Salome's Last Dance (1988) Movie Script
Evening, gentlemen.
but how are we this evening?
As close as two testicles, Chilvers.
People are beginning to talk.
There is only one thing worse
than to be talked about..
and that is not to be talked about!
I wish I had said that.
- You will, Bosie.. you will.
If you would like to go up, Sir,
Mr. Taylor will be with you directly.
May I take the opportunity
to thank for you the ticket..
to "Lady Windermere's Fan",
Mr. Wilde. I enjoyed it immensely!
It's a regular triumph with the public, Sir.
Yes, the whole town is quite lit up. I'm
told that royalty is turned away nightly.
Isn't that line getting a little stale?
No line is ever stale that leads
directly to the box office, dear Bosie.
And where are you going?
Below stairs, obviously!
To polish up your repartee
with the little bootblack!
I rather taken a shine to him myself.
You'll see him shining
as bright as gold tonight.
But don't be tempted to worship the
golden calf or you'll suffer my wrath!
No sermons, please, Bosie!
I'm not in the mood for the
missionary position just now.
Ah, Oscar!
- Ah, my dear Alfred!
Congratulations! I've never
been more flattered!
The moon rising in a
jewelbox of deepest night..
could not be more exquisitely displayed!
But if you're going to redecorate every
time a new play of mine is published,
I fear you'll soon be destitute.
I'm feeling disgustingly creative!
Oh, dear! You are not going to write another
play to scandalize the Lord Chamberlain..
into banning it, my dear Oscar?
I don't think I could afford it!
What do you mean, hmm?
What are you up to?
I know you are the most benign brothel
keeper in the whole of Westminster,
but surely you're not going
to shut up shop, are you?
And send off all those boys and girls to warm
their pretty little bottoms around a bonfire, huh?
Where is everyone?
- Putting on their makeup.
That's nothing new, my dear!
Though if I may so..
I think you overdone the mascara,
just a little tonight.
Are you going to perform yourself?
You're getting warm!
They say that sex is
the theater of the poor..
You're not going to stage
"The Beggar's Opera", are you?
Umm.. stage? Yes we have built a stage.
You're getting hotter. - Uh, huh!
- You're almost there. Can't you guess?
I only play guessing games when I want
to be beastly to my darling children!
Oh, God! I promised them
a firework display tonight!
I say! This.. this isn't some elaborate
charade involving Guy Fawkes, is it?
Oh! Nothing so mundane!
The date isn't without significance:
Guy Fawkes wanted to strike
a spark for freedom,
and blow up the Parliament,
he considered.. oppressive.
You have done the same
with your play, "Salome".
The Lord Chamberlain acting
on behalf of Parliament has banned it,
so a few kindred spirits have
hatched a little plot of their own.
In defiance of the Law and in honor
of our greatest playwright,
the premiere of "Salome" will take place
here tonight, the 5th of November, 1892!
I'm touched, my dear Alfred.
Really I am!
But you must promise me.. one thing.
Of course, if I can!
- Promise me, you won't play Salome!
Much too energetic, my dear!
Here I am!
Evening, Mr. Wilde! Chilvers said
you was here, so here I am!
Why, thank you. - Rose!
How many times have I got tell you!
You should been ready
half an hour ago, look at you!
Give me Mr. Wilde
his cigars and get out!
Sorry, Sir! Beg pardon, Sir!
- Thank you, Rose.
Come on Alfred! She knows
I only come here for the.. cigars!
Don't be hard on her!
You may be hard on me when you discover
Salome is being played by.. a skivvy!
Salome?
Does she rehearse the Dance of the
Seven Veils with her dusters?
She looks terribly
undernourished, poor thing!
Will she have the strength to drop them?
She had better the little bitch
or I will murder her!
Well, you can afford to these days
with servants to a penny..
How much have you spent
on the rest of the cast?
We're all doing it for love, Oscar!
Clients and courtesans alike!
Now, take your ease!
Imagine yourself on a moonlit terrace
in the palace of bad King Herod..
on a balmy summer's night, some 20 years
or so after the birth of Jesus Christ.
And what our production lacks in stagecraft,
we hope to make up for in enthusiasm.
And any shortcomings in design, I know will
be compensated for by your fertile imagination!
That sounds too much like hard work!
I came here to be entertained.
Entertain me!
As always, I shall do my best!
- Well, you never failed me yet!
What's that delicious fragrance?
What is it?
Sandalwood? Myrrh?
No! It's a blending of green carnations
and the pubic hair of virgins!
Of course! I should have guessed!
Let the play commence!
Bosie!
Well done, Kenneth!
As usual, you've captured the
perfect moment! The climatic one!
And hope to catch many more
before the night is out, Mr. Wilde!
While playing a part, I presume?
But did I really include a court
photographer in Herod's entourage?
Oh, no, we're playing a couple
of foreign guests..
but I've taken the liberty of
combining business with pleasure.
As one would expect in
a whorehouse, Kenneth!
And if you're acting is as grossly
indecent as you're photographic studies,
we're in for an outrageous evening!
Merde!
Merde to you too, Mr. Wilde!
How beautiful Salome looks tonight!
Look at the moon! How strange she looks.
Like a woman rising from a grave,
she looks like a dead woman
seeking out the dead.
She looks strange!
She looks like a princess
in a yellow veil with silver feet!
She looks like a princess who
has feet like little white doves.
She could be dance!
She is like a dead woman!
She moves very slowly.
What a din!
Who are those wild howling beasts?
The Jews. They're always like that.
They are discussing their religion!
Why are they discussing their religion?
- I don't know, they're always at it!
The Pharisees say there are angels,
the Saducees say they don't exist!
I think it's ridiculous to argue
about such things.
How beautiful the Princess
Salome looks tonight!
You're always looking at her.
You look at her too often.
You mustn't look at people like that..
Something terrible could happen!
She is very beautiful tonight.
Tetrarch looks glum.
Yes, he is looking glum!
He's looking at something.
- He's looking at someone!
Who's he looking at?
I don't know!
How pale the princess is!
Never have I seen her so pale!
She looks like the reflection
of a white rose in a silver mirror!
You mustn't look at her!
You look at her too much!
Herodias has poured
the Tetrarch a drink.
Is Herodias the one with the red eyes,
the ruby lips, the ruby hips
and the red rubies!
Yes, that's Herodias!
She's the wife of the Tetrarch.
The Tetrarch loves wine.
He keeps three kinds:
One which comes from
the island of Samothrace..
is as purple as Caesar's cloak.
Ah, Caesar! I've never had the pleasure!
Another from the city of Chipra
is as yellow as gold!
Gold!
I love gold!
And a third, which is a Sicilian wine,
that one is as red as blood!
The gods of my country love blood.
Twice a year, we sacrifice youths
and virgins to 'em..
50 youths and a 100 virgins.
But it seems we never give 'em enough!
because they still persecute us.
In my country, there aren't any gods
now! The Romans chased them out!
There are those who say they hid in the
mountains, but I don't believe it!
I spent three nights in the hills,
looking everywhere..
but I didn't find them!
Finally, I called upon each one by name!
But they didn't appear.
I think..
they are dead!
The Jews worship a god they can't see!
Really? - In fact, they only
worship things they can't see.
Ridiculous!
After me, will come one
even more mighty!
Sometimes, he says fearful things
but we never understand him!
Can we see him?
Nooooooo! The Tetrarch forbids it!
What a bizarre prison!
It's an old well.
An old well? It must be very unhealthy.
Take the brother of the
Tetrarch, his elder brother,
Queen Herodias' first husband.
He was incarcerated down there
for 12 years and he didn't die!
In the end he had to be strangled.
- Strangled? Who dare do that?
That one..
Naamn.
Wasn't he afraid?
- Oh, no!
The Tetrarch sent him the ring?
- What ring?
The ring of death!
That way he wasn't afraid!
Even so, it's terrible
to strangle a king! - Why?
Kings have only got one neck,
just like other men!
It seem terrible to me..
Now!
The princess is getting up!
She's leaving the table.
She seems bored.
She's coming over here.
Yes, she's coming towards us!
I'm not staying!
I can't stay..
Don't look at her.
I beg you don't look at her!
It is strange that my mother's
husband looks at me so!
I don't know what it means.
Actually, I do know!
Have you just left
the banquet, Princess?
Would you like to sit down, Princess?
Why look at her? Why speak to her?
