The 1935 film "The Last Days of Pompeii" is loosely based on the 1834 novel by British writer Edward Bulwer-Lytton about life in the Roman city of Pompeii which was destroyed in AD 79 by an eruption of the nearby volcano Vesuvius. In the film, Marcus is a blacksmith with his wife Julia and infant son Flavius. The wife and son are killed by a chariot and Marcus decides that money is the only thing worth having and becomes a professional gladiator and later a wealthy businessman. Early in the film a wealthy man gives Marcus a large silver coin, and later, when Marcus becomes a success as a fighter, there are scenes of coins in a chest showing that Marcus is becoming wealthy. The coins shown are large prop coins or imitation Roman coins.

The film opens with a prologue:

Then follows a scene of the city of Pompeii and in the distance the volcano Vesuvius.

A boat is bringing an important Roman official to the dock. Marcus is a blacksmith who lives with his wife Julia and infant son Flavius. Marcus is in his blacksmith shop when Cleon, a slave dealer, brings a group of slaves near his shop when one slave tries to attack Cleon. Marcus wrestles the man to the ground and Cleon gives Marcus some copper coins as a reward.

Cleon also gives Marcus a silver coin "for his son."

A silver coin was worth a lot of money then. The Romans did not mint large silver coins, their silver coins were usually less than 20 mm in diameter, a little larger than a United States dime (10 cent coin), however a silver dollar-sized coin looks better in a film.

Marcus's life changes when his wife and son are hit by a speeding chariot. He needs money to pay the doctor and also the local tax collector has been after him. Marcus's attempts to visit the wealthy Cleon but is turned away by his servants. One man suggests that Marcus, a big man, could make money as a gladiator. Marcus heads for the local sports arena and is put to work.

Marcus returns home with the money but finds his wife and son dead. He resolves to live only to make money and returns to fighting. By degrees he works his way up to becoming a champion. After he has disabled one opponent a wealthy spectator offers him money to kill the man.

He has three coins in his hand.

The prop coins appear to be imitations of Roman coins but have no inscriptions. They have a head on one side and an eagle on the other. Marcus kills his opponent and many spectators throw coins at his feet. The next scenes show Marcus's increasing wealth.

Marcus rises to the top of his profession and becomes a celebrity.

Behind a box of coins is a poster advertising gladiator matches with Marcus's name at the top.

This scene shows a chest of coins. Some have the initials "S-C" on them, some have a standing figure, some have a head facing right and some have an eagle. Prop coins similar to these have appeared in other films including "The Devil and Daniel Webster."

Marcus is becoming the Roman equivalent of a star athlete.

Marcus has killed another opponent and finds the man's little son in a waiting area. He adopts the boy who he names Flavius after his dead son. Marcus also buys a slave teacher named Leaster to educate his son and Leaster soon becomes a trusted servant to Marcus. After an injury ends his fighting career, Marcus becomes a businessman. Marcus rescues a "wise woman" (a prophetess or fortune-teller) from a dissatisfied customer and takes her to his house.

She tells Marcus that his son will meet a great man in Judea. A business venture takes Marcus to Judea and he brings his son. Marcus believes that the "great man" is Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of the province. Marcus and his son manage to get an audience with the governor.

Governor Pilate spots Marcus as a man who will do anything for money and proposes to Marcus that he take a group of convicts, form an outlaw gang, and steal horses and treasure from a wealthy local tribe. A man named Burbix meets Marcus and brings the convicts. Their attack on the tribe is successful and they get many horses and boxes of gold treasure. Marcus returns to his home in Judea and finds his son seriously injured from a fall from a horse. Someone tells him that there is a famous healer in the area and asks him to save his son. The healer is Jesus Christ who does heal the son. Marcus then reports to Pilate with his share of the loot and finds that Pilate has just sentenced Jesus to death for treason but claims that he was forced to do it. Marcus, Leaster, and Flavius leave the city with their treasure.

Behind them are three crosses. Many years elapse and Marcus is now the wealthiest man in Pompeii and Flavius is an adult. Marcus gives Flavius an expensive sword and has been having Flavius educated to become a Roman nobleman. Unfortunately for Marcus's goals Flavius has adopted a belief in kindness and compassion and has been secretly running a shelter for escaped slaves. Pontius Pilate comes to visit his old partner.

Flavius remembers the man who healed him but Marcus tell him there was no such person but Pilate says there was and that he crucified him. A Roman sports promoter promises a crowd that the next games will be great.

Unfortunately there is a shortage of slaves to be used as gladiators. An informer tells the Romans where a group of escaped slaves are hiding. Roman soldiers surround the hideout and capture the slaves and also arrest Flavius and his girlfriend Clodia.

The plan is to arm the captured slaves and have them fight British prisoners of war. Marcus, in the stands, sees his son with the slaves and attempts to have the games stopped. The crowd's enjoyment of the games is halted.

The earthquakes, volcanic ash, and fiery pieces of lava cause massive destruction to the city.

Marcus original plan was to have his treasure put onto a boat but orders the boat crew to leave the treasure and to take refugees from the city. Marcus searches for Flavius and finds him with Clodia.

Some Roman soldiers follow the crowd but Marcus uses his strength to keep a gate closed.

A Roman stabs Marcus with a spear but the Romans arrive as the boat is leaving. By now the city is in ruins.

Marcus is lying on the ground and has a vision.

Preston Foster as Marcus
Basil Rathbone as Pontius Pilate
John Wood as Flavius (adult)
Dorothy Wilson as Clodia (Flavius's friend)
Alan Hale as Burbix (Marcus's assistant)
Directors: Ernest B. Schoedsack, Merian C. Cooper
Writers: James Ashmore Creelman, Melville Baker, Ruth Rose, Edward Bulwer-Lytton (novel)