Samson and the Slave Queen (1963)

The king of Nogara dies, leaving behind a will naming one of his nieces as his successor. Will it be blonde and virtuous Isabella or evil, dark-haired Malva? Each woman relies on a hero to ... See full summary »

Director:

Umberto Lenzi

Writers:

Gabriele D'Annunzio (character Maciste), Umberto Lenzi

Stars:

Pierre Brice, Sergio Ciani, Moira Orfei

Cast

Credited cast:
Pierre Brice	...	Zorro / Ramon (in U.S. version)
Sergio Ciani	...	Samson (in U.S. version) / Maciste (as Alan Steel)
Moira Orfei	...	Malva
Maria Grazia Spina	...	Isabella de Alazon
Andrea Aureli	...	Rabek
Massimo Serato	...	Garcia de Higuera
Andrea Scotti	...	Pedro
Aldo Bufi Landi	...	Deikor
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gianni Baghino	...	Paco
Ignazio Balsamo	...	Joaquim
Antonio Corevi	...	Don Manuel
Rosy De Leo	...	Carmencita (as Rosy di Leo)
Franco De Simone
Attilio Dottesio	...	General Saveria
Loris Gizzi	...	Don Alvarez

Storyline

The king of Nogara dies, leaving behind a will naming one of his nieces as his successor. Will it be blonde and virtuous Isabella or evil, dark-haired Malva? Each woman relies on a hero to locate the will. Malva hires the bare-chested strongman Samson while Isabella relies on the masked El Toro (a.k.a. Zorro) even though her heart belongs to the mild-mannered poet, Ramon. Malva's ruthless desire for the throne soon alienates Samson and he and El Toro then team up to bring about a proper resolution to the Nogara succession. Meanwhile, Isabella learns El Toto's true identity, an identity which both surprises and pleases her.

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Plot Keywords:

will | strongman | bending metal bar | bare chested male | uncle niece relationship | 

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Taglines:

He was the STRONGEST MAN on earth...she was the TIGRESS of an EMPIRE!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama

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Details

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

18 December 1963 (USA)

Also Known As:

Samson and the Slave Queen

Filming Locations:

Castello Ruspoli, Vignanello, Viterbo, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Romana Film

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Italian censorship visa # 41021 delivered on 20-8-1963.

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Quotes

Samson: I have a strange destiny. I seem to always be searching for new adventures, new dangers.

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Alternate Versions

In the U.S., the hero's name was changed from Maciste to Samson.

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Connections

Featured in 42nd Street Forever, Volume 2: The Deuce (2006)

User Reviews

A cinematic jewel!

This rare costume adventure differs from other Italian films made in the same era, for it actually takes place in a setting highly reminiscent of 16th century Spain. When the king of Nogara dies of the plague, his two nieces, Malva and Isabella, find themselves in a bitter deadlock for the throne. Malva, the evil one, gets Garcia, the captain of the guard, to intercept the king's troops and confiscate the scroll-case containing the king's will. To this end, Garcia employs Samson (Alan Steel) to steal the scroll-case and deliver it to Malva. Of course, Samson does not know what she has in mind. Meanwhile, Isabella enlists the aid of Zorro (Pierre Brice) to get the scroll-case himself, and thus thwart Malva's evil plans. I really enjoyed this film because it contains lots of action and vibrant colors, as well as a nicely done soundtrack. Alan Steel is at his best, and Pierre Brice is perfect in his role as Zorro. Lenzi has created a worthy film, and it will survive many viewings. It is a shame that this is unavailable on VHS or DVD. Well, maybe soon!