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The Last Days of Pompeii

Play trailer Poster for The Last Days of Pompeii Released Oct 18, 1935 1h 36m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 38% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
A blacksmith (Preston Foster) becomes a gladiator and Pontius Pilate's (Basil Rathbone) partner, then sees Vesuvius erupt and finds Christ.
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The Last Days of Pompeii

Critics Reviews

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Grant Watson Fiction Machine This is a somewhat flawed film, but when it excels it does so with style. Rated: 6/10 Apr 21, 2022 Full Review Harold V. Cohen Pittsburgh Post-Gazette A fairly decent piece of fiction. Nov 19, 2020 Full Review Meyer Levin (Patterson Murphy) Esquire Magazine Basil Rathbone's incisive, worldly portrayal of Pontius Pilate is the most notable characterization in the film. Other players are adequate. Apr 21, 2020 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Pulpy sword and sandal film, whose highlight is filming the eruption of Vesuvius. Rated: C+ Aug 3, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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CodyZamboni This movie mash up combines a religious story, a disaster movie, and gladiator epic, It's never boring. The acting is lame, but I did like the main character's story arc, his rise, fall, and rise again. But it's the gladiator fighting and volcano disaster action with remarkable minature fx destruction, that I'll remember best. Movie was made by the same producer as King Kong, Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/27/23 Full Review Audience Member The best thrilling movie ever made! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Forget how silly the acting seemed and try to understand film making in its beginning and only then will you be able to appreciate this movie. As someone who enjoyed reading/knowing who some of Hollywood’s famous actors were back in the day, it was cool recognizing Basil Rathbone and Allen Hale Sr. For its time, I thought the special effects in the end were great! Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/19 Full Review Audience Member Pulpy sword and sandal film, whose highlight is filming the eruption of Vesuvius. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Audience Member The love triangles are the actual story, and Vesuvius's eruption is merely the conclusion. This movie is fairly slow and the payoff wasn't as big as expected, even for a silent movie. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member An ok historical drama of the days leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius that destroyed this roman city Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Last Days of Pompeii

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Cast & Crew

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Ernest B. Schoedsack

Director

Preston Foster

Marcus

Alan Hale

Burbix

Basil Rathbone

Pontius Pilate

John Wood

Flavius, as a Man

Louis Calhern

Prefect
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The Last Days of Pompeii

The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) The Last Days of Pompeii (1935) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A blacksmith (Preston Foster) becomes a gladiator and Pontius Pilate's (Basil Rathbone) partner, then sees Vesuvius erupt and finds Christ.
Director
Ernest B. Schoedsack
Producer
Merian C. Cooper
Screenwriter
Ruth Rose, James Ashmore Creelman, Melville Baker
Production Co
RKO Pictures
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 18, 1935, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 21, 2016
Runtime
1h 36m
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