quote "Dr Livingstone I presume" and it took many takes for him to get it right. Supposedly he kept laughing when saying the line. Ironically that line helps make the film so memorable. If you enjoyed MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON you will enjoy this old black and white film classic as well.Not everything in it is historically accurate. In the film Stanley vows to return to Africa to follow in Livingstone's footsteps, but instead becomes a brutal exploiter of Africa for the King of Belgium.