Oh, something terrible
is going to happen!
How fresh the air is here!
At last, one can breathe!
Inside, there are Jews from
Jerusalem, tearing each other to pieces,
over their ridiculous ceremonies!
Barbarians drinking and
spilling wine everywhere..
And then there are the Romans
with their brutality,
their clumsiness, their swear words!
Ooh! How I detest the Romans!
Commoners! Giving themselves
the airs and graces of royalty!
Isn't it wonderful to see the moon?
She is cold and chaste, the moon.
I am sure that she is a virgin!
She's a virgin.
She has never sullied herself.
She has never given herself to men,
like the other goddesses.
The Lord has come!
The Son of Man has come!
The centaurs have hidden
themselves in the rivers..
and the mermaids have fled to sleep
beneath the leaves in the forest.
Who said that? - It's the voice
of the prophet, Princess.
Ah, the prophet!
The one that Tetrarch fears?
We know nothing of that, Princess!
It is the Prophet John.
- The Baptist.
Shall I order your litter, Princess?
It is very beautiful in the garden.
He has said monstrous things
about my mother, hasn't he?
We never understand
what he says, Princess.
Yes, he has said appalling
things about her!
Frightfully sorry, Princess! The Tetrarch
requests that you return to the banquet.
I'm not going back!
Pardon me, Princess.
But if you don't go back
something awful could happen to you.
Is he an old man, the Prophet?
Princess! It would be best if you went
back. Permit me to accompany you.
The Prophet! Is he an old man?
No, Princess. He's a very young man.
Well, we don't know!
There are those that say he is Elijah.
Who's Elijah? - A very old prophet,
Princess, from the provinces.
Sorry! What reply should I give to
the Tetrarch on behalf of the Princess?
Do not rejoice, land of Palestine,
because the rod of your
oppressor has been broken!
From the serpent's egg
will come the basilisk..
and he who is formed from it,
will devour the birds!
What a strange voice!
I would like to speak to him!
I'm afraid that's impossible, Princess! The
Tetrarch doesn't wish us to speak to him.
He has forbidden even
the High Priest to speak to him!
I want to speak to him.
It's impossible, Princess!
- I want to!
Indeed, Princess! It would be
better to return to the banquet.
Have the Prophet brought out!
I have always been nice to you!
You will do it, won't you?
I only want to look at him,
this strange prophet.
Everyone talks about him.
I've often heard the Tetrarch
talk about him.
I think the Tetrarch is afraid of him.
I am sure he is afraid of him!
And you, Narraboth?
Are you afraid of him too?
I'm not afraid of him, Princess.
I'm afraid of no one!
But the Tetrarch has officially
forbidden us to release him from the well.
You will do this for me, Narraboth!
and tomorrow, when I pass in my litter..
under the arch of the vendors of idols,
I will drop a little flower for you,
a little green flower.
Princess, I can't!
I can't!
You will do this for me, Narraboth!
You know, you will do this for me.
and tomorrow when I pass over the
bridge of the vendors of idols,
I will look..
at you!
Through my muslin veils..
I will look at you!
We dare not, Princess!
How dark it is down there!
He must be terrible,
to be in a place so black!
It's like a tomb!
Didn't you hear me?
Let him out!
I want to see him!
I beg you, Princess,
don't ask this of us!
Don't keep me waiting!
Princess, our lives belong to you,
but we cannot do what you ask!
In any case, um.. it's not
we who you must ask.
Oh, what is going to happen? I am sure
something terrible is going to happen!
You will do it for me,
won't you, Narraboth?
You will do it.. for me.
Narraboth!
I will smile at you.. perhaps..
Look at me, Narraboth, look at me!
You know full well you will
do what I ask of you!
You know it, don't you?
Me.. I know it.
Send up the Prophet..
the Princess wishes to see him!
Send up the Prophet!
Oh, how strange the moon looks tonight!
Through the clouds of muslin,
she smiles like a little princess..
like a princess with amber eyes!
Tell him to come out! So that he may hear the
voice of he who has shouted in the deserts!
And in the palaces of kings!
Whom does he mean?
- We never know, Princess!
Where is she..
who having seen naked men
painted on city walls..
pictures of Chaldeans etched in color..
gave way to lust and
sent envoys to Chaldea?
He is speaking about my mother!
- No, Princess!
Yes! It's about mother!
Where is she who gave herself
to the captains of the Assyrians?
Tell her to drag herself from
her bed of lasciviousness..
from her bed of incestuousness!
So that she may hear the words
of he who paves of the Lord..
So that she may repent her sins!
Although she will never expiate them..
but remain steadfast in her crimes!
Tell her to come!
For the Lord.. has his
scourge.. in his hands!
Oh, but he is horrible!
He is horrible!
Who is this woman who looks at me?
I do not want her to look at me.
Why is she looking at me with
her amber eyes and silver eyelids?
I don't know who she is.
I don't want to know!
Tell her to go away!
It is not to her that I wish to speak!
I am Salome,
daughter of Herodias,
Princess of Judea.
Get back, daughter of Babylon!
Fall back from the Lord's chosen one!
Your mother has stained the earth
with the wine of her iniquities..
and the cries of her sins
have reached the ears of God!
Talk on, John the Baptist!
Your voice intoxicates me!
Princess! Princess! Princess!
Speak again!
Speak again, John the Baptist!
And tell me what I must do. - Away!
Daughter of Sodom! Cover your face
with a veil and heap ashes on your head!
And go into the desert
to seek out the Son of Man!
Who is the Son of Man?
Is he as beautiful as you,
John the Baptist?
Back!
Back!
In the palace! I hear the beating
wings of the Angel of Death!
Princess, I beg you to go back inside!
Angel of the Lord!
Why are you here with your sword?
Whom do you seek in this foul palace?
The day of the one who will die
in a scarlet robe has not yet come!
John the Baptist!
- Who speaks?
John the Baptist..
I am in love with your body.
Your body is white..
like the lily of a meadow that the
scythe has never cut down.
Your body is as white..
as the snows on the mountains of Judah..
which descend to the valleys.
The roses in the garden
of the Queen of Arabia..
are not as white.. as your body.
Nor the footprints of dawn
which steal onto leaves,
nor the breasts of the
moon when she sets..
on the bosom of the sea.
There is nothing in the world
as white as your body.
Let me touch..
your body!
- Away!
Daughter of Babylon!
It is through woman that
evil entered the world.
Do not speak to me!
I do not wish to hear you.
I listen only to the
word of the Lord God!
Your body is hideous!
It is like the body of the leper!
It is like a wall of plaster
where vipers have passed!
Like a wall of plaster where
scorpions have made their nest!
It is horrible!
It is horrible, your body!
It is your hair..
that I am in love with..
John the Baptist.
Your hair is like
bunches of black grapes..
which hang from the vines of Edom,
in the country of the Edomites.
It is like the cedars of Lebanon,
like the large cedars of Lebanon,
which give shade to
the lions and to the robbers..
who hide during the day!
The long black nights,
the nights when the
moon hides herself,
when the stars are afraid..
are not as black!
The silence in the forest
is not as black a silence,
There is nothing in the world
as black as your hair!
Let me touch your hair!
Away! Daughter of Sodom!
Do not touch me!
Do not violate the
temple of the Lord God!
Your hair is horrible!
It's all covered in mud and dirt!
It is like a crown of thorns
placed on your brow!
It is like a knot of black snakes
twisting around your neck!
I don't like your hair!
It is..
your mouth that I am in love with..
John the Baptist.
Your mouth is like a band of scarlet..
around an ivory tower.
It is like a pomegranate
cut by an ivory knife.
The pomegranate flowers..
which bloom in the gardens of Tyre
and are redder than the roses..
aren't as red.
The red cries of trumpets
that herald the arrival of kings..
and frighten the enemies..
aren't as red.
Your mouth..
is redder than the feet of those
who tread the wine in the wine presses..
It is redder than the feet of the doves
which live in the temples..
who are fed by the priests.
It is redder than the feet of one
who comes out of the forest..
having killed a lion and
seen golden tigers!
Your mouth is like a branch of coral
which fishermen have found..
in the half-light of the sea
and saved for their king.
It is like the vermilion
that the Moabites find..
in the mines of Moab which
the kings take from them!
It is like the pearl of
the King of Persia..
which is painted vermilion
with all of its coral.
There is nothing in the world..
as red as your mouth!
Let me kiss..
your mouth!
