 - 1. The story of Samson and Delilah is a profound narrative from the biblical Book of Judges, encapsulating themes of strength, betrayal, and divine destiny. Samson, a Hebrew judge endowed with extraordinary strength, was a Nazarite, dedicated to God from birth. His remarkable feats included defeating a lion with his bare hands and single-handedly slaying a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. His immense power, however, was intrinsically linked to his uncut hair, symbolizing his covenant with God. Delilah, a beautiful Philistine woman, entranced Samson and ultimately became the instrument of his downfall. Seduced by the allure of wealth, she coaxed Samson into revealing the secret of his strength. Betrayed and shorn of his hair while he slept in her embrace, Samson was captured by the Philistines, who blinded him and made him a slave. Despite his suffering, the story culminates in a moment of redemption as Samson's strength is restored. In a climactic act of defiance, he pulls down the pillars of the Philistine temple, sacrificing himself to defeat his enemies, transforming betrayal into a final triumph that echoes the complexities of love and loyalty.
Who is Samson's lover?
A) Ruth
B) Naomi
C) Miriam
D) Delilah
- 2. What is the source of Samson's strength?
A) His armor
B) His diet
C) His uncut hair
D) His muscles
- 3. Which people captured Samson?
A) Moabites
B) Philistines
C) Israelites
D) Ammonites
- 4. What was the riddle Samson posed at his wedding?
A) A ship without a sail
B) What has four legs and can fly?
C) Out of the eater, something to eat
D) What gets wetter as it dries?
- 5. What did the Philistines do to Samson after capturing him?
A) Gouged out his eyes
B) Imprisoned him
C) Let him go
D) Killed him immediately
- 6. Where was Samson held captive?
A) In Bethlehem
B) In Gaza
C) In Jericho
D) In Jerusalem
- 7. How long did Samson judge Israel?
A) 20 years
B) 20 months
C) 40 years
D) 10 years
- 8. What animal did Samson kill with his bare hands?
A) A tiger
B) A lion
C) A wolf
D) A bear
- 9. What did the Philistines celebrate after capturing Samson?
A) Their victory over Israel
B) Peace in the land
C) The harvest
D) Their god Dagon
- 10. What was Samson's role among the Israelites?
A) Judge
B) King
C) Priest
D) Prophet
- 11. What emotion did Delilah use to manipulate Samson?
A) Love
B) Fear
C) Greed
D) Jealousy
- 12. What did the spirit of the Lord do for Samson?
A) Left him
B) Gave him peace
C) Came mightily upon him
D) Spoke to him
- 13. What did Samson do in the temple before bringing it down?
A) Screamed for help
B) Prayed to God
C) Sang a song
D) Danced
- 14. What did Samson use to kill a thousand Philistines?
A) A spear
B) His bare hands
C) A sword
D) The jawbone of a donkey
- 15. Who were Samson's parents?
A) Zebulun and Leah
B) Manoah and his wife
C) Isaac and Rebekah
D) Jacob and Rachel
- 16. Who produced and directed 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Jesse L. Lasky Jr.
B) Fredric M. Frank
C) Harold Lamb
D) Cecil B. DeMille
- 17. Which actress played the role of Delilah in 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Miriam Hopkins
B) Angela Lansbury
C) Hedy Lamarr
D) Loretta Young
- 18. Who was the Saran of Gaza played by in 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Victor Mature
B) George Sanders
C) Richard Greene
D) Henry Wilcoxon
- 19. Which novel's film rights did DeMille also purchase for 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Harold Lamb's original treatment
B) Vladimir Jabotinsky's 'Samson the Nazirite'
C) Biblical stories by various authors
D) The Book of Judges
- 20. In what year did pre-production on 'Samson and Delilah' begin?
A) 1948
B) 1926
C) 1950
D) 1935
- 21. Which film festival awarded Cecil B. DeMille for 'Samson and Delilah' in 1952?
