The Last Days of Pompeii (1935): Sand, Swords, and Some Really Dusty Sets

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school disaster movies where the sets are made of plywood and the acting is turned up to eleven, you’ll probably have a blast. If you’re looking for historical accuracy or a movie that moves faster than a tectonic plate, maybe skip this one.

It’s the kind of flick that feels like it was put together with a lot of glue and sheer willpower. People who enjoy The Radio King might appreciate the way this just throws everything at the wall.

Watching Marcus change

Preston Foster plays Marcus, and man, does he go through a phase. He starts out as this soft-hearted blacksmith who just wants to make horseshoes, but one bad day changes everything. Suddenly, he’s a gladiator guy. He’s rich. He’s mean. He’s got that specific kind of 1930s screen presence that’s just loud.

There’s this one scene where he’s watching the fights, and he looks so bored, like he’s waiting for his lunch order to arrive. It’s hilarious.

The volcano situation

Look, the title tells you exactly what happens. But the movie takes its sweet time getting to the big explosion. You spend nearly the whole runtime watching office politics in ancient Rome, which is a choice.

When the ash finally starts falling, it looks like someone dumped a giant bucket of grey confetti from the rafters. The extras are just running around in circles. It’s chaotic in a way that feels very 1935.

• Basil Rathbone is in this, which is always a treat even when he’s playing a total creep.
• The contrast between the gladiatorial violence and the religious stuff is… well, it’s a lot.
• Some of the dialogue sounds like it was written on a napkin during a lunch break.
• The miniatures used for the city shots are actually kind of charming, in a dusty way.

I found myself wondering if anyone on set actually knew how a volcano worked, or if they just figured it was a big chimney with a bad attitude. War Is Hell had more subtlety than the final act here. Still, there’s something oddly satisfying about watching a whole city get covered in dust because everyone forgot to be nice to their neighbors.

Don't expect Lulu levels of character depth here. This is just a big, loud, messy spectacle that doesn't care if you're confused by the plot. It’s fine. It’s a movie. It exists.