Samson and Delilah (1949)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Cecil B. DeMille

Writers:

Jesse Lasky Jr. (screenplay) &
Fredric M. Frank (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

January 1950 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Tagline:

HISTORY'S MOST BEAUTIFUL AND TREACHEROUS WOMAN! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Though his people, the Israelites, are enslaved by the Philistines, Samson, strongest man of the tribe of Dan...

Plot Keywords:

Philistine | Sword And Sandal | Building Collapse | Revenge | Peplum

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Hedy Lamarr	...	Delilah
Victor Mature	...	Samson
George Sanders	...	The Saran of Gaza
Angela Lansbury	...	Semadar
Henry Wilcoxon	...	Prince Ahtur
Olive Deering	...	Miriam
Fay Holden	...	Hazelelponit
Julia Faye	...	Haisham
Russ Tamblyn	...	Saul (as Russell Tamblyn)
William Farnum	...	Tubal
Lane Chandler	...	Teresh
Moroni Olsen	...	Targil
Francis McDonald	...	Story Teller (as Francis J. McDonald)
William 'Wee Willie' Davis	...	Garmiskar (as William Davis)
John Miljan	...	Lesh Lakish

Also Known As:

Cecil B. DeMille's Samson and Delilah (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

131 min | Argentina:134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:Approved (certificate #13447) | UK:U | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Victor Young's lush background music, nominated for an Academy Award in the competition for 1950, would become his penultimate best-score recognition, followed by his posthumous win for Around the World in Eighty Days (1956). In the years between, the Academy failed to nominate two superlative, nuanced Young scores -- for The Quiet Man (1952) and Shane (1953).

Goofs:

Factual errors: Although the Phillistines did indeed worship the god Dagon, everything else about them as depicted in the film is untrue; not even the clothing corresponds with archaeological evidence. We now know the Philistine men shaved their facial hair and wore their head hair long, thanks to depictions of them found at the ruins of the actual Phillistia, which was not discovered until long after this movie had come out. The fact is that we do not know much about the Phillistines at all. In fact, we do not even know whether or not Phillistine women were treated as equals by the men!

Quotes:

Saran of Gaza: He was not captured by force of arms, but by their softness.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years at the Movies (1994) (TV)

Soundtrack:

FOR TO WIN A BRIDE

One of the better biblical epics....

I've always loved this film. Granted, somehow it does not generate the 'huge epic' feel of some of the director's other work but it is a great film to sit down and relax in front of. Opulent costume design, good casting and excellent cinematography make this one of the better biblical epics that were being produced at the time.

Victor Mature, a fine physical specimen of the male physique, seems to fit perfectly into the role of the brooding and oft-troubled Samson. Burt Lancaster, I'm told, was the original choice for the part which I think would have been a bad choice. Although Lancaster is a better actor, on purely aesthetic grounds, the Mediterranean featured, tousle-locked Mature fitted better into the location.

George Sanders is superb as the Saran of Gaza. One of the other reviewers on this website said he portrayed a "sophisticated cad" which is the best description I have ever heard of Mr Sanders in this role or any other for that matter.

The absolute star of the show is the movie's other lead actor, Hedy Lamarr. This was undoubtedly the finest hour of an actress who either, curiously passed up or was just overlooked for many other leading parts. Hedy sets the screen on fire as the sensual and wicked Delilah, playing with and dragging every man on screen and in the audience in her wake. Many have questioned her acting ability. Truth is I doubt we shall ever really find out. Poor choice of scripts and directors resulted in her being pushed to the sidelines at MGM and eventually and sadly into complete obscurity.