Samson

Sampson was the second of filmmaker Maurice Tourneur's three cinematic contributions to the calendar year 1936. Based on a play by Henry Bernstein, the film stars Harry Baur as ruthless stock-market manipulator Jacques Branchart. Feared by his enemies and mistrusted by his friends, Branchart hopes nonetheless to win the love of the beautiful Anne-Marie d'Andeline (Gaby Morlay). When she spurns him in favor of his business-rival Jerome le Govain (Andre Luguet), Branchart vengefully sets about to destroy Le Govain financially -- and in the process, destroys himself. Incredibly, Branchart comes out ahead romantically at the end, though it's a pyrrhic victory at best. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide