“Stanley And Livingstone”

Northern Advocate, 24 February 1940, Page 10

“Stanley And Livingstone”

The greatest adventure known to man is ihrulingly reconstructed on the screen in Darryl F. Zanuck’s production or "Stanley and Livingstone,” wnh twice Academy Award winning Spencer Tracy turning in another masterful performance, co-siarred with Nancy Kelly and Richard Greene ai the head ol one of the greatest acting casts ever assembled.

When Tracy, in the role of Henry M. Stanley, tne cracic young reporter on the olcl “New York Heraid,” spoke those famous words, “Dr. Livingstone, r presume?” in the heart of Africa, drama’s most thrilling moment was stirringly re-enacted in this spectacular 20th Century-Fox film. Producer Zanuck, his associate producer, Kenneth lVlacgowan, and nis director, Henry King, all sticklers for realism, insured a true and authentic picture of the thrilling adventure and the heroic adventurer who faced an the nameless dangers of unknown Airica—heat, fever, cannibals, jungle—when his fiery and dynamic publisher, James Gordon Bennett, gave him tnat memorable assignment: “Find Livingstone!”

Tne film shows Stanley first as ne was in 1869, a hard-boiled reporter 01 bulldog tenacity who willingly risked nis neck to get his story! It follows nim ihrougn all the thrills and dangers of his great adventure and shows with great dramatic force the influence on nis character and his whole life of his meeting and subsequent friendship with the great mis-sionary-explorer wno had buried himself in the black heart of unknown Africa to serve humanity. For when Livingstone died, young Stanley picked up the torch and oecame one of the greatest men of nis day. The chief romantic interest of the story is carried by Nancy Keli>, as the loveiy daughter of the English consular agent at Zanzibar, and Richard Gieene, as tne son of Lord Tyce, who had just returned, fever-racked, from a similar but unsuccessful expedition. Walter Brennan is grand as the old Indian scout who accompanies Stanley; Charles Coburn is splendid as Lord Tyce, the pompous publisher of the “London Globe;” Sir Cedric Hardwicke offers a truly great portrayal of Dr. Livingstone; Henry hull brings James Gordon Bennett back to vivid life; and Henry Travers is superb as the British consular agent.