Never! Daughter of Babylon!
Daughter of Sodom! Never!
I will kiss your mouth, John the Baptist!
I will kiss your mouth!
Princess..
Princess!
You who are like a bouquet of myrrh!
You who are the dove of doves!
Do not like at this man!
Do not look at him!
Do not say such things to him!
I cannot bear it!
Princess! Do not say such things!
I will kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
Now!
Let me kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
Princess, the young captain
has killed himself!
Let me kiss your mouth!
Are you not afraid,
daughter of Herodias?
Did I not tell you I heard the beating
wings of the Angel of Death!
And has not the angel come?
Let me kiss your mouth!
Adulteress' daughter!
There is only one man who can save you!
It is he I was speaking of.
He was my brother.
- Go and seek him out.
Closer even than a brother.
He's in the boat of the sea of Galilee,
teaching his disciples.
I gave him a little a box of perfumes..
and a ring of agate which
he always wore on his hand.
Kneel down by the water's
edge and call his name.
In the evenings, we would stroll by the
side of the river amongst the almond trees.
and he comes toward you.. - And he
would tell me stories about his country.
he comes to all those who call him..
Prostrate yourself at his feet
and ask forgiveness of your sins!
Let me kiss your mouth!
Be cursed, daughter
of an incestuous mother!
Be damned!
I will not look at you,
you are accursed! Salome!
You are accursed!
I will kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
I will kiss your mouth!
We must dispose of the body.
The only corpses the Tetrarch likes
to see are those he killed himself.
You're right. We must hide the body.
The Tetrarch mustn't see it!
The Tetrarch doesn't come here.
He never comes out in the dirt!
He's too afraid of the Prophet.
Where is Salome?
Where is the Princess?
Why did she not return to the
banquet as I commanded?
Ah! There she is!
You must not look at her.
You are always looking at her!
This moon is strange tonight!
Isn't the moon strange?
Like a madwoman looking
for lovers everywhere!
Ah, she's naked too!
She's completely naked!
The clouds have tried to clothe her,
but she doesn't want them.
She's showing herself
completely naked in the sky!
She's reeling across the clouds
like a drunken harlot!
I am sure, she's looking for lovers!
Doesn't she reel..
just like a drunken woman?
She's like a..
a crazy woman, isn't she?
Let's go in, there's nothing out here!
- No, I'm staying here. Manasseh!
Lay the couch down here,
light the torches,
bring out the ivory and marble tables!
The air here is..
delicious.
I shall take more wine with my guests.
To the ambassadors of Caesar..
one must afford..
all of the honors.
It's not because of them that
you're staying out here.
Yes, the air here is exquisite!
Come my dear Herodias, we're
keeping our guests waiting!
Oh! I've slipped!
Slipped in blood!
It's a bad omen, a very bad omen!
What is this blood doing here?
And this corpse!
What is this corpse doing here?
Do you think I'm like the King of Egypt,
who never holds a banquet without
showing a corpse to his guests?
Who is he anyway? I..
I don't want to look at him!
It's our captain, my Lord!
It's that young Syrian you made
captain only three days ago.
I gave no orders to kill him!
He killed himself.
- Why? I made him a captain!
We don't know why, my Lord. He just..
killed himself.
How strange!
I thought it was only Roman philosophers
who killed themselves.
Isn't that true, Tigellinus, that the
philosophers of Rome commit suicide?
There are others that kill
themselves, my Lord.
The stoics, for instance,
are a very crass people.
In fact, they are ridiculous!
I find them ridiculous. - So do I!
It is ridiculous to kill oneself!
We laugh a lot about it in Rome.
The Emperor has written a satirical poem
about them. It is recited everywhere.
He wrote a satirical poem about them?
Caesar is marvelous!
He can do anything!
It's strange young Syrian..
should kill.. himself.
I'm sorry, very sorry for he
was handsome. He was..
very handsome.. he had languid eyes.
I've seen him looking at Salome with..
languorous eyes.
As I recall,
he looked at Salome a little too often.
There are others, who also
look at her too often!
His father was a king.
I chased him from his kingdom..
and you made a slave of his mother..
who was a queen, Herodias!
He was a guest here,
that's why I made him a captain.
I'm sorry he's dead, I'm sor..
Why have you left the body lying here?
Take it away. I don't want to
look at it! Take it away!
There's a wind.
Isn't there a wind?
- No, there is no wind.
Yes, there is a wind!
And I hear on that wind something
akin to the beating of wings.
The beating of giant wings.
Don't you hear it?
I hear nothing.
I don't hear it anymore either..
but I did hear it.
Maybe it was just
the wind, it's gone.
No! I can still hear it.
Don't you hear it? Just like a beating
of wings! - I tell you there is nothing!
You are ill, let's go inside.
I am not ill!
It is your daughter who is ill.
She seems very ill your daughter..
never have I seen her looking..
so pale.
Then don't look at her!
Give me some wine!
Salome.. come drink a
little wine with me.
This wine is exquisite.
Caesar himself sent it to me.
Come, moisten your
sweet red lips with me..
and I will drain the cup!
I am not thirsty, Tetrarch.
Salome, come eat some fruits with me!
I love to see the marks
your little teeth make.
Come.. bite into this.. piece of fruit..
and I will finish it off.
I am not hungry, Tetrarch.
See, how you brought her up!
My daughter and I are of royal heritage.
Your grandfather kept camels!
And he was a thief as well.
- You lie!
You know it's the truth.
Salome, come and rest with me.
I will give you your mother's throne.
I am not tired, Tetrarch.
Bring me..
I forgot what I wanted..
Oh, yes, I remember!
The time has come!
What I predicted has come to pass,
sayeth the Lord God!
This is the day..
Shut him up!
I can't bear to hear
the sound of his voice!
Forever spewing up insults about me!
He hasn't said anything against you!
He's a great prophet.
I don't believe in prophets!
How can anyone say what
will happen? No one knows!
He's always insulting me!
But I think you are afraid of him!
Yes, I know very well,
you are afraid of him!
I am not afraid of him!
I am not afraid of anybody!
Yes, you are afraid of him!
If you are not afraid of him,
why do you not deliver him to the Jews?
They've been asking for
the past six months!
That is so my Lord, it would
be better to hand him over to us.
Enough!
I have already given you my answer!
I don't want to hand him over!
He's a holy man.
He's a man who has seen God!
That's impossible! No one has seen
God since the Prophet Elijah!
He was the last to see him.
God does not show himself
these days. He is in hiding!
And that is why there are great
misfortunes in this country!
Ah! We don't know for sure if the
great Prophet Elijah really saw God!
It is more likely that he
saw the shadow of God!
God never hides from anything!
He shows himself in everything!
God is in good as he is in evil.
You mustn't say that! That
is a very dangerous idea!
It's an idea which comes
from the schools of Alexandria,
where they teach Greek philosophy!
And the Greeks, they are Gentiles!
They're not even circumcised!
We can't know how God acts!
His ways are mysterious!
God is all-powerful! He breaks
the weak and the strong together!
He cares for nobody!
That is true. God is all terrible,
he crushes the weak and the strong..
as you would crush wheat in a mortar!
But this man has never seen God!
No one has seen God
since the Prophet Elijah!
Shut them up!
They bore me!
But it is said that John the Baptist
himself is your Prophet Elijah.
It's not possible! 300 years have
passed since the Prophet Elijah..
There are those who say that
he is the Prophet Elijah!
Oh, I'm sure.. he's the Prophet Elijah.
Oh, no! He's not the Prophet Elijah!
The day has come!
The day of the Lord!
And on the mountains there
sound the footsteps..
of the Savior of the World!
What does that mean?
The Savior of the World?
What does that mean?
The Savior of the World!
This is what Caesar calls himself.
Caesar is not coming to Judea.
Only yesterday, I had letters from Rome,
they didn't mention it.
Tigellinus, you were in Rome during the
winter. Did you hear anything about it then?
No, my Lord, I haven't
heard anything either.
I was merely explaining about the title.
It is one of Caesar's titles.
Oh, Caesar can't come, he has gout.
They say he has elephant's feet.
Also, for political reasons.
He who leaves Rome, loses Rome.
He won't come!
On the other hand, Caesar is master.
He'll come if he wants to.
But I don't think he'll come.
The prophet was not speaking
of Caesar, my Lord.
Not Caesar?
- No, my Lord!
So, who was he speaking of?
