This movie, on the plus side, it's nice to learn the story of Livingstone, because I didn't really know much about him beyond the time Stanley greets him and says "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" The order of this story could have been better. It should have started with Livingstone as a child and then going forward rather than flashing back. W.A. Weatherall plays the title character. He's the only one in the cast I've heard of - and that's because I have another one of his movies, Robinson Crusoe (1925). It looks to me like the story was told truthfully. There's plane Jane actress playing Mrs. Livingstone, which I would say was probably accurate because women overall weren't as attractive in Livingstone's lifetime. I also like how Queen Victoria is portrayed. She doesn't look old like she does in most films One thing does puzzle me, though. At one point, Mrs. Livingstone returns to England with their children. However, when Mr. Livingstone returns to England, the children are nowhere around. Much of the film is Livingstone and his contingent walking around Africa. As in real life, he dies in Africa. I don't know if this is actually true or not, but the people in the compound where he dies embalms him (Where did they get the supplies to do that) and carries him 800 miles to the coast. The final scene, I thought, was quite touching in which one of the African tribesman he helps comes to visit Westminster Abbey, where Livingstone is buried
2 Reviews
Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!
boblipton16 May 2003
This earnest, dull hagiography of 19th century missionary-explorer David Livingstone is written by, directed by and stars Marmaduke Arundel as Livingstone and some decent photography of African animals as, well, Africa.
Molly Rogers, as Livingstone's wife, is hilarious. It doesn't matter whether she is being courted in her father's garden, is dying of thirst in the Kalahari or has just given birth: she maintains the blank half-smile of an old lady roused from her cats to give Hallowe'en sweets (or Guy Fawkes pennies) to grubby children. More an ordeal than a movie. You can avoid this one.
Molly Rogers, as Livingstone's wife, is hilarious. It doesn't matter whether she is being courted in her father's garden, is dying of thirst in the Kalahari or has just given birth: she maintains the blank half-smile of an old lady roused from her cats to give Hallowe'en sweets (or Guy Fawkes pennies) to grubby children. More an ordeal than a movie. You can avoid this one.
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