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Stanley and Livingstone

  • 19391939
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Spencer Tracy in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • History
Tasked by his editor, American reporter Henry M. Stanley travels to a dangerous and uncharted region of East Africa to find the missing Scottish pioneer missionary Dr. David Livingstone.Tasked by his editor, American reporter Henry M. Stanley travels to a dangerous and uncharted region of East Africa to find the missing Scottish pioneer missionary Dr. David Livingstone.Tasked by his editor, American reporter Henry M. Stanley travels to a dangerous and uncharted region of East Africa to find the missing Scottish pioneer missionary Dr. David Livingstone.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Henry King
    • Otto Brower(safari episodes)
  • Writers
    • Philip Dunne(screen play)
    • Julien Josephson(screen play)
    • Hal Long(historical research and story outline)
  • Stars
    • Spencer Tracy
    • Nancy Kelly
    • Richard Greene
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Henry King
    • Otto Brower(safari episodes)
  • Writers
    • Philip Dunne(screen play)
    • Julien Josephson(screen play)
    • Hal Long(historical research and story outline)
  • Stars
    • Spencer Tracy
    • Nancy Kelly
    • Richard Greene
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos25

    Lobby Card, 14" x 11"
    Spencer Tracy and Walter Brennan in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Nancy Kelly in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Spencer Tracy and Nancy Kelly in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Spencer Tracy, Walter Brennan, and Cedric Hardwicke in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Spencer Tracy and Walter Brennan in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Walter Brennan in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Walter Brennan in Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Stanley and Livingstone (1939)
    Stanley and Livingstone (1939)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Spencer Tracy
    Spencer Tracy
    • Henry M. Stanleyas Henry M. Stanley
    Nancy Kelly
    Nancy Kelly
    • Eve Kingsleyas Eve Kingsley
    Richard Greene
    Richard Greene
    • Gareth Tyceas Gareth Tyce
    Walter Brennan
    Walter Brennan
    • Jeff Slocumas Jeff Slocum
    Charles Coburn
    Charles Coburn
    • Lord Tyceas Lord Tyce
    Cedric Hardwicke
    Cedric Hardwicke
    • Dr. David Livingstoneas Dr. David Livingstone
    • (as Sir Cedric Hardwicke)
    Henry Hull
    Henry Hull
    • James Gordon Bennett Jr.as James Gordon Bennett Jr.
    Henry Travers
    Henry Travers
    • John Kingsleyas John Kingsley
    Miles Mander
    Miles Mander
    • Sir John Greshamas Sir John Gresham
    David Torrence
    David Torrence
    • Mr. Cranstonas Mr. Cranston
    Holmes Herbert
    Holmes Herbert
    • Frederick Holcombas Frederick Holcomb
    C. Montague Shaw
    C. Montague Shaw
    • Sir Oliver Frenchas Sir Oliver French
    • (as Montague Shaw)
    Brandon Hurst
    Brandon Hurst
    • Sir Henry Forresteras Sir Henry Forrester
    Hassan Said
    • Hassanas Hassan
    Paul Harvey
    Paul Harvey
    • Colonel Grimesas Colonel Grimes
    Russell Hicks
    Russell Hicks
    • Commissioneras Commissioner
    Frank Dae
    Frank Dae
    • Commissioneras Commissioner
    Paul Stanton
    Paul Stanton
    • David Webbas David Webb
    • (scenes deleted)
    • Directors
      • Henry King
      • Otto Brower(safari episodes)
    • Writers
      • Philip Dunne(screen play)
      • Julien Josephson(screen play)
      • Hal Long(historical research and story outline)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The date of Henry M. Stanley's famous quote, Doctor Livingstone, I presume? occurred on Friday, October 27th, 1871.
    • Goofs
      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?

      [Henry M. Stanley said this on Friday, October 27th 1871, in reality]

      Dr. David Livingstone: Yes!

      Henry M. Stanley: Thank God, Doctor, I have been permitted to see you.

    • Crazy credits
      To the officials of His Majesty's government in British East Africa, the producers wish to express their appreciation for the cooperation that made possible the filming of the safari sequences in Kenya, Tanganyka and Uganda.
    • Connections
      Edited into Monster from Green Hell (1957)
    • Soundtracks
      Onward Christian Soldiers
      (uncredited)

      Music from "St. Gertrude" by Arthur Sullivan (1871)

      Hymn by Sabine Baring-Gould (1865)

      Played when Stanley finds Livingstone and often as background music

      Sung a cappella by natives

      Reprised at the end by offscreen chorus and orchestra

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Exhilarating, Tender, Human, Awe-Inspiring, Wonderful, See It!
    Hollywood brings us Uganda, Kenya and Tanganyika as it will never be seen again. The scenery is electrifyingly beautiful. But this is no story for the sake of a travelog...It is a beautiful account of the true historic struggles of newspaperman, Henry Stanley to find "lost" missionary, Dr. David Livingston.

    Spencer Tracy, Cedric Hardwicke, Charles Coburn, Nancy Kelly and Walter Brennan bring us wonderful performances full of humanity and depth.

    One fine scene in the movie when Stanley encounters extremely hostile adversaries on his way to find Livingston is just about one of the most exciting sequences I have seen on the screen and should there be only one reason to see this movie, then this is it. It is electrifying to see what certainly must have been true African citizens partake in such a very authentic looking ambush. No disrespectful depiction of Africans as seen so often in Tarzan movies will you see here.

    Rarely does Hollywood brings us such respectful detail in its depiction of the African citizen as he was when they encountered outsiders. Also, the citizens do not have that awful spurious look that most depictions of Africans are so prone to have from Hollywood in its racism of the past. But then 1939 was a landmark year, wasn't it?

    There is so much history that we are inclined to forget too easily and relegate to the dust of the shelves of history.

    This is one story that must be heard - if not for anything else than for its sheer humanity.

    Exhilarating, Tender, Human, Awe-Inspiring, Wonderful, See It!
    helpful•17
    1
    • Enrique-Sanchez-56
    • Jan 4, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 18, 1939 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Henry M. Stanley
    • Filming locations
      • Kenya
    • Production company
      • Twentieth Century Fox
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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