Jone or the Last Days of Pompeii explained

Ultimi giorni di Pompei, Gli
Director:
Producer:Ernesto Maria Pasquali
Starring:Cristina Ruspoli
Luigi Mele
Giovanni Enrico Vidali
Suzanne De Labroy
Cinematography:Raimondo Scotti
Music:Colombino Arona
Distributor:Monopolio Lombardo
Runtime:98 minutes
Country:Italy
Language:Silent

Based on Edward Bulwer-Lytton's 1834 novel of the same name, the film - one of two different adaptations of the same book in Italy that year - is set during the final days leading up to the Mount Vesuvius eruption in Pompeii in 79 AD.

Plot

In Pompeii 79AD, Glaucus and Jone are in love with each other. Arbax, the Egyptian High Priest, is determined to conquer her. Glaucus buys the blind slave Nydia who is mishandled by her owner.

Nydia falls in love with him and asks Arbax for his help. He gives her a potion to make Glaucus fall in love with her. Unfortunately, to Nydia's dismay, the potion is actually a poison which will destroy his mind. Arbax' disciple Apoecides threatens to reveal publicly his wrongdoings. Arbax kills him and accuses Glaucus of the crime. He locks Nydia in a cellar to prevent her from speaking.

Glaucus is condemned to be thrown to the lions. Nydia manages to escape and tells Glaucus' friend Claudius what happened. Claudius rushes to the Circus to accuse Arbax and the crowd decides that Arbax and not Glaucus should be thrown to the lions.

The Vesuvius starts erupting and a widespread panic ensues. Under the shock, Glaucus recovers his mind. Blind Nydia, the only one to find her way in the darkness caused by the rain of ashes, leads Glaucus and Jone to safety and finds peace by drowning herself.

Cast

Production

The film was produced by Pasquali e C.