Problem with 'Samaritan' and other white-variegated kousas is that at the time of bloom white bracts that making it so attractive, got lost among foliage. Also, if lit by direct sun and viewed from the distance, 'Samaritan' in particular looks like not a variegated, but rather gray-greenish plant, while in a part shade its variegation always stands out. I'm not saying that in open sunny position variegation dissapears, it's not, but it just visually not that prominent from the distance.
I do think it might be a nice foreground tree against dark green, preferably evergreen, background. But as a solitary-specimen tree planted in the open, no. Just IMO.

Thanks ego - that's the info I was looking for. Our front is pretty shady, but the house is a lighter background, not dark.

I'm going to post pics of the house on another thread. I'm usually pretty decisive about what to plant, but I'm having a really hard time with this.