Sodom and Gomorrah

Sodom and Gomorrah

Year: 1962

Runtime: 148 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Aldrich

DramaHistoryAdventure

Lot guides his people to a fertile valley bordering the sin‑laden cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, ruled by the ruthless Queen Bera. To stop the Helamites from flooding the cities he orders the dam destroyed, earning the queen’s gratitude and permission for his people to settle in Sodom. Yet the façade of civilization soon erodes as Lot and the Hebrews fall under the corrupting influence of the Sodomites.

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Timeline & Setting – Sodom and Gomorrah (1962)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Sodom and Gomorrah (1962). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Ancient Near East (Biblical era)

The story unfolds in a mythic ancient era when city-states and nomadic groups vie for power in the region. Political intrigue, divine intervention, and apocalyptic destruction punctuate a time long before modern borders. The events echo biblical narratives about Sodom and Gomorrah and the fate of their people.

Location

Sodom, Gomorrah, Desert near the Jordan River, Elam

Set in the ancient twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, built on salt deposits mined by slaves, their wealth funds luxury and brutal entertainment. The surrounding desert and the Jordan River region frame a world of opulence, excess, and harsh survival. The discovery of a vast salt deposit ultimately drives the plot and the fate of both communities.

🏜️ Desert cities 🪙 Salt economy ⚖️ Moral decadence

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

Main Characters – Sodom and Gomorrah (1962)

Meet the key characters of Sodom and Gomorrah (1962), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Lot (Stewart Granger)

Leader of the Hebrew camp, pious yet pragmatic. He negotiates land and defends his people while wrestling with temptation, loyalty, and guilt as his city’s corruption deepens. His sense of justice is tested as he tries to guide both Hebrews and Sodomites toward a better path, even as catastrophe looms.

🏜️ Leadership 🕊️ Faith 🧭 Desert

Ildith (Pier Angeli)

A slave, chief of the Queen of Sodom's body slaves, who becomes Lot’s ally and beloved figure. She dislikes the harsh conditions of the Hebrew camp but grows attached to Lot and questions the life of luxury she once knew, choosing to follow him toward an uncertain future.

🧭 Love 🏜️ Desert 🕊️ Faith

Bera (Anouk Aimée)

Queen of Sodom, scheming and ambitious. She uses political maneuvering to manipulate alliances, turning Hebrews and Sodomites against each other to preserve her own power. Her downfall comes as the city meets divine judgment.

👑 Power 🪄 Manipulation ⚖️ Ambition

Astaroth (Stanley Baker)

Prince of Sodom, driven by jealousy and lust. He engages in dangerous plots and secret affairs, challenging Lot’s authority and complicating the political web that holds the cities together. He is killed in a confrontation with Lot.

🔥 Ambition 💕 Forbidden affairs 🗡️ Conflict

Tamar (Scilla Gabel)

A slave who carries a message to the Elamites and is captured by Sodomite patrol. She refuses to speak under interrogation, and her death is used to illustrate the brutal costs of political treachery and the city’s cruelty.

🧭 Duty 😔 Risk 🗡️ Violence

Shuah (Rossana Podestà)

Lot’s daughter who becomes entangled in a secret affair with Astaroth. She negotiates danger, family pride, and the lure of power as the plot thickens and the city faces ruin.

💞 Forbidden love 🏺 Family 🕊️ Fate

Maleb (Claudia Mori)

One of Lot’s daughters, who participates in the marital schemes and tensions within the family as they navigate life in a world of luxury and looming destruction.

👧 Family 🧭 Loyalty 🕊️ Conflict

Ishmael (Giacomo Rossi Stuart)

Lot’s lieutenant who pushes for freeing slaves and resisting the city’s luxury. His zeal clashes with Lot’s caution, highlighting the moral conflicts within leadership and rebellion against oppression.

🗡️ Rebellion 🕊️ Slavery 🧭 Duty

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

Major Themes – Sodom and Gomorrah (1962)

Explore the central themes of Sodom and Gomorrah (1962), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🪙 Wealth and decadence

Salt wealth underpins Sodom’s luxury, shaping a society where slaves serve for entertainment and power is measured by riches. This economic abundance fuels moral decay and political scheming, setting the stage for collapse. The film uses this excess to critique materialism as a driver of societal ruin.

⚖️ Power and justice

Leaders manipulate others to secure control, with Bera orchestrating schemes through loyalty and betrayal. Lot’s role as a judge and intermediary showcases the limits and dangers of human authority when entangled with empire-building. Conflicts among rulers and rebels highlight the fragile balance between law, loyalty, and ambition.

🕊️ Faith and destruction

Angels appear to warn of divine displeasure, and God plans to destroy the cities. Lot pleads for ten righteous ones, testing faith against temptation. The turning of Ildith into a pillar of salt and the subsequent ruin of Sodom and Gomorrah dramatize the consequences of turning away from the divine will.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:04

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Sodom and Gomorrah Summary

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Sodom and Gomorrah Timeline

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