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Samson and Delilah
1949 134 min United States of America 12+
★7.1
Romance, Drama, History
Director: Cecil B. DeMille
🎭 Based on
«Samson the Nazirite»
byZe'ev Jabotinsky
Trailers
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Description
When strongman Samson rejects the love of the beautiful Philistine woman Delilah, she seeks vengeance that brings horrible consequences they both regret.
Budget:
$3M
Worldwide:
$11.5M
Starring
Hedy Lamarr
Actor
Victor Mature
Actor
George Sanders
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1951
— Best Costume Design (Color)
Academy Awards 1951
— Best Production Design (Color)
Academy Awards 1951
— Best Score for a Drama or Comedy
Academy Awards 1951
— Best Cinematography (Color)
Academy Awards 1951
— Best Production Design (Color)
Golden Globe 1951
— Best Cinematography (Color)
Key opinion
Cecil B. DeMille’s 1949 epic is widely recognized for its visual spectacle, boasting lavish production design and costumes that defined the era's grand scale. While Hedy Lamarr’s performance as Delilah is frequently praised, the film is hampered by a contrived, thin script and inconsistent acting performances from the male leads.
| Production | The film excels as a visual spectacle, bolstered by high-quality period production design and elaborate costume work. | |
| Acting | Hedy Lamarr delivers an effective and engaging performance in the titular role. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is criticized for being intellectually shallow, relying on contrived stereotypes rather than coherent character motivations. | |
| Adaptation | The film’s historical adaptation takes significant liberties with the source material, shifting the focus toward Hollywood-style melodrama over narrative fidelity. | |
| Acting | The performances of Victor Mature and George Sanders are perceived as wooden or lacking in emotional depth, creating a divide in how viewers connect with the core characters. | |
| Pacing | The slow-paced, long runtime acts as a barrier for some viewers, while others find the film's grandeur sufficient to justify the experience. |