Samson and Delilah (1949)

Second viewing; first viewed between 1983 (probably) and 1986.

The Hebrew Samson gets involved with a Philistine woman, and then with another. But the Philistines are after him for his violence, and they use the latter of those women to capture him.

This biblical tale is a fantasy on the situation of living as a conquered or oppressed people. Closeness to the ruling ethnicity is at once dangerous and alluring. Many women lived this same dilemma in the war which ended four years prior to this film's release, and the ones who fraternized with the German enemy were shamed and punished. In the case of this movie it is a male who does the reproachable fraternizing. The fantastic element is given by the outstanding individual power of the protagonist. As a visual spectacle I found this film to be quite agreeable. As storytelling goes it does not really stand out.

Rating: 53 (up from 48)