Evening star., 1950-04-08

1t is unadulterated movie, a clas
frame. 1t is played to the hilt for
what snobs call corn" but which
De Mile recognizes as basic drama
which needs only Hedy Lamar,
Victor Mature and the proper
dressing to make its appeal uni
yersal
No De Mile work in years has
more vividly expressed why he
alone among Hollywood directors
is permitted that much unbridled
extravaganza in production costs.
1t will take you back to what
ever age you were when you first
heard the story of Samson and
Delilah. And, despite the oddity
of hearing Biblical speech with a
basic American accent, it will fill
you again with your childhood awe
for a man as strong as Samson
and woman as beautiful as Hedy.
1t may even give you sense
that what this world needs is a
strong man who can topple tenn
pies, kill 100 enemies with the
jawbone Of an ass, strangle lions
with his bare hands. and ultl-
mately tame "a fork-tongued ad-
der" like Delilah.
No other movie. except a De
Mile one, can inspire this state
ment.
1t is the senses, not the mind,
for which this Samson and Deli
lah" was made. The appeal to the
former is no less than opulent.
De Mile is out to do the Old Tes-
lament justice. Whatever massive
temples are required. he has them
built. Whatever jewels alone are
worthy of the rich Philistines, he
has them made. Whatever gaudy
colors of costume. interior decora-
ton, or royal garden are needed,
he creates them.
The spectator stupefied by all
this grandeur is in a perfect mood
to accept the most incredible as
pect of the melodrama which must
be the liveliest story in the Book
Of Judges.
At the end, the patient Miriam
tells her young brother Saul. they
will tell this story for a 1000
years"
Miriam obviously is too conserv-
ative, not only as to time but with
respect to the dimensions Sam
sons story would have in De
Miles hands.
*+
It Is gigantic (no less) cast
which has been assembled for this
Paramount pageant. Behind Miss
Lamar and Mature are scores OF
Hollywood's best character actors.
The least as we'll as the greatest
Of these plays Old Testament
drama as if he had been waiting
the opportunity all his life.
Miss Lamar and Mature, of
course, are naturals for the title
roles. Their Delilah and Samson
were not subtle humans. They
require virtually no acting. 1t is
the simple duty of the hero to be
the strongest strong boy in history,
of the heroine to take his breath,
and ultimately his hair. away with
her beauty. Both performances
serve their purposes perfectly.
Naturally, this is one story with
which no one would take any lib
critics. Considering it's fabulous
nature. none are necessary. All
that is needed is to reset the
stage of ancient GAIA and let the
natures of Samson and Delilah
take their common course.
No contemporary supernatural
fiction could be more dramatic
than Samsons single handed war
with the Philistines who occupied
his native Daanite city.
AS producer director of the film,
De Miles concern is merely to
make it all of suitable size. What
Samson did. he has set himself
to repeat, with the addition of a
notable musical score. He brings
1t off with the flourish that is
his exclusive trademark.
X X
No picture could be as big as
Samson and Delilah' without
being succession of mighty
scenes. The most is made OF each
Of these with the are-handed
fight with the lion so relatively
insignificant that it is a mere
opener. It hardly compares at
all in splendor and violence with
the wedding scene, with the one
OF Samson's capture, the tenn
pestuous romantic passage during