Stanley and Livingstone (1939)

My Review

“Stanley and Livingstone” is an adventure film loosely based on the true story of New York Herald reporter Henry Stanley’s 1871 quest to find Dr. David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary presumed lost in Africa. The high drama proceeds from there, well directed by Henry King (“Jesse James” 1939), who instilled the motion picture with excellent production values. Otto Brower directed the excellent safari sequences. The screenplay was written by Philip Dunne and Julien Josephson.

The exceptional cast is headed by Spencer Tracy as Stanley and Cedric Hardwicke as Livingstone. They reportedly broke into hysterical laughter on the set whenever Tracy uttered the famous line “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.” Co-stars include Walter Brennan, Nancy Kelly, Richard Greene, Charles Coburn, Henry Hull, Henry Travers, and Paul Harvey. The watchable “Stanley and Livingstone” was a solid success in theatrical release at the Depression Era box office for producer Darryl F. Zanuck and 20th Century Fox.

The African expedition scenes were shot in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanganyika (now Tanzania). U. S. filming was conducted in Sun Valley, Idaho, Victorville, California, and studio shots at the 20th Century Fox studio sound stages. None of the principal performers actually went on location to Africa.