"Salome" features two stars I can enjoy in just about anything - Rita Hayworth and Charles Laughton. In this version of the Biblical tale, Rita Hayworth's Salome is not as wanton as she appears in the New Testament, she's had a history, but now she is trying to sort herself out.
She is the daughter of Queen Herodias (Judith Anderson) and the stepdaughter of King Herod (Charles Laughton) ruler of Judea. We learn that her mother sent her to Rome as a young girl to avoid being monstered by her step-dad who is a total lech. When she's kicked out of Rome in a very un-PC fashion because she is not Roman, she heads home.
On the way she meets Claudius (Stewart Granger), a Roman officer who is accompanying Pontius Pilate on his fateful mission to Judea. When Salome arrives at the palace, Herod is all over her. Rita Hayworth looks stunning in this film dressed to ancient red carpet perfection in every scene by Jean Louis. Interestingly, Charles Laughton gives a fairly restrained performance - for the most part anyway.
At the same time, Herod and Herodias are receiving plenty of flack from John the Baptist who denounces them as adulterers while also heralding the imminent arrival of the Messiah. However, Herodias has had enough of her bad press and wants John terminated with extreme prejudice, but Herod only wants him imprisoned - Herod has been warned by his adviser, Ezra, that he risks divine punishment if he hurts John. Ezra is played by Maurice Schwartz who often appeared in pious roles - with a look that suggested his haemorrhoids were giving him hell.
Eventually, through a quick rewrite of history, in order to save John, Salome does the Dance of the Seven Veils (she sheds about five, this was the 1950's after all), but is instead rewarded with his head on a plate; an impressive effect decades before CGI.
By this time Salome realises that Claudius is a follower of John and feels that the holy man's teachings also offer her a chance for inner peace. In the final scene they join the throngs listening to Jesus give the Sermon on the Mount. This is a startling scene mainly because you can tell most of the crowd is painted.
The film has a rather stagey look, but it's colourful, and what it lacks in scope it makes up for with plenty of dancing for Herod's pleasure. However there are some fairly literate passages, especially around Herod's relationship with John the Baptist.
Students of history or the Bible will no doubt have apoplexy over some of the liberties taken, but "Salome" delivers everything that was promised in its colourful poster - which also served as a bit of a warning depending on your point of view.
She is the daughter of Queen Herodias (Judith Anderson) and the stepdaughter of King Herod (Charles Laughton) ruler of Judea. We learn that her mother sent her to Rome as a young girl to avoid being monstered by her step-dad who is a total lech. When she's kicked out of Rome in a very un-PC fashion because she is not Roman, she heads home.
On the way she meets Claudius (Stewart Granger), a Roman officer who is accompanying Pontius Pilate on his fateful mission to Judea. When Salome arrives at the palace, Herod is all over her. Rita Hayworth looks stunning in this film dressed to ancient red carpet perfection in every scene by Jean Louis. Interestingly, Charles Laughton gives a fairly restrained performance - for the most part anyway.
At the same time, Herod and Herodias are receiving plenty of flack from John the Baptist who denounces them as adulterers while also heralding the imminent arrival of the Messiah. However, Herodias has had enough of her bad press and wants John terminated with extreme prejudice, but Herod only wants him imprisoned - Herod has been warned by his adviser, Ezra, that he risks divine punishment if he hurts John. Ezra is played by Maurice Schwartz who often appeared in pious roles - with a look that suggested his haemorrhoids were giving him hell.
Eventually, through a quick rewrite of history, in order to save John, Salome does the Dance of the Seven Veils (she sheds about five, this was the 1950's after all), but is instead rewarded with his head on a plate; an impressive effect decades before CGI.
By this time Salome realises that Claudius is a follower of John and feels that the holy man's teachings also offer her a chance for inner peace. In the final scene they join the throngs listening to Jesus give the Sermon on the Mount. This is a startling scene mainly because you can tell most of the crowd is painted.
The film has a rather stagey look, but it's colourful, and what it lacks in scope it makes up for with plenty of dancing for Herod's pleasure. However there are some fairly literate passages, especially around Herod's relationship with John the Baptist.
Students of history or the Bible will no doubt have apoplexy over some of the liberties taken, but "Salome" delivers everything that was promised in its colourful poster - which also served as a bit of a warning depending on your point of view.