Samson and Delilah is a 1949 American epic romantic biblical drama film produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and released by Paramount Pictures.

It stars Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr in the title roles, George Sanders as the Saran, Angela Lansbury as Semadar, and Henry Wilcoxon as Prince Ahtur.

The screenplay, written by Jesse L. Lasky Jr. and Fredric M. Frank, is based on the biblical Book of Judges and adapted from an original film treatment by Harold Lamb, also drawing from Vladimir Jabotinsky's 1927 novel Samson the Nazarite.

[8] Samson, a Danite Hebrew placed under Nazirite vows from birth by his mother Hazelelponit, is engaged to a Philistine woman named Semadar.

The Saran's plan works, and frustrated Danites hand over Samson to the Philistines, much to the joy of Delilah, Semadar's younger sister.

To fully neutralize him, Samson is blinded by his captors and put to slave work, and is eventually brought to the temple of Dagon for the entertainment of the Philistines and the Saran.

In the end, the temple lies in rubble, and Saul and Miriam, his two closest Danite Hebrew friends, are left to mourn Samson's death.

"[18] They approved the project when DeMille showed them a sketch by artist Dan Groesbeck depicting a "big, brawny" Samson and a "slim and ravishingly attractive" Delilah.

[24] When DeMille first planned the film in 1935, actresses Dolores del Río, Paulette Goddard, and Joan Crawford were suggested for the part of Delilah.

[25] DeMille chose Paramount contract player Miriam Hopkins as Delilah and his new star Henry Wilcoxon as Samson.

[31] In June 1948, after an 18-month search initially for an unknown "athletic young man",[32] DeMille chose Mature after admiring his performance in the film Kiss of Death (1947).

[36] In January 1948, DeMille's assistants voted Vivien Leigh the "perfect Delilah";[37] he attempted to hire her but found out she was very ill.[28] That same month, Ruth Roman made a screen test.

[42] He had an idea of what he was looking for in the actress: "For Delilah ... a sort of distilled Jean Simmons, Vivien Leigh and a generous touch of Lana Turner.

"[26] Others considered were Lucille Ball, Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ava Gardner, Greer Garson, Jane Greer, Susan Hayward, Rita Hayworth, Jennifer Jones, Viveca Lindfors, Patricia Neal, Maureen O'Hara, Nancy Olson, Gail Russell, Märta Torén, and Alida Valli.

[47] Yvonne De Carlo "cried into her tea cup" when Lamarr was cast and said, "[DeMille] told me two years ago that when he made the movie I would get the part.

[51] But DeMille told her, "You're too pretty and you're too young", and Rogers was cast as a Philistine spectator in the temple scene and credited in the film as Laura Elliot.

[53] Victor Mature was frightened by a number of the animals and mechanical props used in the production, including the lions, the wind machine, the swords and even the water.

This omission—or avoidance—occurred in the early days of the witch hunt into Communist—often Jewish—influence when Hollywood studio chiefs were very sensitive to the fact that the film industry was generally considered to be run by Jews.

For the scene in which Desmond visits DeMille at Paramount, an actual set of Samson and Delilah was reconstructed to show the director at work.

Showmen's Trade Review wrote that the film "bids fair to stand as this veteran showman's most impressive and magnificent spectacle since that history-making 1923 religious epic [The Ten Commandments].

"[67] Variety appreciated the film's cast by writing, "Victor Mature fits neatly into the role of the handsome but dumb hulk of muscle that both the Bible and DeMille make of the Samson character.

George Sanders gives a pleasantly light flavor of satirical humor to the part of the ruler, while Henry Wilcoxon is duly rugged as the military man.

"[69] Samson and Delilah was enormously successful, earning $9 million in theatrical rentals in its initial release, thus making it the highest-grossing film of 1950.

[73] In December 1949, Cecil B. DeMille was awarded the Parents' magazine medal for "thirty-five years of devotion to research in the production of historical pictures culminating in his greatest achievement, Samson and Delilah.

[76][77] In December 1950, DeMille received the Boxoffice Barometer Trophy as the producer of Samson and Delilah, the "highest-grossing picture of the year.

[63] At the 23rd Academy Awards on March 29, 1951, Samson and Delilah won for Best Color Art Direction (art directors Hans Dreier and Walter H. Tyler and set decorators Samuel M. Comer and Ray Moyer) and Best Color Costume Design (Edith Head, Dorothy Jeakins, Elois Jenssen, Gile Steele, and Gwen Wakeling).

[8] It was also nominated for three more awards: Best Color Cinematography (George Barnes), Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Victor Young), and Best Special Effects (Cecil B. DeMille Productions).

[80][81] Presented to DeMille, the Grand Prix is a small bronze replica of the Winged Victory of Samothrace displayed at the Louvre Museum.

Ten years later, Paramount released a new LaserDisc edition that featured digital video transferred from a new 35mm interpositive of the original 3-strip Technicolor negatives.

[91] Paramount Home Media Distribution released the film on DVD (with English, French, and Spanish audio and subtitles) on March 12, 2013.