The Last Days of Pompeii (1935)
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- Approved
- 1h 36min
- Adventure, Drama
- 18 Oct 1935 (USA)
- Movie
In the doomed Roman city, a gentle blacksmith becomes a corrupt gladiator, while his son leans toward Christianity.
Directors:
Writers:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Preston Foster | ... |
Marcus
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| Basil Rathbone | ... |
Pontius Pilate
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| David Holt | ... |
Flavius (As a Boy)
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| Alan Hale | ... |
Burbix
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| John Wood | ... |
Flavius (As a Man)
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| Louis Calhern | ... |
Prefect (Allus Martius)
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| Dorothy Wilson | ... |
Clodia
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| Wyrley Birch | ... |
Leaster
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Betty Alden | ... |
Calpurnia (uncredited)
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Betty Allen | ... |
Woman (uncredited)
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| Agnes Anderson | ... |
Noblewoman in Prefect's Box (uncredited)
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| Sam Appel | ... |
Porridge Seller (uncredited)
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| Reginald Barlow | ... |
The Janitor of the Slave Market (uncredited)
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Nathan Barragar | ... |
Prefect's Guard (uncredited)
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| Maurice Black | ... |
Attendant in Gladiators' Training Room (uncredited)
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| Ward Bond | ... |
Murmex of Carthage, a Gladiator (uncredited)
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| Symona Boniface | ... |
Slave Auction Observer (uncredited)
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| Tom Brower | ... |
Runaway Slave (uncredited)
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| Everett Brown | ... |
Enslaved Black Chief with Son (uncredited)
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| Frank Conroy | ... |
Gaius Tanno (uncredited)
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| Douglas Cosgrove | ... |
Gaius' Steward (uncredited)
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| John Davidson | ... |
Phoebus (uncredited)
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Elsie Dempsey | ... |
Citizen of Pompeii (uncredited)
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| Jimmy Dime | ... |
Heckling Gladiator (uncredited)
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Curley Dresden | ... |
Cato the Gladiator (uncredited)
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| Jimmie Dundee | ... |
Abusive Soldier (uncredited)
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| Art Felix | ... |
Rider on Horseback (uncredited)
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| Helen Freeman | ... |
Martha (uncredited)
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Oscar 'Dutch' Hendrian | ... |
Heckling Gladiator (uncredited)
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Winston Hibler | ... |
Marcellus (uncredited)
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| Thomas E. Jackson | ... |
The Lanista (uncredited)
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Bruce King | ... |
Scythian Prisoner (uncredited)
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| Murray Kinnell | ... |
Simon (uncredited)
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| Henry Kolker | ... |
Warder (uncredited)
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| Paul Kruger | ... |
Oarsman (uncredited)
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Marc Loebell | ... |
Lucius (uncredited)
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| Theodore Lorch | ... |
Slaver (uncredited)
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| Cliff Lyons | ... |
Ostorius - a Gladiator (uncredited)
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| Michael Mark | ... |
Pompeii Nobleman (uncredited)
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| Edwin Maxwell | ... |
The Augur - a Pompeii Official (uncredited)
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| Margaret McWade | ... |
Calvus' Wife (uncredited)
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| Frank Mills | ... |
Arena Attendant (uncredited)
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| William V. Mong | ... |
Cleon (uncredited)
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| Jack Mulhall | ... |
Citizen of Pompeii (uncredited)
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| John T. Murray | ... |
Pilate's Servant (uncredited)
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Princess Neeahtha | ... |
Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
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Ole M. Ness | ... |
Drusus - Runaway Slave (uncredited)
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Billy O'Brien | ... |
Sheep Boy (uncredited)
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| Martha O'Driscoll | ... |
Citizen of Pompeii (uncredited)
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| Marie Osborne | ... |
Citizen (uncredited)
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| Warner Richmond | ... |
Captain of the Guard (uncredited)
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| Jason Robards Sr. | ... |
Tax Gatherer (uncredited)
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Sam Savitsky | ... |
Rider on Horseback (uncredited)
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| Gloria Shea | ... |
Julia (uncredited)
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| Charles Sullivan | ... |
Citizen cheated at dice (uncredited)
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| Jim Thorpe | ... |
Spectator Tossing Coins (uncredited)
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| Zeffie Tilbury | ... |
