Stanley and Livingstone
Seen it?1939 | 101 min | Adventure, History
Weeknight Watchearly ratingWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With soft box office and little lasting buzz, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- A natural pick for anyone who likes corsets, castles and court intrigue and people who'll be looking things up afterwards. The costumes and settings are a feast on their own. Same wavelength as Lawrence of Arabia or A Passage to India. Based on real events, so expect to go down a research rabbit hole afterwards.
- The mood
- Exciting.
- The pace
- Well paced, at 1 hr 41 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1939: an older pace and style.
When American newspaperman and adventurer Henry M. Stanley comes back from the western Indian wars, his editor James Gordon Bennett sends him to Africa to find Dr. David Livingstone, the missing Scottish missionary. Stanley finds Livingstone ("Dr. Livingstone, I presume.") blissfully doling out medicine and religion to the happy natives. His story is at first disbelieved.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerBelow par
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 11K people sought it out in the past year
Behind the scenes
A few things you might not know about the making of Stanley and Livingstone.
According to Philip Dunne, the film was originally envisioned as a vehicle for Tyrone Power as Stanley with the script prepared accordingly.
ProductionDunne later recalled: "Every time Spencer Tracy as the reporter said, 'Dr.
Production
More like this
Lawrence of Arabia
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed true-story adventure.
True Spirit Weeknight WatchAnother true-story adventure, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
The Alamo
Sunday Safe BetAnother true-story adventure, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
A Passage to India
Saturday SpecialAnother adventure, and a Saturday Special.
The Lost King Sunday Safe BetAnother true-story historical drama, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Henry King, Otto Brower
- Spencer TracyHenry M. Stanley
- Nancy KellyEve Kingsley
- Richard GreeneGareth Tyce
- Walter BrennanJeff Slocum
- Charles CoburnLord Tyce
- Cedric HardwickeDr. David Livingstone
- Henry HullJames Gordon Bennett, Jr.
- Henry TraversJohn Kingsley
- Miles ManderSir John Gresham
- David TorrenceMr. Cranston