Samson and Delilah (1949 film)

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Samson and Delilah
French movie poster for Samson and Delilah
Directed by	Cecil B. DeMille
Produced by	Cecil B. DeMille
Written by	Fredric M. Frank Vladimir Jabotinsky (book, scr.) Harold Lamb Jesse Lasky, Jr.
Music by	Victor Young Ray Evans (song) Jay Livingston (song)
Cinematography	George Barnes Dewey Wrigley Victor Young
Editing by	Anne Bauchens
Distributed by	Paramount
Release date(s)	1949
Running time	128 min.
Country	U.S.A.
Language	English
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Samson and Delilah is a 1949 film made by Paramount Pictures, produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr as the title characters. Angela Lansbury, George Sanders and Henry Wilcoxon are also featured.

The story of Samson and Delilah is adapted from the Biblical Book of Judges.

Wildly successful at the box-office, DeMille's Biblical epic is known for the beauty of its leading lady and the spectacular toppling of the temple, not the acting skills of its players or sparkling dialogue. Mature's fight with a lion is hopelessly fake, but the film endures as a camp classic, still retaining its entertainment value as a product of its time.

1 Plot of the Film
2 Cast
3 Trivia
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Plot of the Film

Samson, a Hebrew placed under Nazirite vows from birth by his mother, is engaged to a Philistine woman named Semadar. During a fight at their wedding feast, Semadar is killed and Samson becomes a hunted man. Semadar's sister, Delilah, plots to deliver Samson up for punishment. To do so, she cuts his hair, which he feels gives him his strength. Falling in love with him, Delilah regrets her act after Samson is blinded by his captors. He is brought to the temple for entertainment, where he topples the structure, destroying his enemies.

[edit] Cast

Hedy Lamarr - Delilah
Victor Mature - Samson
George Sanders - The Saran of Gaza
Angela Lansbury - Semadar
Henry Wilcoxon - Ahtur
Russ Tamblyn - Saul
Olive Deering - Miriam
Edgar Dearing - Tax collector
Fay Holden - Hazeleponit
Julia Faye - Haisham, Delilah's maid
William Farnum - Tubal, Delilah's Father
Lane Chandler - Teresh
Moroni Olsen - Targif
Francis McDonald - Story Teller
Wee Willie Davis - Garmiskar
John Miljan - Lesh Lakish
George Reeves - Wounded Messenger
Nils Asther - Prince
Mike Mazurki - Leader of Philistine Soldiers

[edit] Trivia

Burt Lancaster was the original choice to play Samson, but he declined due to a bad back. Body builder Steve Reeves was also considered and DeMille lobbied long and hard to get the studio to pick up Reeves, but both DeMille and the studio wanted Reeves to tone down his physique, which Reeves, still young and new to the industry, ultimately refused to do; almost a decade later, Reeves found fame and cult status as another legendary strong man, Hercules, performing many of the same feats as Victor Mature in the Samson film. DeMille did not like Victor Mature and was outraged when Mature refused to wrestle the tame lion.

Director DeMille had a cameo in Sunset Boulevard in a scene where the character of Norma Desmond meets with him on a film set. The film being shot is Samson and Delilah.

Nancy Olson, contracted under Paramount, claims to have been considered for the role of Delilah. Later accepting what would become her most memorable role starring in Sunset Boulevard. Ironically enough, DeMille's cameo places him shooting the film.