Samson and Delilah (1949)

George Sanders: The Saran of Gaza

Photos 

Quotes 

• Saran of Gaza : Tell this council the weapon used against you. Well, tell them. Speak.

  Prince Ahtur : [hesitates]  The jawbone of an ass.

  Saran of Gaza : [laughs]  Lord Athur, Military Governor of Dan, Prince of Philistia, Emir of Armies, beaten with the jawbone of an ass!

• Saran of Gaza : He was not captured by force of arms, but by their softness.

• [the Philistines are in shock as Samson gets his strength back] 

  Lord of Ashkelon : The man has the strength of a devil.

  Saran of Gaza : No. The strength of a God.

• Delilah : [looking upon Samson in the gristmill, not knowing that he has been blinded]  He has not dared to look at me.

  Saran of Gaza : He cannot see you.

  Delilah : I'll make him see me.

  [stands in front of Samson, slowly noticing his blinded eyes, which fill her with deep remorse] 

  Delilah : He's blind. He can never see me again.

  Saran of Gaza : Does that disturb you?

  Delilah : I had your promise.

  Saran of Gaza : No blade has touched his skin. No drop of his blood was shed.

  Delilah : [sobs]  You... you played with words to rob him of his eyes.

  Saran of Gaza : It was you who betrayed him, not I.

  Delilah : He was captive, in chains, yet the Lord of the Five Cities could not show him mercy?

  Saran of Gaza : Did you show him mercy, Delilah? You wanted vengeance. You have it.

• Lord of Ekron : [to Delilah]  With a queen like you in Ekron, I could master the Earth.

  Saran of Gaza : If you could master Delilah.

• Saran of Gaza : [to Delilah]  Even a ruby loses luster besides your lips. It will take a sapphire and an emerald together to match your blue-green eyes.

• Delilah : They're devils.

  Saran of Gaza : No, they're very human. The weak always ban together to pull down the strong.

  Lord of Gath : Your lion has become a mouse.

  Saran of Gaza : Changed by the magic of love.

• Saran of Gaza : Every cup of water, every morsel of food, must be guided into his hands. The mighty Samson, betrayed by a woman.

  Delilah : No.

  Saran of Gaza : Blinded, ridiculed, pitied.

  Delilah : No, I did not blind him!

  Saran of Gaza : [Delilah tries to go to Samson, but the Saran holds her back]  Are you going to be as big a fool as you've made of him? He'd kill you. You cannot undo what has been done.

• Saran of Gaza : What is your plan, Delilah?

  Lord Sharif : Would you drive a tent peg through his head, like Jael the Canaanite?

  Delilah : [laughs]  No, that was not my plan, Lord Sharif.

• Saran of Gaza : Such devotion is very touching. But what would you gain from his capture?

  Delilah : My lord's favor.

  Saran of Gaza : Is that all you want?

  Delilah : Uh, no.

  1st Prince of Gaza : Name your price and you shall have it. Perhaps some little bauble in the street of jewelers?

  Delilah : [smiles]  You're very generous.

  [to Sohrab] 

  Delilah : Tell me, Sohrab, what value did you set upon your last caravan Samson raided near Gath?

  Sohrab : Eleven hundred pieces of silver. Here is the reckoning.

  Delilah : Then that is my price. Eleven hundred pieces of silver.

  1st Prince of Gaza : Eleven hundred? Your price is high!

  Lord Sharif : A pharaoh's ransom for a shepherd?

  2nd Prince of Gaza : Better silver than blood.

  [to Delilah] 

  2nd Prince of Gaza : We'll pay it.

  Delilah : Eleven hundred pieces of silver, uh, from each of you.

• Saran of Gaza : [Delilah has just disrupted the council by declaring that she will capture Samson only if each Prince of Gaza pays her 1,100 pieces of silver]  Silence! Calm yourselves.

  [to Delilah] 

  Saran of Gaza : You drive a sharp bargain, Delilah.

  Delilah : From you, my lord, I ask only a promise.

  Saran of Gaza : A promise for a promise. What is yours?

  Delilah : To bring you Samson, bound and helpless.

  Saran of Gaza : [caresses Delilah's arm]  Bound by these white arms? No. Too high a price for me to pay.

  Delilah : My thoughts will be only of you.

  Saran of Gaza : I suggest the Princes of Gaza find some other way to capture Samson.

  Delilah : [looks at the Princes of Gaza]  You've tried all other ways!

  [stands before the Saran] 

  Delilah : When my father and sister lay dead in the ashes of our home, because of Samson, he laughed at my tears. You cannot refuse me, my lord.

  Saran of Gaza : What promise do you ask?

  Delilah : I will learn the secret of his strength. But when he stands captive and is weak as other men, no drop of his blood shall be shed, no blade shall touch his skin.

  Prince of Gaza : By the sacred pillars of the temple, we demand his death!

  Delilah : [stands and confronts the council]  I want his life. Chain him in the gristmill; let him grind our grain like a beast. Let the people mock him and make sport of him until he draws his breath in agony and every word he speaks is a prayer for death!

• Saran of Gaza : Well, Delilah, you have your price and your promise.

  Delilah : [Delilah is sitting beside the Saran, caressing his knee]  My lord is the wisest of kings and the greatest of men.

  Saran of Gaza : As a king, I have no choice. As a man, I'm letting you leave because you want to.

  Delilah : [Delilah turns and looks at the Saran]  King of my love, I go to destroy your enemy and mine.

  Saran of Gaza : Delilah, Delilah.

  Delilah : My love is only for you.

  Saran of Gaza : A man who could stop the heart of a lion might stir the heart of a woman.

  Delilah : [turns around and sits beside the Saran, with a serious look on her face]  I will deliver Samson to you before the month of harvest.