Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #270 in VHS
• Released on: 1998-01-01
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of tapes: 2
• Running time: 128 minutes

Amazon.com
Everyone is familiar with the Old Testament tale of the mighty Samson and the treacherous Delilah, and how the strongman was robbed of his powers once the biblical femme fatale sheared off his locks. This 1950 version is retold in splashy Cecil B. DeMille style, with Technicolor that practically jumps off the screen and larger-than-life portrayals all around. Even for those who aren't fond of costume dramas, this is an engrossing version of the age-old yarn. The drop-dead-gorgeous Hedy Lamarr plays the vindictive Delilah to Victor Mature's ultravirile Samson. Mature uses his expressive features to full advantage, melting hearts as the vulnerable Samson sans curls. The only problems are an unintentionally funny struggle between Samson and a phony-looking lion, and the somewhat implausible idea of Angela Lansbury playing Samson's older sister. It's a grand-scale biblical drama, entertaining and fun, with good performances throughout and lavish production values. Hollywood just doesn't make 'em like this anymore. --Jerry Renshaw

Amazon.com
Behaving as if it hadn't already been immortalized in Judges, chapters 13-16, Cecil B. DeMille immortalized history's most famous haircut all over again in this 1949 classic of the Epic Saga genre. Victor Mature is a trifle bovine as Samson--which perhaps isn't so inappropriate--but Hedy Lamarr's Delilah is a magnet on fire. Impossibly perfect and sexy, she sashays through the movie in a whole wardrobe of revealing halter tops, bending the men like blades of grass. These days it's hard to enjoy a DeMille film without condescension: from Samson's fight with a lion that might well be stuffed, to the famous collapsing-temple scene, we are constantly aware of how far movies have come, and the Philistines parade around in costumes that won an Oscar but can only remind the modern viewer of Klingon cocktail parties. But in so many other ways this is very classy filmmaking. DeMille takes considerable liberties with the biblical story to come up with a sort of Ur-narrative of love, betrayal, and remorse that you can swallow very nicely with or without its religious ingredient. Best exchange: Lamarr--"You killed him with... your hands. Oh, Samson!" (Jumps on Mature's back.) Mature--"Hey! One cat at a time!" Also stars George Sanders, a very youthful (and miscast) Angela Lansbury, and impassioned music by Victor Young. --Richard Farr

Customer Reviews

And when he called upon his God...
One of DeMille's finest, from the sets and costumes to the superb acting and expressive music. Even the bit players are wonderful (look for George Reeves as the wounded Messenger relating the Battle of Ramath-Lehi to an incredulous George Sanders in terms that echoed the intro to Reeves' most famous role a few years later!). Lamarr is stunning, Mature is intense ("Look about you, Delilah..."), Sanders plays himself as the world-weary Seran of Gaza. Even ol'warhorse and longtime DeMille associate Henry Wilcoxson gets to shine as Prince Atur (he was originally supposed to play Samson, but was considered too old). There is no counting of the stars. Five is not nearly enough.

Our only quibble is with the way Dagon is portrayed in the temple scene. All the decor is Babylonian, and the idol looks like Moloch, the Canaanite sun god to whom certain kings of Judah used to sacrifice infants until commanded by God, through King Josiah, to desist (2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31; 32:35; 2 Kings 23:10). The Philistines were related to the Phoenicians, not the Babylonians. Their wealth came from the sea. Dagon was an ocean god like Neptune, and was portrayed as a fish or a merman. The only decor in the movie that properly reflects Dagon are Delilah's fish earrings in the wedding scene.

This should be released on DVD so that like Miriam says at the end, we can watch his story "for a thousand years"!

AN EPIC OF BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS!
One of the greatest films ever made, "Samson and Delilah" stands out as a crowning achievement in Biblical epics, the trademark of legendary director Cecil B. DeMille. The story of Samson, the strongest of men, felled by the temptress Delilah is brought to the screen in majesty and splendor. Victor Mature is wonderful in his role as Samson, bringing a sense of humor and humanity to the role. Hedy Lamarr nearly overwhelms the brilliant Technicolor with her ravishing beauty as Delilah, sleek and seductive. As Delilah's sister, Angela Lansbury fares well in her brief role as do George Sanders (as a subtle ruler of the Philistines) and Henry Wilcoxon (as a military governor). And the actors are only one ornament to the production. The art direction is masterful and incredible. And the costumes... such gorgeous opulence and splendor were never seen since, sometimes almost stealing the scenes from the actors. Both categories won 1949 Academy Awards, giving Oscar's gilt to this classic. The film is immensely entertaining and superbly directed with reverence to the sacred texts by DeMille (at 128 minutes, dramatically shorter than DeMille's "Ten Commandments". But the special effects are one of the best reasons to see the film: Mature's three-minute fight with a lion, to the unbelievabe climatic scene in which Mature pulls down a temple of stone. A classic all the way through, "Samson and Delilah" is a film that you will never tire of, and always want to see again and again...I now quote the film's final words: "Men will tell his story for a thousand years." And if it lasts that long, men will watch this movie for a thousand years.

Great Hollywood Biblical Epic
I have always loved this movie since I was a kid. I want to purchase this movie but I prefer to wait until it is released on DVD. Why isn't this movie on DVD? There is no excuse. DVD has been out for a long time now. PLEASE PUT THIS MOVIE OUT ON DVD!!!