A) Film français Grand Prix
B) Cannes Film Festival
C) Golden Globe Awards
D) Academy Awards
- 22. What was the wager Samson proposed at his wedding feast?
A) A royal title
B) Thirty garments for solving a riddle
C) A pot of gold
D) A trip to Jerusalem
- 23. What did Delilah use to seduce Samson and learn his secret?
A) Magic potions
B) Spiked wine
C) A love letter
D) An enchanted necklace
- 24. Who was the military governor of Dan who also courted Semadar?
A) Prince Ahtur
B) Saran of Gaza
C) Miriam
D) Tubal
- 25. Who was the father of Semadar in 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Saran of Gaza
B) Prince Ahtur
C) Hazelelponit
D) Tubal
- 26. Who wrote the original film treatment for 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Cecil B. DeMille
B) Jesse L. Lasky Jr.
C) Fredric M. Frank
D) Harold Lamb
- 27. Which actress did DeMille consider for the role of Samson in early production plans?
A) Henry Wilcoxon
B) Charles Bickford
C) James Cagney
D) John Wayne
- 28. Who did DeMille think could be the perfect Delilah in April 1936?
A) Grace Bradley
B) Claudette Colbert
C) Dolores del Río
D) Sally Rand
- 29. What convinced Paramount executives to approve Samson and Delilah?
A) An endorsement from another director
B) A financial guarantee from DeMille
C) A sketch by Dan Groesbeck depicting the characters
D) Audience test screenings of a pilot episode
- 30. Who did DeMille hire in spring 1948 to paint the 'ideal Delilah'?
A) Henry Clive
B) Dan Groesbeck
C) Harold Lamb
D) Jeanie MacPherson
- 31. Who did DeMille hire as a research coordinator in July 1948?
A) Jeanie MacPherson
B) Harold Lamb
C) Henry Noerdlinger
D) Dan Groesbeck
- 32. Which actress turned down the role of Delilah because she was too nice?
A) Lizabeth Scott
B) Rhonda Fleming
C) Vivien Leigh
D) Ann Sheridan
- 33. Who replaced Phyllis Calvert in the role of Semadar due to illness?
A) Ruth Roman
B) Angela Lansbury
C) Jean Simmons
D) Hedy Lamarr
- 34. What was William 'Wee Willie' Davis's role in the film?
A) The voice of an angel announcing Samson's birth
B) Garmiskar, the Saran's wrestler who fights Samson
C) Samson's friend who marries his first wife
D) A Philistine spectator in the temple scene
- 35. Which actress was given sixth billing after the five main stars?
A) Hedy Lamarr
B) Olive Deering
C) Phyllis Calvert
D) Angela Lansbury
- 36. What did Cecil B. DeMille describe as the 'one thread' that tied together Samson's life incidents?
A) Samson the Nazarite
B) The riddle posed by Samson
C) The burning of crops by Samson
D) Delilah's betrayal
- 37. Which actress was reportedly disappointed when Hedy Lamarr got the role of Delilah?
A) Lizabeth Scott
B) Vivien Leigh
C) Yvonne De Carlo
D) Maria Montez
- 38. Who was initially considered for the role of Miriam, the Danite girl who loves Samson?
A) Hedy Lamarr
B) Angela Lansbury
C) Olive Deering
D) Kasey Rogers
- 39. Who was the local professional wrestler cast as Garmiskar in 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Jesse L. Lasky Jr.
B) Fredric M. Frank
C) William 'Wee Willie' Davis
D) Henry Wilcoxon
- 40. Which actress was seriously considered for the role of Delilah but found out she was very ill?
A) Ann Sheridan
B) Vivien Leigh
C) Lizabeth Scott
D) Rhonda Fleming
- 41. Who was the actress that 'cried into her tea cup' when Hedy Lamarr was cast as Delilah?
A) Rhonda Fleming
B) Yvonne De Carlo
C) Maria Montez
D) Lizabeth Scott
- 42. When did principal photography for 'Samson and Delilah' begin?