- Of the Messiah who has come.
The Messiah has not come. - He has come!
He's performing miracles everywhere.
Not miracles! I don't believe in
miracles. I've seen far too many!
This man performs real miracles.
Once, during a marriage in the town of
Galilee, a town of some importance,
he changed the water into wine.
My fan!
People who were there, told me.
He also cured some lepers who
were sitting at the gate of Cafarnaum..
simply by touching them.
No! It was two blind people
he cured in Carfarnaum.
No, they were lepers.
But he cured the blind too.
And we saw him on a mountain..
speaking with angels!
Angels don't exist.
- Angels do exist..
but I don't believe that
man spoke with them.
He was seen by a crowd of people,
talking to the angels!
These men irritate me, they are stupid!
So stupid! So utterly stupid!
Where is my fan?
You seem to be dreaming.
One shouldn't dream!
Dreamers are sick people.
Go! - Then there's the miracle
of the daughter of Jairus!
That's absolutely right!
You can't deny it.
These people are mad!
They've mooning at the moon too long.
Tell them to be quiet!
What was that?
The miracle of the daughter of Jairus?
Yes, it's true.
You can't deny it.
But what was it?
The miracle of the daughter of Jairus!
The daughter of Jairus was dead!
He restored her to life!
He raises the dead?
Yes, my Lord. He raises the dead.
I don't want him to do that!
I forbid him to do that!
You must find this man and tell him
I will not allow him to raise the dead!
Where is he now, this man?
He's everywhere, my Lord.
But is very difficult to find.
They say he's in Samaria at present.
It's easy to see, he's not
the Messiah if he's in Samaria!
It's not to the Samaritans,
the Messiah will come!
He left Samaria a few days ago.
I think he's on the
outskirts of Jerusalem.
Oh, no, he's not there!
I've just come from Jerusalem.
No one has heard anything
about him for two months!
So, it doesn't matter!
You must find this man
and tell him on my behalf..
that I don't want him
to go around raising the dead.
Turning water into wine, curing
lepers and the blind..
he can do that if he wants.
I have nothing against that!
In fact, I think curing
lepers is a good deed!
But I will not have him
going around raising the dead!
It would be terrible if the
dead were to come back.
Ah, the wanton one!
The slut! The whore!
Ah! the daughter of Babylon!
Silence him!
.. eyes have golden eyelids!
This is what the Lord God commands..
This is iniquitous!
.. a multitude of men! So that the
people may take up rocks and stone her!
Do you hear what he is saying about me?
Do you allow him to insult your wife?
He hasn't even mentioned your name!
You know very well that I am
the one he is insulting!
And I am your wife, aren't I?
Oh, yes, my dear and noble
Herodias! You are my wife.
You were also my brother's wife!
You tore me from his arms!
Quite so! I was the stronger.
But let's not talk these things now.
It's because of this, the prophet
has said these terrible things!
And in consequence something dreadful
may happen! Let's not talk about it!
Just pour me a drink, beloved!
You haven't mentioned how
pale your daughter is!
What is it to you whether she's pale
or not? - Never have I seen her so pale!
Don't look at her!
Me?
Him!
Herodias!
Me too?
On that day, the sun will become
as black as a sack of feathers..
and the moon will become like blood..
and the stars of the sky
will fall to the earth,
like green figs from the fig tree..
and the kings of the
earth will be afraid!
I'd really like to see the day
when the moon drips blood..
and the stars fall to
earth like ripe figs!
He talks like a drunk!
I cannot bear the sound of his voice!
Order him to be silent!
- No!
I don't understand what he is saying..
but it could be omen! - I don't believe
in omens! He speaks like a drunk!
Maybe he's drunk.. on the wine of God.
What wine is that, the wine of God?
What vines does it grow on and
in what wine cellars will you find it?
Tigellinus..
when.. you were in Rome.. recently, um..
what did the um.. the Emperor have
to say on the subject?
What subject, my Lord?
- What subject?
Uh.. ah.. I.. I.. I..
I.. asked you a question, didn't I?
I forgot what it was!
You're looking at my daughter again!
Don't look at her,
I told you this before!
You're always saying it!
- And I am saying it again!
The..
The uh..
the.. the.. the restoration of the uh..
the temple we talked so much about..
are we.. are we.. we going to do
some.. something about that? They..
They said the uh..
the veil from the Sanctuary disappeared.
You took it yourself.
You're talking nonsense!
Dance for me, Salome.
I don't want her to dance!
I have no desire to dance, Tetrarch.
Salome, daughter of Herodias..
dance for me!
Leave her alone!
I command you to dance for me, Salome!
I will not dance, Tetrarch.
See how she obeys you!
What is it to me if she dances or not.
Doesn't matter!
Tonight I'm happy! I'm very happy.
I've never been so happy!
The Tetrarch looks glum. Don't you think
he looks glum? - He's glum all right!
Why shouldn't I be happy?
Caesar..
who is the master of the world,
master of everything, loves me very much!
He just sent me some valuable gifts!
Also, he has promised to summon my
enemy, the King of Capadoccia to Rome.
Maybe, he'll be crucified in Rome!
He can do anything, Caesar..
After all he is master!
So you see I have every
reason to be happy!
In fact.. I am happy!
I've never been happier!
There's nothing in the world
that can spoil my happiness!
He will be seated on his throne.
He will be clothed in purple and scarlet.
In his hand, he will
carry a golden vessel..
filled with his blasphemies!
And the Angel of God
will strike him down!
He will be eaten by worms!
Do you hear what he's saying about you?
He says you will be eaten by worms!
The Prophet never said
anything against me!
It's.. it's the King of Capadoccia
he's talking about!
The King of Capadoccia who's my enemy!
It is he who will be eaten by worms!
Never, never has the Prophet
said anything against me!
Except to say that I was wrong to take
the wife of my brother as my wife.
Maybe he's right!
After all, you are barren!
Barren!
You dare say that to me?
You who are forever ogling my daughter!
Who asked her to dance for your
pleasure? It is ridiculous to say that!
I have.. a child.
You have never had a child
even by one of your slaves!
If anyone is sterile, it is you, not I!
Shut up! I'm telling you you're barren!
You have not given me a child.
And the Prophet says that our
marriage is not a true marriage.
He says it is an incestuous marriage!
A marriage which will bring misfortune!
I'm afraid he might be right.
I'm sure he's right!
But now is not the time
to talk about such things.
At the moment, I want to be happy!
Get off!
I'm happy! I'm very happy!
There's nothing I could wish for!
I am delighted to see you
in such good humor tonight.
It is so unusual!
But it is getting late. Let us go in!
Have you forgotten?
We are hunting at dawn.
We must bestow honors on Caesar's
ambassador, must we not?
How glum Tetrarch looks.
Yes, he does seem glum.
Salome.. Salome.. Salome!
Dance for me, Salome!
I beg you!
I'm sad tonight.
Yes, tonight I'm.. very sad.
When I came out here, I slipped in some
blood. That's a very bad omen.
And then I heard..
I am sure I heard the beating of wings
in the air. The beating of giant wings.
I don't know what it means..
I'm sad tonight.
Dance for me, Salome!
Dance for me, I'll..
I'll give you anything you ask for.
Even if it's.. half my kingdom!
You will give me anything
that I ask for Tetrarch?
Don't dance, my daughter.
Anything..
even if it's half my kingdom!
Do you swear it, Tetrarch?
I swear it, Salome.
My daughter, do not dance!
On what do you swear, Tetrarch?
On my life..
on my crown..
on my gods!
I will give you anything you want..
even half my kingdom!
if.. if you dance for me.
Salome, Salome..
Dance for me?
You have sworn, Tetrarch!
I.. I have.. sworn, Salome!
My daughter, do not dance!
I will give you..
one half of my kingdom.
As queen, you would look very beautiful,
if you were ask me for one
half of my kingdom.
Wouldn't she look
very beautiful as queen!
It's cold!
It's very cold! I.. I.. I hear..
Oh, why do I hear those
beating wings in the air?
It is though there's a bird. A big
black bird hovering over the terrace.
The wind coming from
its wings is fierce.
It's a cold wind!
It isn't cold at all!
The contrary..
it's too hot. I'm suffocating!
Pour water on my hands!
Give me snow to eat!
But fast, my choker quickly!
Quick! Careful, no, leave it!
It's my crown that's hurting me!
My crown of roses!
