Samson and Delilah

Samson und Delila is an Austrian silent film, premiered in Vienna on 25 December 1922. It was released in the United Kingdom in October 1923 as Samson and Delilah. The film, the first to be made at the Rosenhügel Film Studios, which were still under construction at the time, was directed by Alexander Korda under the aegis of the Vita-Film company and was among the first epic films to be made in Austria. Cast María Corda - Julia Sorel / Delila, Franz Herterich - Prince Andrei Andrewiwitch/Abimelech Ernst Arndt - Cassari, Impresario Oskar Hugelmann - Ship's cook Alfredo Boccolini - Samson Franz Hauenstein - Ebn Ezra, Samson's friend Paul Lukas - Ettore Ricco, tenor The leading roles were played by Korda's wife, María Corda (Delila, and the opera singer Julia Sorel); Franz Herterich (Abimelech, King of the Philistines, and Prince Andrej Andrewiwitsch); Paul Lukas (Ettore Ricco, opera singer); and Ernst Arndt (Cassari, and theatre impresario). Samson himself, who features comparatively little, was played by Alfredo Galoar aka Alfredo Boccolini. Other parts were played by Oscar Hugelmann and Franz Hauenstein. Crew The director was Alexander Korda on one of his earlier films, subcontracting to Vita-Film. He also contributed to the screenplay, on which other writers were Sydney Garrick and Ladislao Vajda. Cinematography and camera work were under Nicolas Farkas, Maurice Armand Mondet, and Josef Zeitlinger. Karl Hartl, at the beginning of his career, was assistant director and also editor. The set builder was Alexander Ferenczy and the special effects were provided by the pyrotechnician Oscar Wallenbach, while the costume design and wardrobe were provided by Remigius Geyling and Alexander Konja.