A) January 4, 1949
B) December 22, 1948
C) October 4, 1948
D) February 1949
- 43. Who visited the set of 'Samson and Delilah' in late October 1948?
A) Victor Mature
B) Cecil B. DeMille
C) Virginia MacPherson
D) Hedda Hopper
- 44. How did Cecil B. DeMille describe Hedy Lamarr?
A) 'Unbelievably beautiful.'
B) A talented actress.
C) An excellent dancer.
D) Difficult to work with.
- 45. Who performed the lion scene originally intended for Victor Mature?
A) Cecil B. DeMille.
B) A stunt man.
C) Victor Mature himself.
D) Hedy Lamarr.
- 46. What did Cecil B. DeMille urge Victor Mature to do during the scene where he was supposed to stalk the lion?
A) 'Talk softly to the lion.'
B) 'Stay still and observe.'
C) 'Run away from the lion.'
D) 'Get closer.'
- 47. What did Victor Mature call out during the scene where he was supposed to stalk the lion?
A) 'Nice kitty, nice kitty.'
B) 'I'm your friend!'
C) 'Attack me now!'
D) 'Run away, lion!'
- 48. What did Hedy Lamarr confide to Hedda Hopper about Victor Mature's feelings towards the lion?
A) 'He wanted to befriend the lion.'
B) 'Vic was leary about tangling with the critter.'
C) 'He didn't mind at all.'
D) 'He was excited and eager.'
- 49. When was the scene where Samson is blinded by the Philistines filmed?
A) Late December 1948
B) February 1949
C) January 4, 1949
D) October 4, 1948
- 50. What was the blade of the 'red-hot' sword prop made from?
A) Real metal.
B) Opaque plastic with a red neon bulb inside the tip.
C) Glass.
D) Wood.
- 51. Where did several costumes used in 'Samson and Delilah' originate from?
A) Egypt.
B) Morocco, including traditional caftans.
C) Italy.
D) Greece.
- 52. Who supervised the special effects for 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Gordon Jennings
B) Hedy Lamarr
C) Victor Mature
D) Cecil B. DeMille
- 53. How much did it cost to shoot the toppling of the temple of Dagon?
A) $100,000
B) $50,000
C) $150,000
D) $200,000
- 54. How long did it take to shoot the toppling of the temple of Dagon?
A) Two years
B) A year
C) Three weeks
D) Six months
- 55. How many times was the model for the toppling of the temple destroyed?
A) Five times
B) Never
C) Three times
D) Once
- 56. By when had the film been completely edited?
A) July 1949
B) December 22, 1948
C) October 4, 1948
D) January 21, 1949
- 57. How did Paramount executives describe 'Samson and Delilah' after a sneak preview?
A) 'DeMille's masterpiece.'
B) An average film.
C) A disappointment.
D) A failure.
- 58. In which film does Cecil B. DeMille play himself?
A) The Ten Commandments
B) Cleopatra
C) Samson and Delilah
D) Sunset Boulevard
- 59. Who played Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard?
A) Barbara Stanwyck
B) Gloria Swanson
C) Joan Crawford
D) Bette Davis
- 60. What was the fictional silent film star's name in Sunset Boulevard?
A) Greta Garbo
B) Norma Desmond
C) Lillian Gish
D) Mary Pickford
- 61. Which director directed Sunset Boulevard?
A) Billy Wilder
B) Cecil B. DeMille
C) Alfred Hitchcock
D) Frank Capra
- 62. In which city did the televised world premiere of Samson and Delilah take place?
A) New York City
B) Los Angeles
C) Hollywood
D) Chicago
- 63. When did Samson and Delilah go into general release?
A) January 13, 1950
B) May 23, 1949
C) December 21, 1949
D) November 1959
- 64. Who among the following attended the televised world premiere of Samson and Delilah?
