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