In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

"Samson and Delilah" is sort of a dry run for Cecil B. De Mille's ultimate grand epic, "The Ten Commandments". This is a smaller-scale production; there are some scenes shot outdoors, but most of it is just talk inside rather obvious studio sets. Nonetheless, the few scenes where Samson demonstrates his superhuman strength are spectacular, especially the climactic collapse of the temple (if you can set aside the small fact that he is committing mass murder, of course - after all, it's in the Bible!). Victor Mature is rather miscast as Samson, but Hedy Lamarr is perfect as the slightly sadomasochistic Delilah ("if you crush the life out of me with your bare arms, I will kiss them with my dying breath!"). **1/2 out of 4.

It's 1000BC. Samson (Victor Mature) is a Danite Hebrew in the village of Zorah under the domineering rule of the Philistines. Samson is in love with Semadar (Angela Lansbury) from a wealthy Philistine family. Her younger sister Delilah (Hedy Lamarr) is infatuated with the brute. He kills a lion with his bare hands while with Delilah but Lord Saran (George Sanders) doesn't believe them. He is awarded a hunter's prize after beating Garmiskar in wrestling, but he takes Semadar's hand in marriage instead. Semadar was originally promised to Ahtur (Henry Wilcoxon) and he's not happy. Ahtur brings his 30 warriors to the wedding. Samson has a riddle and makes a bet for 30 cloaks with Ahtur. The jealous Delilah pushes Ahtur, and he frightens Semadar into betraying Samson. Samson robs passing Philistines to pay the debt, but Delilah's scheming isn't finished. She convinces her father to marry Semadar off to Ahtur while trying to get Samson for herself. It all crumbles as Samson battles Ahtur and his 30 men. Samson escapes but Semadar is killed. He burns everything down and Delilah vows vengeance against Samson.The Technicolor looks brilliant. There is a nice stunt wrestling a real lion early on. Of course, Victor Mature is wrestling a stuffed lion. He is a big guy and he plays Samson as a self assured brute. The acting is not subtle. Hedy Lamarr is playing the vixen for all her worth. Her acting is extremely broad. This is a grand epic from Cecil B. DeMille. It's all very old fashion in everything from tone to style to acting. I doubt that I should count that against it. It is simply an epic of a compelling biblical story.

It's hard not to mock this comic book version of the Bible's Book of Judges. However, if you can put up with the non-stop palaver, exterior sets and spotty acting, there is a big payoff at the end. That's when the heathens' temple of Dagon collapses in grand fashion thanks to Samson's eye-bulging strength and the Israelites' vengeful god. Catch all those cheering heathens getting suddenly creamed by ten-ton cardboard rocks. It's a Technicolor doozy and a real tribute to Paramount's special effects department.Nonetheless, the movie's other big action sequence— Samson swinging the jawbone—makes you wonder if the Philistines ever discovered the use of the spears they carry. Too bad that the staging there is about as credible as Wiley and the Roadrunner. Still, I could gaze into LaMarr's very non-Semitic blue eyes all day long. She and the hunky Mature definitely incarnate Hollywood's over-the-top imagination. But pity the clunky lines they have to recite. Stuff like "The Philistine dogs over our green fields do pass". Hollywood was always at its dialog worst when putting poetic excess like this into the mouths of unfortunate ancients and ethnics.Okay, I tried not to mock the movie, but it's just too hard to resist. On the other hand, the production remains a colorful eyeful, along with fancy costuming still fit for a royal court. Plus, there's the incomparable George Sanders at his snooty best. But these Biblical epics were too often commercial traps Hollywood just couldn't resist— that is, guaranteed big bucks in return for comic book treatments. Unfortunately, this is one of them.(In passing— contrary to the movie's version, this is how Samson actually got the cloaks to pay off his riddle wager: " And the spirit of the LORD came upon him {Samson}, and he went down to Ashkelon and slew thirty men of them {Philistines}, and took their spoil {cloaks}, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle." Judges 14:19. In short, De Mille and Co. turned the unacceptable mass murder in the Bible into the movie's rather comical crime of thievery, presumably to make the story more acceptable to ticket- buying audiences. How fitting.)

First seen in 1949 when I was still a kid, and again on DVD last night, deMille's "Samson and Delilah" has actually improved with age. Although this was a standout success in 1949, the fact is that quality movies were commonplace in 1949; seldom and few in 2010. (Resident Evil 3D" does nothing for me, thanks.With perfect photography, an exceptional script, inspired direction, you can add onto that the casting of Victor Mature, Hedy Lamarr, George Saunders -- each perfect for the part, each giving the performance that marked their career.The special effects were magnificent (unlike today's boring computer generated foolishness) and give a spectacular conclusion to the story.Try to imagine the unholy mess that today's anti-religious and talent-free empty-heads would make. Never mind.As others pointed out, this is the kind of picture to see on the giant screen. I'd like to add that it's the kind to enjoy in the magnificent movie palaces of yesteryear -- as we did at Loew's Capitol in Washington, DC in 1949 (plus a stage show). Most of these, like the Phillistine temple in the movie, have been converted to rubble and dust. However, you can enjoy "Samson and Delilah" on exceptionally high quality DVD made in South Korea. Look for it. The price and postage are low and shipment is quick. If Paramount Pictures is asleep-at-the-wheel about issuing a DVD, just look elsewhere.