, 1935-11-17
Mad DAYS OF
ROMAN POWER
ARE RECALLED
Barbaric Splendor and
Savage Revelry Are
Brought to Screen
In New Picture

Said to be a new high In spectacu-
a motion picture achievement,
The Last Days of Pompeii." show
ing Sunday and Monday at the Cap
itol. Brownsville. bringing for the
first time a sound and sight drama
tization Of thrilling events in the
pleasure-mad Roman resort in the
period Of its terrifying destruction in
A. d. 10.
A perturbation Of the barbaric
splendor and savage revelry of the
period, The Last Days of Pompeii."
unfolds an amazing story Of a people
living in classic beauty but stepped
In wanton license. a story Of whole
sale slaughter carried on for the
amusement OF those in power, and a
story Of the dawn Of Christian influ-
ence upon human conscience.
For fifteen centuries after the de-
vastating eruption, Pompeii was for
gotten as completely as though 1t
had never existed. Then. just prior
to 1000. its ruins we're discovered dur
ing excavations near Naples. Since
then, archaeologiSts have pieced the
famous city together, and today the
full measure OF its ancient grandeur
and amazing history Is known to the
world.
With a wealth Of historical detail
as a foundation. the old life of Pom
peii has been brought with complete
authenticity TO the screen by Holly
wood experts, under the generalship
Of Merriam G. Cooper.
At the RKO Radio studios massive
motion picture sets were built into
accurate reproductions OF the classic
city. One IS the Pompeiian Forum
and its famous Temple Of Jupiter,
seat Of pagan rites. Another is the
beautiful home Of Marcus. hero Of
the p~hotoplay - q rich mans marble
palace Of great halls, graceful pillars,
beautiful gardens where fountains
play, and rich furnishings. There is
also the mammoth amphitheatre
arena, guarded by a mighty colossus.
Through the straddled legs Of which
went hosts Of men into the arena on
their way to doom. These monu-
ments Of pagan splendor, however.
are smashed to fragments during the
convulsive cen OF the pictures
climax, which depicts the debacle re-
sulting from an eruption Of the vol
cano Vesuvius.
The story concerns a young black
smith, who, in twenty years, rises
from mediocrity to become the rich
est and most popular man In Pom
peii. When early poverty costs him
the lives Of his wife and child. he
sets out to make money his god. Sac
rificing all ideals, he becomes q pro-
feSsional gladiator, Staying for mon
ey. DEMONSTRATING and sl~ave-trading
swell his fortunes. and he becomes
finally head Of the arena. staging
spectacles in which thousands are
slaughtered for the amusement OF a
blood thirsty populace. Then. al
though wealthy and powerful, he dis
covers that he cannot save his be-
loved adopted son who has trans
crossed the Roman law and has been
sentenced to meet death in the
arena.
As the grief-Stricken Marcus help
leSsly watches the boy 60 down fight
ing, at the head of a group OF slaves
pitted against captive barbarians,
Nature takes q hand. The earth is
convulsed by a shattering earth
quake. Vesuvius Is seen to strike.
raining molten death and destruc-
tion on a panic-stricken people fight
ing madly TO escape from the flaming
trap of crashing ruins. II Is IN this
hour that Marcus gives his life in
atonement for his ruthless career.