I had avoided watching this, but since it was on Turner Classic Movies this morning I gave it a go. It was not just another boring pretentious sword and sandals epic. It has a little bit of everything. And yes there actually WAS an arena in Pompeii.
Blacksmith Marcus' wife and son are run down in the streets by a chariot, and ultimately he loses them because he doesn't have enough money to buy the medicine and doctors needed to save them. He becomes a gladiator in the arena because he now feels he has nothing to live for and it pays well. But when he adopts the son, Flavius, of a man he slew in the arena, he becomes too cautious in his fighting, is wounded, and has to cease in his profession.
He turns to a number of adventurous pursuits to amass a treasure because he feels money is what protects you and your family from the bad things of this world. Ultimately Marcus meets and befriends Pontius Pilate (Basil Rathbone), meets Jesus and sees his crucifixion, and does obtain his goal of being the head of the arena in Pompeii. However, his adopted son Flavius, grown to adulthood, cannot stop thinking of Jesus and his teaching of compassion, and takes up a practice that could imperil his life if caught by the Romans.
When the final disaster scene comes, it is pretty impressive for a little studio like RKO for 1935. They don't try to do effects they can't pull off effectively. Thus rather than being buried in lava, Pompeii is shown more as catching fire and having the city shaken to the ground.
Preston Foster does a really good job with the role of Marcus. His relationship with his adopted son is touchingly portrayed. Basil Rathbone plays Pilate as pensive and penitent, even remembering Jesus and his crucifixion a decade or more later. Alan Hale as Burbix fills the screen with his presence in a supporting role.
The one eye rolling moment? In the arena at Pompeii there is a statue of what I guess is supposed to be a Roman god. Instead it bears a remarkable likeness to King Kong when he was exhibited in New York in the film of the same name two years before. Merian C. Cooper was associated with both films. Oh well, nobody and no film is perfect.
Blacksmith Marcus' wife and son are run down in the streets by a chariot, and ultimately he loses them because he doesn't have enough money to buy the medicine and doctors needed to save them. He becomes a gladiator in the arena because he now feels he has nothing to live for and it pays well. But when he adopts the son, Flavius, of a man he slew in the arena, he becomes too cautious in his fighting, is wounded, and has to cease in his profession.
He turns to a number of adventurous pursuits to amass a treasure because he feels money is what protects you and your family from the bad things of this world. Ultimately Marcus meets and befriends Pontius Pilate (Basil Rathbone), meets Jesus and sees his crucifixion, and does obtain his goal of being the head of the arena in Pompeii. However, his adopted son Flavius, grown to adulthood, cannot stop thinking of Jesus and his teaching of compassion, and takes up a practice that could imperil his life if caught by the Romans.
When the final disaster scene comes, it is pretty impressive for a little studio like RKO for 1935. They don't try to do effects they can't pull off effectively. Thus rather than being buried in lava, Pompeii is shown more as catching fire and having the city shaken to the ground.
Preston Foster does a really good job with the role of Marcus. His relationship with his adopted son is touchingly portrayed. Basil Rathbone plays Pilate as pensive and penitent, even remembering Jesus and his crucifixion a decade or more later. Alan Hale as Burbix fills the screen with his presence in a supporting role.
The one eye rolling moment? In the arena at Pompeii there is a statue of what I guess is supposed to be a Roman god. Instead it bears a remarkable likeness to King Kong when he was exhibited in New York in the film of the same name two years before. Merian C. Cooper was associated with both films. Oh well, nobody and no film is perfect.