.... profits? And even those did not turn out so well for this film. This is one of those films produced shortly before the production code died that uses a Biblical theme so that there can be lots of violence, implied sex, and the movie can end with a big explosion! And if anyone complains just explain it is a Bible story.
Stewart Granger is the heroic Lot, nephew of Abraham, who leads his people to settle in the valley near the title cities, which are ruled by the cruel Queen (Anouk Aimee). Lot and his people battle for their survival against wicked forces and conspiring foes, before the cities face biblical judgment without benefit of computer generated effects. With Pier Angeli as Lot's wife, and Stanley Baker as the villainous Astaroth. After taking very generous liberties with the biblical text, this ends up as a lackluster costume drama with some big battle scenes directed by Sergio Leone. The production design is pretty good, thanks to the efforts of Ken Adam, and the score by Miklos Rozsa is effective. Stewart Granger as Lot portrays the perfect sort of regret which many might understand today.
Lot's wife was turned to a pillar of salt. That's about all they got right. Oh well, if you watched De Mille's "Ten Commandments" as the truth you'd think that the Egyptian plagues and Pharoah pursuing the Israelites had to do with a love triangle.
This being made almost 60 years ago, they have to imply certain things, such as what is going on between the queen and her "favorite". Lots of biblical epics were made in the 50s and 60s, some worth watching, some not. This one is a 50/50 proposition.