It's as though the petals
are made of flames!
It's burning my forehead!
Ah, that's better.
I can breathe at last.
How red they are the petals.
Like.. drops of blood!
But it doesn't matter!
One must not look for symbolic
meanings in everything one sees,
it makes life impossible!
But let's not talk about that now!
I want to be happy.
I'm happy. I'm very happy!
I have every reason to
be happy, haven't I?
Your daughter is going to dance for me!
Aren't you Salome?
You promised to dance!
I don't want her to dance.
I will dance..
for you..
Tetrarch!
You hear what your daughter is saying?
She is going to dance
for me, your daughter!
Quite right to dance for me Salome.
And after you have danced, don't forget
to come and ask for anything you want!
Anything you want, I'll give you..
I have sworn it, haven't I?
You have sworn!
I have never.. gone back on my word.
I'm.. I'm not one of those
to go back on my word. I..
I don't know how to lie!
I am slave to my word because
my word is a word of a king!
The King of Capadoccia lies all the
time.. he's not a proper king!
He's a coward. And he owes me
money he doesn't want to repay!
He said.. hurtful things..
He insulted my ambassadors!
But Caesar will crucify him
when he gets to Rome.
I'm sure Caesar will crucify him!
Or he'll die eaten by worms,
as the Prophet has predicted!
Salome..
Salome, what are you waiting for?
I am waiting for my slaves
to bring me perfumes..
and the seven veils..
and to unlace my boots.
You're going to dance barefoot!
Oh, that's good! That's good!
Your little feet will
be like white doves.
They'll be like little white flowers
that dance in the trees!
No..
I don't want her to.. dance barefoot..
She'll dance in blood.
There was blood spilt.
I won't have her dancing in blood!
That would be a very bad omen!
What does it matter
if she dances in blood!
You have walked in it yourself!
What does it matter?
Look at the moon!
She's turned red as blood..
as the Prophet said!
He predicted the moon would turn as
red as blood. Don't you see?
I see it perfectly well..
and the stars will fall like green figs..
and the sun is turning as black
as a sack of feathers..
and the kings of the earth are afraid!
That at least we can see.
For the first time in his life,
the Prophet is right.
The kings of the earth are afraid!
So let us go in. You are ill! They are
going to say in Rome that you are mad!
Let us go in, I tell you!
Who is he who come from Edom,
who comes from Bosra..
with his purple colored robe?
Who glows in the beauty of his clothes..
and walks with a powerful stride?
Why are his clothes dyed scarlet?
Let us go in!
The sound of this man's
voice exasperates me!
I don't want my daughter to dance,
while he is carrying on like this!
I don't want my daughter to dance,
while you are looking at her like that!
In fact, I don't want my
daughter to dance at all!
Don't go in!
Arrive(?) my queen!
It's no use!
I will not go in until
I've seen her dance!
Salome!
Dance for me!
I am ready.. Tetrarch!
Do not dance, my daughter!
Marvelous! Marvelous!
You see she has danced
for me, your daughter!
Come here, Salome! Come here,
so I can reward you!
Anything you want, I'll give you.
What do you want? Tell me!
I want it brought to me presently..
on a silver platter!
On a silver platter?
On a silver platter, of course!
Isn't she charming!
What do you want brought to you on a silver
platter, my dear and beautiful Salome?
You're the most beautiful
of all the girls in Judea!
What do you want brought
to you on a silver platter?
Tell me and I'll give it to you..
all my treasures belong to you.
Tell me, what do you want?
The head of John the Baptist!
Well said, my daughter!
I beg you, Salome,
do not ask this of me!
Don't pay any attention to your mother!
She's always giving you bad advice.
You mustn't listen to her!
- I'm not listening to her!
It is for my own pleasure that I ask
for the head of John the Baptist..
on a silver platter!
Remember! You swore Herod!
I know I swore by the gods,
I know very well!
But I beg you, do not ask this of me,
ask for anything else,
ask for half my kingdom!
I will give it to you, but..
I beg you do not ask this of me!
I am asking you for the
head of John the Baptist!
Salome, Salome..
Let's be friends, eh? You see..
What was I gonna say? I forgotten.
Yes, I remember what it was, uh..
Oh, Salome! Come.. come.. come closer!
I.. I'm afraid you.. you won't hear me.
You know my beautiful peacocks, my
beautiful white peacocks which..
live between the cypress trees
and the myrtles in the garden?
Their heads are golden,
the grain they eat is gold too and..
their feet are dyed purple.
The rains come when they cry out..
and when they open their fans,
the moon appears in the sky.
They walk two by two between the cypress
trees and the black myrtles..
and each one has a
slave to look after him.
Sometimes they fly through the trees..
and sometimes they sleep in
the grass or by the pool.
There are no animals in the world,
as beautiful as they.
I'm sure no king on earth
has birds as perfect.
I'm sure even Caesar.. Caesar!
Has not got birds as beautiful.
I will give you..
fifty of them!
They will go everywhere with you and
amongst them, you'd be like the moon,
on a great white cloud!
I will..
I will give them all to you!
I have only one hundred..
and there's no king on earth
who has peacocks such as mine!
I will give them all to you!
But.. but you must release
me from my promise and..
and not ask me what
you have asked of me!
Give me the head of John the Baptist!
Well said my daughter! You.. you are
ridiculous with your white peacocks!
Shut up!
You're always shouting!
You screech like a bird of prey.
Stop screeching like that!
Salome.. Salome,
think of what you're doing!
This man comes from God.. perhaps.
I am sure he comes from God.
He's a holy man.
The finger of God is upon him and God
has put terrible words in his mouth!
In the palace as in the desert,
God is always with him.
It's possible isn't it?
Well, we don't know.
But it is possible that
God is always with him!
And it could be that if he dies,
something terrible will happen to me!
Well, he said the day he died, a great
misfortune would befall someone!
It could only be me!
When I came out here,
I slipped in blood..
and then I heard, I know I heard the
beatings of wings in the air,
the beating of giant wings!
These are both very bad omens..
and there are others!
I know there are others..
though I haven't seen them.
So.. so Salome,
you.. you don't want something
terrible to happen to me, do you?
Listen to me!
Give me the head of John the Baptist!
Ah, you see! You're not listening to me!
Stay calm. I'm very calm!
What are you looking for?
- A handbag.
A handbag!
I have got jewels hidden here that
even you're mother has never seen!
In a casket of ebony, I have two apple
goblets that look like golden apples.
If an enemy puts poison in the goblets,
they become silver apples.
In a chest covered in amber, I have
slippers encrusted with glass!
I've got cloaks from the country of Ceres.
I have got bangles garnished
with carbuncles..
and jade from the city of Euphrates.
So tell me, Salome, what do you want?
Anything you desire, I'll give you. I'll
give you everything except one thing.
I'll give you everything I own except..
my life!
I will give you the cloak
of the high priest.
I'll give you the veil
from the Sanctuary.
Oy vey!
Give me the head of John the Baptist!
What did she say? - The head of John the
Baptist! - The head of John the Baptist!
Give her what she asks for.
She is truly her mother's daughter!
Why did I give my word?
Kings should never give their word.
If you don't keep it, it's bad..
if you keep it, it's worse.
- I think my daughter did right.
I'm afraid something
terrible is going to happen.
There isn't any noise.
I can hear nothing!
Why doesn't he cry out?
If someone were trying to kill me,
I'd scream and fight!
I wouldn't want to suffer.
Strike! Strike, Naamn!
Strike, I tell you!
I hear nothing!
You didn't want to let me
kiss you, John the Baptist!
Well, I will kiss you now!
I will bite your mouth with my teeth,
the way I bite into a ripe fruit!
Yes, I'll kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
I told you so, didn't I?
I told you.
Well, I will kiss it now.
Why don't you look at me,
John the Baptist?
Your eyes which were so terrible..
so full of anger and contempt
are closed now.
and your tongue that was like
a red snake darting poisons..
it doesn't move anymore..
it doesn't say anything now,
John the Baptist!
That red viper who vomited
his venom on me!
Strange, isn't it?
Why is it that the red snake is still?
You didn't want me!
You rejected me!
You said infamous things to me!
You treated me like
a courtesan, a whore!
Me! Salome,
Daughter of Herodias, Princess of Judea!
Though now, John the Baptist,
I am still alive but you are dead!
And your head is mine!
I can do with it as I please.
I can.. throw it to the dogs
or the birds of the air!
