Samson and Delilah

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Audience Member This was very good, and only cements my love for Demille’s work even more. Unfortunately though, I feel they could have put more time into exploring the Danites. They especially should have given them more screen time while Samson was off, and they were being punished. This could have led up to Miriam arriving at Delilah’s place and telling him of the awful stuff going on. I also feel Delilah was the most interesting character in the film. Hedy was one beautiful woman that’s for sure. Definitely check this out. 3.5/5 stars. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/01/24 Full Review Matthew D A Biblical epic as grand as The Ten Commandments or Ben Hur. Director Cecil B. DeMille's religious romance drama epic Samson and Delilah (1949) is pretty fantastic. I have no love of Cecil B. DeMille, but The Ten Commandments has its moments. Samson and Delilah's more grounded romance story. DeMille takes each moment as important in his tale of Philistines and Danites. Writers Jesse Lasky Jr. and Fredric M. Frank adapted Vladimir Jabotinsky's version of The Bible tales of Samson and Delilah. Their clever wit makes Delilah into a neat femme fatale and Samson a poor fool of a strong hero. Editor Anne Bauchens has slick cuts that keep this massive 134 minute movie from feeling too long. Cinematographer George Barnes uses huge wide shots and sweeping panning shots around art directors Hans Dreier and Walter H. Tyler's magnificent sets. All the vivid colors are wondrous with extravagant furnishings from set decorators Sam Comer and Ray Moyer. Composer Victor Young's whimsical and sweeping film score has an air of romance and neat playfulness to his old sonic splendor. Sound designers Harry Lingren and John Cope capture crisp and clear voice recordings. Elaine Ramsey's curly hairstyles are as amazing as Edith Head and Gwen Wakeling's lavish dresses. Hedy Lamarr is gorgeous and captivating as the flirtatious and jealous Delilah. Her conniving schemes make her Delilah a fun romantic villainess. She's as great as Anne Baxter in The Ten Commandments. Victor Mature is touching and strong as the romantic hero Samson. He foolishly loves Semadar instead of Delilah and finds his ruin. Mature looks like an old cross of Dean Martin and Sylvester Stallone. George Sanders' pompous antagonist The Saran of Gaza is amusing with his usual posh air and casual cruelty that Sanders does so well. Angela Lansbury is pretty and charming as the javelin throwing lady Semadar, whom Samson adores. She's very fun in her brief appearance. Henry Wilcoxon is mean and arrogant as Prince Ahtur. Olive Deering is really lovely and charming as the smart and caring Miriam. Cecil B. DeMille's narration is laughable and overbearing and he cannot even pronounce Philistine correctly. Tanner the Lion is very cute and fuzzy as the massive beastly lion that Samson must wrestle. In conclusion, Hedy Lamarr steals Samson and Delilah as the mischievous and bitterly jealous Delilah. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/02/23 Full Review milo v One of the best movies ever made. Being made just few years after the war it was made with the heart and soul, in times when the moral of the story was more important than the effects. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Tom P Good early biblical epic. Fun watching Victor Mature act his way out of a paper bag. Cool special effects, violent as hell for 1949 Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/13/22 Full Review lanfranco c The terrific power of love Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review william k Archetypal DeMille biblical spectacle as usual simplifies its source's tale to a child-friendly level, but offers colorful entertainment and some memorable scenes, and there's a subliminal undertone in the love-hate relationship between Samson and Delilah, which is irritating and fascinating; Hedy Lamarr makes it work. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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