Robert Aldrich directed and the film is not regarded by his fans as one of his greatest - but there are some visual flourishes such as a tracking shot through cornfields as Baker chases after Rosanna Podesta; horizon littered with teams of extras preparing for battle.
There's lots of sexy outfits, allusion to sin and it's funny to watch a film set in Sodom ("I'm Queen of the Sodomites!", "charity from the Sodomites?"). Plenty of spectacle, too - with big battle sequences, dances, and a satisfactory destruction of Sodom (although I did feel they ran out of money).
It is very reminiscent of other Ancient World spectaculars - there's a bit where a crazy haired Lot ushers in a flood to defeat some attackers which is reminiscent of The Ten Commandments - then later on he leads his people out of slavery into the promised land which is from the same movie; the final collapse of the city is like the finale of Samson and Delilah; the evil queen lounges around like Cleopatra; there are dances as in Salome.
There's lots of sexy outfits, allusion to sin and it's funny to watch a film set in Sodom ("I'm Queen of the Sodomites!", "charity from the Sodomites?"). Plenty of spectacle, too - with big battle sequences, dances, and a satisfactory destruction of Sodom (although I did feel they ran out of money).
It is very reminiscent of other Ancient World spectaculars - there's a bit where a crazy haired Lot ushers in a flood to defeat some attackers which is reminiscent of The Ten Commandments - then later on he leads his people out of slavery into the promised land which is from the same movie; the final collapse of the city is like the finale of Samson and Delilah; the evil queen lounges around like Cleopatra; there are dances as in Salome.
Granger isn't the first actor you think of to play Lot, leader of the Hebrews, but he makes a fair go of it - he's got authority and presence, his age helps him. He even pulls off bits like talking to the sky asking for God's help - he's got the right touch of the fanatic to make these parts believable.
Podesta and Pier Angeli are good looking. There's some bland men with beards, as there tends to be in Italian movies of this period. Baker and Aimee are excellent in what are the best parts really - Aimee is a rare Biblical lesbian (they never say it outright but it's fairly clear the dancing girl is her lover. The film is arguably homophobic in this regard - the most evil woman in the movie being a lesbian - but it's more anti-sex. Baker practically rapes Poedsta and she falls in love with him. But Baker is clearly evil and Granger kills him.)
Podesta and Pier Angeli are good looking. There's some bland men with beards, as there tends to be in Italian movies of this period. Baker and Aimee are excellent in what are the best parts really - Aimee is a rare Biblical lesbian (they never say it outright but it's fairly clear the dancing girl is her lover. The film is arguably homophobic in this regard - the most evil woman in the movie being a lesbian - but it's more anti-sex. Baker practically rapes Poedsta and she falls in love with him. But Baker is clearly evil and Granger kills him.)
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