Samson (1936): A Melodrama That Hits Hard

Is it worth your time?

If you like your dramas with a heavy dose of class conflict and people who have absolutely no idea how to talk to each other, you’ll probably find something to chew on here. It’s definitely not for folks who need a movie to move at a breakneck speed. It’s a slow burn that relies entirely on how much you care about these rich, miserable people.

I sat down with Samson not knowing what to expect, and honestly? It’s a bit of a wallop. Harry Baur as Jacques Brachart is something else. He doesn’t just play a guy in love; he plays a guy who is trying to force his heart to fit into a world that doesn’t want him.

The whole setup is pretty brutal. Brachart is the classic self-made guy who thinks he’s pulled off the ultimate win by marrying into the D’Andeline family. But he’s a parvenu, and they make sure he knows it every time he enters a room.

There’s this one moment where Anne-Marie just looks at him, and you can practically feel the air leave the room. It’s not even a scene with much dialogue. It’s just the way the camera catches her eyes shifting away. It’s cold.

Money isn't everything, but it's everywhere

It’s funny, in a dark way, how Jerome Le Govain moves through the film. He’s this total dandy living off Brachart’s financial advice while sleeping with his wife. It’s like he’s picking the man’s pocket in two different ways at the same time. The sheer nerve of the guy!

I couldn't help but compare the weight of this to something like I Have Killed or the desperate social climbing you see in other mid-30s dramas. But there’s a specific, gnawing bitterness here that feels unique. It doesn't feel like a studio production line, even if it probably was.

There’s a bit of padding in the middle, I’ll admit. Some scenes could have been trimmed by a minute and the movie wouldn't have missed a beat. Sometimes the actors are just standing around waiting for the next dramatic line to hit the floor.

But then Baur gets a monologue, and suddenly the background noise disappears. The way he struggles with his own ego—it’s not heroic. It’s actually kind of sad. He knows he’s being played, but he can’t stop himself from playing along because he’s terrified of being alone.

• The lighting in the study scenes is surprisingly moody for 1936.
• The costume design really highlights how much Brachart looks like he’s wearing a suit he bought rather than one he inherited.
• That one staircase shot where the perspective makes the house look like a cage? Subtle, but effective.

If you find yourself in a mood for something that isn't afraid to be a little messy and pathetic, this is it. It’s not perfect. It’s got some rough edges. But it’s definitely not a movie you’ll forget the second the credits roll. 🎭