What the dogs leave, the birds will eat.
John the Baptist, John the Baptist..
You were.. the only man..
I've ever loved.
All the others filled me with disgust..
but you.. you were beautiful!
Your body was an ivory column
on a silver pedestal.
It was garden filled with doves
and silver lilies.
It was a silver tower
adorned with ivory shields.
There was nothing in the world
as white as your body.
There was nothing in the world
as black as your hair.
In all the world, there was
nothing as red as your mouth.
Your voice was a censor..
filled with strange perfumes.
And when I looked.. at you..
I heard strange music.
Oh, why didn't you look at me,
John the Baptist?
You hid your face behind your
hands and your blasphemy!
You placed on your eyes, the bandage
of one who wishes to see his god!
Well.. you have seen him, your god..
John the Baptist!
But me! Me!
You have never seen me!
How I loved you!
I love you still John the Baptist.
I love only you!
I am thirsty for your beauty..
I am hungry for your body!
And neither wine nor fruit
can appease my desire.
Oh, tell me what to do now,
John the Baptist!
Neither rivers nor floods
can drown my passion.
I was a princess!
And you humiliated me!
I was a virgin and you raped me!
I was chaste and you
filled my veins with fire!
Why didn't you look at me,
John the Baptist?
If you had looked at me,
you would have loved me!
I know you would have loved me!
And the mystery of love..
is greater than the mystery of death.
One must look only..
to love.
She is monstrous, you're daughter!
Utterly monstrous!
It's a vile crime she's done!
It's a crime against an unknown God!
I approve of what my daughter has done.
I like it out here..
I want to stay for awhile.
Ah! The incestuous wife speaks!
Come! I do not wish to stay here.
I am afraid something
terrible is going to happen.
Come, I say!
Manasseh, Issachar, Ozas!
Put out the torches!
I don't want to see anything,
I don't want anything to see me.
Extinguish the torches!
Hide the moon! Hide the stars!
Come, let us hide in
our palace, Herodias.
I'm beginning to feel afraid.
I have kissed your mouth,
John the Baptist!
I have kissed your mouth!
Is that the taste of blood?
Perhaps it is the taste of love!
They say love leaves a bitter taste..
But what of that?
I have kissed your mouth!
Kill that woman!
Bravo! Well done! Bravo!
What, no curtains calls?
It wasn't as bad as all that!
They're getting out of their drag.
I wish they drag me out of this hole!
Dear Bosie!
I knew you were more than
just a pretty face..
but considering how distasteful
you must have found it,
that was quite a performance!
I wish I could be as
enthusiastic about yours!
Come, come! Jealousy is not
part of a prophet's makeup.
And yours, my dear,
is just a little overdone.
If I may be permitted
a teeny criticism.
Oh, how I love your lips!
Let me kiss your lips, John the Baptist!
No, thank you!
You got too much gold on your own!
I'm well aware that he's your favorite,
but I find gold irresistible!
And as you know, I can
resist anything but temptation!
You took advantage of my position!
And I might be tempted to do so again,
if you don't close your mouth!
Ah, Alfred!
Our prophet is somewhat at a loss!
Bravo, Bosie! Don't panic,
help is on its way!
When you feel yourself getting a groping
you know the stagehands have arrived.
Very touching, isn't he?
He was always is.. touching!
The casting was nigh on perfect.
I've always admired the talent here,
but never more so than tonight.
Your Herod out-Heroded Herod!
You don't think it was mistake casting
the soldiers from the rough trade, then?
Inspired, my dear Alfred!
Absolutely inspired!
I was delighted to find that
written yet another comedy.
I'm afraid the staging left
a little to be desired.
On the contrary, I found it
extremely stagey!
The death of Salome was pure verissimo.
How on earth do you
achieve such realism?
I wondered if you were going to..
- Well, Oscar, tell us the worst!
My dear Lady Alice.
You're acting to tell the truth..
That remark generally
precedes an untruth.
I make no excuses, for my performance.
If it is good enough for Queen Victoria,
it is certainly good enough for you.
You've done a royal
command performance?
No Christmas at Balmoral would be complete
without the entire family staging "Macbeth".
Why Macbeth? - I had no idea her
Majesty admired Shakespeare!
The Balmoral ghost walks
only at Christmas Eve.
I was not referring to my acting,
but to my costume.
It is the one I usually wear
as Lady Macbeth.
My dear Lady Alice..
You transcended country, class
and indeed the very centuries!
Sarah Bernhardt should
look to her laurels!
Though I must confess, you lack one of
her most singular attributes.
Indeed! And pray what is that?
A wooden leg!
Remain where you are!
Nobody is to leave the room!
- What is the meaning of this?
We're here to run you in!
- Run us in!
Oh, please, Alfred, not the
"Pirates of Penzance".
I'd hate to share a double bill
with Gilbert and Sullivan!
I assure you, Oscar..
- Oscar Wills Fingal O'Flahertie Wilde?
You're under arrest! Charged
with gross sexual indecency..
and the corruption of minors!
Bosie!
Alfred Taylor, you're also under arrest.
Charged with running a disorderly house.
I've.. - Now, will you both come
quietly or shall we use the handcuffs?
That won't be necessary, officer.
We've had one melodramatic ending
tonight, two might be an indulgence!
Chilvers, my top hat and cloak.. I'm
going out.. I may be some little time.
You called, Sir?
Know Alfred, I think Bosie was miscast!
If you mount a revival, he really
should play Salome..
and I should play the Prophet.
With your head served up
in a silver platter?
Or my balls!
If you think that I am traveling in this
horsebox with two dangerous criminals..
You are mightily mistaken, my man!
Name and address, Miss?
"Miss"? I have never been
called Miss in my life!
I am the Lady Alice
Fitzkensington Windsor!
I beg your pardon, your Ladyship.
I had you down for an 'ore!
You have to come along all the same.
Since when has it been
a crime to play charades?
Never your Ladyship!
But we need you as a witness..
one of the chambermaids
just been murdered!
Murdered! Nonsense! It was
death by misadventure!
She slipped on a banana skin!
Mr. Taylor! Mr. Taylor, I got them!
Mr. Taylor, come back! Mr. Taylor!
but how are we this evening?
As close as two testicles, Chilvers.
People are beginning to talk.
There is only one thing worse
than to be talked about..
and that is not to be talked about!
I wish I had said that.
- You will, Bosie.. you will.
If you would like to go up, Sir,
Mr. Taylor will be with you directly.
May I take the opportunity
to thank for you the ticket..
to "Lady Windermere's Fan",
Mr. Wilde. I enjoyed it immensely!
It's a regular triumph with the public, Sir.
Yes, the whole town is quite lit up. I'm
told that royalty is turned away nightly.
Isn't that line getting a little stale?
No line is ever stale that leads
directly to the box office, dear Bosie.
And where are you going?
Below stairs, obviously!
To polish up your repartee
with the little bootblack!
I rather taken a shine to him myself.
You'll see him shining
as bright as gold tonight.
But don't be tempted to worship the
golden calf or you'll suffer my wrath!
No sermons, please, Bosie!
I'm not in the mood for the
missionary position just now.
Ah, Oscar!
- Ah, my dear Alfred!
Congratulations! I've never
been more flattered!
The moon rising in a
jewelbox of deepest night..
could not be more exquisitely displayed!
But if you're going to redecorate every
time a new play of mine is published,
I fear you'll soon be destitute.
I'm feeling disgustingly creative!
Oh, dear! You are not going to write another
play to scandalize the Lord Chamberlain..
into banning it, my dear Oscar?
I don't think I could afford it!
What do you mean, hmm?
What are you up to?
I know you are the most benign brothel
keeper in the whole of Westminster,
but surely you're not going
to shut up shop, are you?
And send off all those boys and girls to warm
their pretty little bottoms around a bonfire, huh?
Where is everyone?
- Putting on their makeup.
That's nothing new, my dear!
Though if I may so..
I think you overdone the mascara,
just a little tonight.
Are you going to perform yourself?
You're getting warm!
They say that sex is
the theater of the poor..
You're not going to stage
"The Beggar's Opera", are you?
Umm.. stage? Yes we have built a stage.
You're getting hotter. - Uh, huh!
- You're almost there. Can't you guess?
I only play guessing games when I want
to be beastly to my darling children!
Oh, God! I promised them
a firework display tonight!
