Delilah of the Bible is one of the most famous female characters ever and has been often portrayed on screen, at the movies or on TV. Which of the following Delilahs is your favourite? Now, this is not a critique of the movies themselves, meaning one could like a Delilah and not necessarily care for the final movie…or like the actress and like the movie but her portrayal is not the ultimate one.
Hedy Lamarr in SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949)
Liana Orfei in HERCULES, SAMSON & ULYSSES (1963)
Rosalba Neri in THE GREAT LEADERS OF THE BIBLE (1965)
Belinda Bauer in SAMSON AND DELILAH (1984; TV)
Elizabeth Hurley in SAMSON AND DELILAH (1996; TV)
Caitlin Leahy in SAMSON (2018)
My favourite, of course, is Hedy Lamarr. Then it’s Rosalba Neri, who’s really good in that role. And in third it would be Elizabeth Hurley, not necessarily because of her portrayal but because of the direction, by Nicolas Roeg, makes the whole project interesting.
I like Liana Orfei and I really like HERCULES, SAMSON & ULYSSES but her portrayal is more campy or comical than tragic. As for Belinda Bauer, well, she’s my least favourite for sure. I can’t say anything of Caitlin Leahy.
Note: I didn’t include Suzzanna from SAMSON AND DELILAH (1987) because that movie is insane.