A) Gloria Swanson
B) Joan Crawford
C) Mary Pickford
D) Bette Davis
- 65. Who was one of the attendees at the premiere who later became known for his role in Universal Pictures?
A) Barney Balaban
B) Cecil B. DeMille
C) Buddy Rogers
D) Billy Wilder
- 66. When was Samson and Delilah successfully re-released?
A) December 21, 1949
B) May 23, 1949
C) January 13, 1950
D) November 1959
- 67. Which film's box office triumph led to the re-release of Samson and Delilah?
A) Hercules (1958)
B) Quo Vadis (1951)
C) The Ten Commandments (1956)
D) Ben-Hur (1959)
- 68. Which trade review described 'Samson and Delilah' as potentially the most impressive spectacle since 'The Ten Commandments'?
A) Boxoffice
B) Showmen's Trade Review
C) Harrison's Reports
D) Variety
- 69. Who did Variety praise for fitting neatly into the role of Samson in 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Henry Wilcoxon
B) George Sanders
C) Hedy Lamarr
D) Victor Mature
- 70. Which film critic admired the use of color in 'Samson and Delilah'?
A) Leonard Maltin
B) Variety
C) Bosley Crowther
D) The Modern Screen
- 71. How much did 'Samson and Delilah' earn in theatrical rentals during its initial release?
A) $10 million
B) $8 million
C) $9 million
D) $7.5 million
- 72. How much did 'Samson and Delilah' earn during its theatrical reissue in 1959?
A) $4 million
B) $3 million
C) $2.5 million
D) $1.5 million
- 73. Who described 'Samson and Delilah' as a tremendously entertaining film?
A) Variety
B) Bosley Crowther
C) Leonard Maltin
D) The Modern Screen
- 74. Which magazine declared 'Samson and Delilah' would be classed with the big films of all time?
A) Harrison's Reports
B) The Exhibitor
C) Boxoffice
D) Showmen's Trade Review
- 75. What award did DeMille receive in March 1950 for Samson and Delilah?
A) Best Picture of the Year
B) Boxoffice Barometer Trophy
C) Parents' magazine medal
D) All Industry Achievement Award
- 76. Which trophy did DeMille receive in December 1950 for Samson and Delilah?
A) Boxoffice Barometer Trophy
B) Best Picture of the Year
C) All Industry Achievement Award
D) Parents' magazine medal
- 77. In which poll was Samson and Delilah ranked as the 4th Best Picture?
A) AFI's 10 Top 10
B) Look's Annual Film Awards
C) The Country Gentleman magazine's ninth annual poll
D) AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions
- 78. In which year was Samson and Delilah nominated for AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions?
A) 2013
B) 2005
C) 1982
D) 2002
- 79. In which year was Samson and Delilah nominated for AFI's 10 Top 10 as an Epic Film?
A) 2008
B) 2014
C) 1950
D) 1979
- 80. When was Samson and Delilah first released on VHS by Paramount Home Video?
A) 1990
B) 1988
C) 1981
D) 1979
- 81. What year did MCA DiscoVision plan to release Samson and Delilah on LaserDisc before it was scrapped?
A) 1979
B) 1978
C) 1982
D) 1990
- 82. In what year did the first LaserDisc edition of Samson and Delilah finally get released?
A) 1982
B) 1978
C) 1992
D) 2014
- 83. When was the digital restoration of Samson and Delilah completed?
A) 2014
B) 1982
C) 2012
D) 1979
- 84. Where did the restored version of Samson and Delilah premiere in 2012?
A) Paramount Home Media Distribution
B) AFI Awards
C) Look's Annual Film Awards
D) Cineteca Bologna's Il Cinema Ritrovato
- 85. On what date was Samson and Delilah released on DVD by Paramount Home Media Distribution?
A) March 11, 2014
B) 1982
C) December 1950
D) March 12, 2013
- 86. When was Samson and Delilah released on Blu-ray Disc?
A) March 11, 2014
B) 1979
C) March 12, 2013
D) 1988
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