I say! This.. this isn't some elaborate
charade involving Guy Fawkes, is it?
Oh! Nothing so mundane!
The date isn't without significance:
Guy Fawkes wanted to strike
a spark for freedom,
and blow up the Parliament,
he considered.. oppressive.
You have done the same
with your play, "Salome".
The Lord Chamberlain acting
on behalf of Parliament has banned it,
so a few kindred spirits have
hatched a little plot of their own.
In defiance of the Law and in honor
of our greatest playwright,
the premiere of "Salome" will take place
here tonight, the 5th of November, 1892!
I'm touched, my dear Alfred.
Really I am!
But you must promise me.. one thing.
Of course, if I can!
- Promise me, you won't play Salome!
Much too energetic, my dear!
Here I am!
Evening, Mr. Wilde! Chilvers said
you was here, so here I am!
Why, thank you. - Rose!
How many times have I got tell you!
You should been ready
half an hour ago, look at you!
Give me Mr. Wilde
his cigars and get out!
Sorry, Sir! Beg pardon, Sir!
- Thank you, Rose.
Come on Alfred! She knows
I only come here for the.. cigars!
Don't be hard on her!
You may be hard on me when you discover
Salome is being played by.. a skivvy!
Salome?
Does she rehearse the Dance of the
Seven Veils with her dusters?
She looks terribly
undernourished, poor thing!
Will she have the strength to drop them?
She had better the little bitch
or I will murder her!
Well, you can afford to these days
with servants to a penny..
How much have you spent
on the rest of the cast?
We're all doing it for love, Oscar!
Clients and courtesans alike!
Now, take your ease!
Imagine yourself on a moonlit terrace
in the palace of bad King Herod..
on a balmy summer's night, some 20 years
or so after the birth of Jesus Christ.
And what our production lacks in stagecraft,
we hope to make up for in enthusiasm.
And any shortcomings in design, I know will
be compensated for by your fertile imagination!
That sounds too much like hard work!
I came here to be entertained.
Entertain me!
As always, I shall do my best!
- Well, you never failed me yet!
What's that delicious fragrance?
What is it?
Sandalwood? Myrrh?
No! It's a blending of green carnations
and the pubic hair of virgins!
Of course! I should have guessed!
Let the play commence!
Bosie!
Well done, Kenneth!
As usual, you've captured the
perfect moment! The climatic one!
And hope to catch many more
before the night is out, Mr. Wilde!
While playing a part, I presume?
But did I really include a court
photographer in Herod's entourage?
Oh, no, we're playing a couple
of foreign guests..
but I've taken the liberty of
combining business with pleasure.
As one would expect in
a whorehouse, Kenneth!
And if you're acting is as grossly
indecent as you're photographic studies,
we're in for an outrageous evening!
Merde!
Merde to you too, Mr. Wilde!
How beautiful Salome looks tonight!
Look at the moon! How strange she looks.
Like a woman rising from a grave,
she looks like a dead woman
seeking out the dead.
She looks strange!
She looks like a princess
in a yellow veil with silver feet!
She looks like a princess who
has feet like little white doves.
She could be dance!
She is like a dead woman!
She moves very slowly.
What a din!
Who are those wild howling beasts?
The Jews. They're always like that.
They are discussing their religion!
Why are they discussing their religion?
- I don't know, they're always at it!
The Pharisees say there are angels,
the Saducees say they don't exist!
I think it's ridiculous to argue
about such things.
How beautiful the Princess
Salome looks tonight!
You're always looking at her.
You look at her too often.
You mustn't look at people like that..
Something terrible could happen!
She is very beautiful tonight.
Tetrarch looks glum.
Yes, he is looking glum!
He's looking at something.
- He's looking at someone!
Who's he looking at?
I don't know!
How pale the princess is!
Never have I seen her so pale!
She looks like the reflection
of a white rose in a silver mirror!
You mustn't look at her!
You look at her too much!
Herodias has poured
the Tetrarch a drink.
Is Herodias the one with the red eyes,
the ruby lips, the ruby hips
and the red rubies!
Yes, that's Herodias!
She's the wife of the Tetrarch.
The Tetrarch loves wine.
He keeps three kinds:
One which comes from
the island of Samothrace..
is as purple as Caesar's cloak.
Ah, Caesar! I've never had the pleasure!
Another from the city of Chipra
is as yellow as gold!
Gold!
I love gold!
And a third, which is a Sicilian wine,
that one is as red as blood!
The gods of my country love blood.
Twice a year, we sacrifice youths
and virgins to 'em..
50 youths and a 100 virgins.
But it seems we never give 'em enough!
because they still persecute us.
In my country, there aren't any gods
now! The Romans chased them out!
There are those who say they hid in the
mountains, but I don't believe it!
I spent three nights in the hills,
looking everywhere..
but I didn't find them!
Finally, I called upon each one by name!
But they didn't appear.
I think..
they are dead!
The Jews worship a god they can't see!
Really? - In fact, they only
worship things they can't see.
Ridiculous!
After me, will come one
even more mighty!
Sometimes, he says fearful things
but we never understand him!
Can we see him?
Nooooooo! The Tetrarch forbids it!
What a bizarre prison!
It's an old well.
An old well? It must be very unhealthy.
Take the brother of the
Tetrarch, his elder brother,
Queen Herodias' first husband.
He was incarcerated down there
for 12 years and he didn't die!
In the end he had to be strangled.
- Strangled? Who dare do that?
That one..
Naamn.
Wasn't he afraid?
- Oh, no!
The Tetrarch sent him the ring?
- What ring?
The ring of death!
That way he wasn't afraid!
Even so, it's terrible
to strangle a king! - Why?
Kings have only got one neck,
just like other men!
It seem terrible to me..
Now!
The princess is getting up!
She's leaving the table.
She seems bored.
She's coming over here.
Yes, she's coming towards us!
I'm not staying!
I can't stay..
Don't look at her.
I beg you don't look at her!
It is strange that my mother's
husband looks at me so!
I don't know what it means.
Actually, I do know!
Have you just left
the banquet, Princess?
Would you like to sit down, Princess?
Why look at her? Why speak to her?
Oh, something terrible
is going to happen!
How fresh the air is here!
At last, one can breathe!
Inside, there are Jews from
Jerusalem, tearing each other to pieces,
over their ridiculous ceremonies!
Barbarians drinking and
spilling wine everywhere..
And then there are the Romans
with their brutality,
their clumsiness, their swear words!
Ooh! How I detest the Romans!
Commoners! Giving themselves
the airs and graces of royalty!
Isn't it wonderful to see the moon?
She is cold and chaste, the moon.
I am sure that she is a virgin!
She's a virgin.
She has never sullied herself.
She has never given herself to men,
like the other goddesses.
The Lord has come!
The Son of Man has come!
The centaurs have hidden
themselves in the rivers..
and the mermaids have fled to sleep
beneath the leaves in the forest.
Who said that? - It's the voice
of the prophet, Princess.
Ah, the prophet!
The one that Tetrarch fears?
We know nothing of that, Princess!
It is the Prophet John.
- The Baptist.
Shall I order your litter, Princess?
It is very beautiful in the garden.
He has said monstrous things
about my mother, hasn't he?
We never understand
what he says, Princess.
Yes, he has said appalling
things about her!
Frightfully sorry, Princess! The Tetrarch
requests that you return to the banquet.
I'm not going back!
Pardon me, Princess.
But if you don't go back
something awful could happen to you.
Is he an old man, the Prophet?
Princess! It would be best if you went
back. Permit me to accompany you.
The Prophet! Is he an old man?
No, Princess. He's a very young man.
Well, we don't know!
There are those that say he is Elijah.
Who's Elijah? - A very old prophet,
Princess, from the provinces.
Sorry! What reply should I give to
the Tetrarch on behalf of the Princess?
Do not rejoice, land of Palestine,
because the rod of your
oppressor has been broken!
From the serpent's egg
will come the basilisk..
and he who is formed from it,
will devour the birds!
What a strange voice!
I would like to speak to him!
I'm afraid that's impossible, Princess! The
Tetrarch doesn't wish us to speak to him.
He has forbidden even
the High Priest to speak to him!
I want to speak to him.
It's impossible, Princess!
- I want to!
Indeed, Princess! It would be
better to return to the banquet.
Have the Prophet brought out!
I have always been nice to you!
You will do it, won't you?
I only want to look at him,
this strange prophet.
