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