The Wise Woman (uncredited)
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| Edward Van Sloan | ... |
Calvus (uncredited)
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Buster Wiles | ... |
Gladiator (uncredited)
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| Hannah Williams | ... |
Citizen of Pompeii (uncredited)
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| Harry Woods | ... |
Barbarian (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Ernest B. Schoedsack | ||
| Merian C. Cooper | ... | (uncredited) |
Written by
| Ruth Rose | ... | (screen play by) |
| Boris Ingster | ... | (collaboration on adaptation) |
| James Ashmore Creelman | ... | (original story by) and |
| Melville Baker | ... | (original story by) |
| Jerry Hutchinson | ... | (contributor to treatment) (uncredited) |
| G.B. Stern | ... | (contributor to treatment) (uncredited) |
Produced by
| Merian C. Cooper | ... | producer |
Music by
| Roy Webb | ||
Cinematography by
| J. Roy Hunt | ... | (photographed by) |
| Jack Cardiff | ... | (uncredited) |
Editing by
| Archie Marshek | ... | (as Archie F. Marshek) |
Art Direction by
| Van Nest Polglase | ||
Costume Design by
| Aline Bernstein | ||
Makeup Department
| Robert J. Schiffer | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
| Howard Smit | ... | assistant makeup artist (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Ivan Thomas | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Byron L. Crabbe | ... | art technician (as Byron Crabbe) |
| Alfred Herman | ... | associate art director (as Al Herman) |
| Thomas Little | ... | set dresser |
| Aloys Bohnen | ... | art work (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Walter Elliott | ... | sound effects |
| Clem Portman | ... | sound recordist |
Special Effects by
| Harry Redmond Sr. | ... | special effects (as Harry Redmond) |
| Harry Redmond Jr. | ... | special effects (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Vernon L. Walker | ... | photographic effects (as Vernon Walker) |
| Marcel Delgado | ... | miniatures (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Yakima Canutt | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Cliff Lyons | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Buster Wiles | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Eddie Linden Jr. | ... | photographic technician (as Eddie Linden) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Eugene Joseff | ... | costume jeweller (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Philip Faulkner Jr. | ... | music recordist (as P.J. Faulkner Jr.) |
| Maurice De Packh | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Hugo Friedhofer | ... | orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Bernhard Kaun | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) / orchestrator (uncredited) |
| Max Steiner | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) |
| Roy Webb | ... | musical director (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Willis H. O'Brien | ... | chief technician (as Willis O'Brien) |
| John Speaks | ... | production associate |
| Russell Lewis | ... | director: dance numbers (uncredited) |
| Elizabeth McGaffey | ... | researcher (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- RKO Radio Pictures (1935) (United States) (theatrical)
- RKO Distributing Corporation of Canada (1935) (Canada) (theatrical) (as RKO Distributing Corporation of Canada, Ltd.)
- RKO Radio Pictures (1935) (United Kingdom) (theatrical) (as Radio Pictures)
- Kinografen (1935) (Norway) (theatrical)
- RKO Radio Pictures (1946) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- RKO Radio Pictures (1949) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- C&C Television Corporation (1955) (United States) (tv)
- Image Entertainment (1995) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Warner Home Video (2006) (United States) (DVD)
- Odeon Entertainment (2012) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Films Bosman & Bourland, Les (1936) (Belgium) (theatrical)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Peaceloving blacksmith Marcus refuses lucrative offers to fight in the arena...until his wife dies for lack of medical care. His life as a gladiator coarsens him, and shady enterprises make him the richest man in Pompeii, while his son Flavius (who met Jesus on a brief visit to Judaea) is as gentle as Marcus once was. The final disaster of Marcus and Flavius's cross purposes is interrupted by the eruption of Vesuvius.
Written by Rod Crawford |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Behold the astounding spectacle of Vesuvius in eruption...while frantic thousands rush madly to the sea! (Print Ad- Leader-Post, ((Regina, Sask.)) 6 December 1935) See more » |
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| Parents Guide | Add content advisory for parents » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $1,000,000 (estimated) |
| Cumulative Worldwide Gross | $2,136,400 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | According to the book The RKO Story, this film cost $237,000 more than it grossed in its original release, but finally broke even with the box office from a 1949 re-release, paired with She (1935). See more » |
| Goofs | The central subplot of the meeting with Jesus is impossible, as Pompeii was destroyed after his death in 79 A.D. Given these dates, Flavius would have been a middle aged man, clearly not the youth in his 20's as portrayed in the film. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into The Toast of New York (1937). See more » |
| Crazy Credits | The foreword at the beginning of the film is a disclaimer stating that this film is not based on Bulwer-Lytton's novel at all. (It does not use the novel's plot, nor does it have any of the novel's characters.) However, the disclaimer goes on to say that the filmmakers are indebted to him for the description of the destruction of Pompeii. See more » |
| Quotes |
Marcus:
Money is all that matters. Well, I can get money! It's easy to get money! All you have to do... is kill. See more » |