Everyone talks about him.
I've often heard the Tetrarch
talk about him.
I think the Tetrarch is afraid of him.
I am sure he is afraid of him!
And you, Narraboth?
Are you afraid of him too?
I'm not afraid of him, Princess.
I'm afraid of no one!
But the Tetrarch has officially
forbidden us to release him from the well.
You will do this for me, Narraboth!
and tomorrow, when I pass in my litter..
under the arch of the vendors of idols,
I will drop a little flower for you,
a little green flower.
Princess, I can't!
I can't!
You will do this for me, Narraboth!
You know, you will do this for me.
and tomorrow when I pass over the
bridge of the vendors of idols,
I will look..
at you!
Through my muslin veils..
I will look at you!
We dare not, Princess!
How dark it is down there!
He must be terrible,
to be in a place so black!
It's like a tomb!
Didn't you hear me?
Let him out!
I want to see him!
I beg you, Princess,
don't ask this of us!
Don't keep me waiting!
Princess, our lives belong to you,
but we cannot do what you ask!
In any case, um.. it's not
we who you must ask.
Oh, what is going to happen? I am sure
something terrible is going to happen!
You will do it for me,
won't you, Narraboth?
You will do it.. for me.
Narraboth!
I will smile at you.. perhaps..
Look at me, Narraboth, look at me!
You know full well you will
do what I ask of you!
You know it, don't you?
Me.. I know it.
Send up the Prophet..
the Princess wishes to see him!
Send up the Prophet!
Oh, how strange the moon looks tonight!
Through the clouds of muslin,
she smiles like a little princess..
like a princess with amber eyes!
Tell him to come out! So that he may hear the
voice of he who has shouted in the deserts!
And in the palaces of kings!
Whom does he mean?
- We never know, Princess!
Where is she..
who having seen naked men
painted on city walls..
pictures of Chaldeans etched in color..
gave way to lust and
sent envoys to Chaldea?
He is speaking about my mother!
- No, Princess!
Yes! It's about mother!
Where is she who gave herself
to the captains of the Assyrians?
Tell her to drag herself from
her bed of lasciviousness..
from her bed of incestuousness!
So that she may hear the words
of he who paves of the Lord..
So that she may repent her sins!
Although she will never expiate them..
but remain steadfast in her crimes!
Tell her to come!
For the Lord.. has his
scourge.. in his hands!
Oh, but he is horrible!
He is horrible!
Who is this woman who looks at me?
I do not want her to look at me.
Why is she looking at me with
her amber eyes and silver eyelids?
I don't know who she is.
I don't want to know!
Tell her to go away!
It is not to her that I wish to speak!
I am Salome,
daughter of Herodias,
Princess of Judea.
Get back, daughter of Babylon!
Fall back from the Lord's chosen one!
Your mother has stained the earth
with the wine of her iniquities..
and the cries of her sins
have reached the ears of God!
Talk on, John the Baptist!
Your voice intoxicates me!
Princess! Princess! Princess!
Speak again!
Speak again, John the Baptist!
And tell me what I must do. - Away!
Daughter of Sodom! Cover your face
with a veil and heap ashes on your head!
And go into the desert
to seek out the Son of Man!
Who is the Son of Man?
Is he as beautiful as you,
John the Baptist?
Back!
Back!
In the palace! I hear the beating
wings of the Angel of Death!
Princess, I beg you to go back inside!
Angel of the Lord!
Why are you here with your sword?
Whom do you seek in this foul palace?
The day of the one who will die
in a scarlet robe has not yet come!
John the Baptist!
- Who speaks?
John the Baptist..
I am in love with your body.
Your body is white..
like the lily of a meadow that the
scythe has never cut down.
Your body is as white..
as the snows on the mountains of Judah..
which descend to the valleys.
The roses in the garden
of the Queen of Arabia..
are not as white.. as your body.
Nor the footprints of dawn
which steal onto leaves,
nor the breasts of the
moon when she sets..
on the bosom of the sea.
There is nothing in the world
as white as your body.
Let me touch..
your body!
- Away!
Daughter of Babylon!
It is through woman that
evil entered the world.
Do not speak to me!
I do not wish to hear you.
I listen only to the
word of the Lord God!
Your body is hideous!
It is like the body of the leper!
It is like a wall of plaster
where vipers have passed!
Like a wall of plaster where
scorpions have made their nest!
It is horrible!
It is horrible, your body!
It is your hair..
that I am in love with..
John the Baptist.
Your hair is like
bunches of black grapes..
which hang from the vines of Edom,
in the country of the Edomites.
It is like the cedars of Lebanon,
like the large cedars of Lebanon,
which give shade to
the lions and to the robbers..
who hide during the day!
The long black nights,
the nights when the
moon hides herself,
when the stars are afraid..
are not as black!
The silence in the forest
is not as black a silence,
There is nothing in the world
as black as your hair!
Let me touch your hair!
Away! Daughter of Sodom!
Do not touch me!
Do not violate the
temple of the Lord God!
Your hair is horrible!
It's all covered in mud and dirt!
It is like a crown of thorns
placed on your brow!
It is like a knot of black snakes
twisting around your neck!
I don't like your hair!
It is..
your mouth that I am in love with..
John the Baptist.
Your mouth is like a band of scarlet..
around an ivory tower.
It is like a pomegranate
cut by an ivory knife.
The pomegranate flowers..
which bloom in the gardens of Tyre
and are redder than the roses..
aren't as red.
The red cries of trumpets
that herald the arrival of kings..
and frighten the enemies..
aren't as red.
Your mouth..
is redder than the feet of those
who tread the wine in the wine presses..
It is redder than the feet of the doves
which live in the temples..
who are fed by the priests.
It is redder than the feet of one
who comes out of the forest..
having killed a lion and
seen golden tigers!
Your mouth is like a branch of coral
which fishermen have found..
in the half-light of the sea
and saved for their king.
It is like the vermilion
that the Moabites find..
in the mines of Moab which
the kings take from them!
It is like the pearl of
the King of Persia..
which is painted vermilion
with all of its coral.
There is nothing in the world..
as red as your mouth!
Let me kiss..
your mouth!
Never! Daughter of Babylon!
Daughter of Sodom! Never!
I will kiss your mouth, John the Baptist!
I will kiss your mouth!
Princess..
Princess!
You who are like a bouquet of myrrh!
You who are the dove of doves!
Do not like at this man!
Do not look at him!
Do not say such things to him!
I cannot bear it!
Princess! Do not say such things!
I will kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
Now!
Let me kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
Princess, the young captain
has killed himself!
Let me kiss your mouth!
Are you not afraid,
daughter of Herodias?
Did I not tell you I heard the beating
wings of the Angel of Death!
And has not the angel come?
Let me kiss your mouth!
Adulteress' daughter!
There is only one man who can save you!
It is he I was speaking of.
He was my brother.
- Go and seek him out.
Closer even than a brother.
He's in the boat of the sea of Galilee,
teaching his disciples.
I gave him a little a box of perfumes..
and a ring of agate which
he always wore on his hand.
Kneel down by the water's
edge and call his name.
In the evenings, we would stroll by the
side of the river amongst the almond trees.
and he comes toward you.. - And he
would tell me stories about his country.
he comes to all those who call him..
Prostrate yourself at his feet
and ask forgiveness of your sins!
Let me kiss your mouth!
Be cursed, daughter
of an incestuous mother!
Be damned!
I will not look at you,
you are accursed! Salome!
You are accursed!
I will kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
I will kiss your mouth!
We must dispose of the body.
The only corpses the Tetrarch likes
to see are those he killed himself.
You're right. We must hide the body.
The Tetrarch mustn't see it!
The Tetrarch doesn't come here.
He never comes out in the dirt!
He's too afraid of the Prophet.
Where is Salome?
Where is the Princess?
Why did she not return to the
banquet as I commanded?
Ah! There she is!
You must not look at her.
You are always looking at her!
This moon is strange tonight!
Isn't the moon strange?
Like a madwoman looking
for lovers everywhere!
Ah, she's naked too!
She's completely naked!
The clouds have tried to clothe her,
but she doesn't want them.
She's showing herself
completely naked in the sky!
She's reeling across the clouds
like a drunken harlot!
I am sure, she's looking for lovers!
Doesn't she reel..
just like a drunken woman?
She's like a..
a crazy woman, isn't she?
Let's go in, there's nothing out here!
- No, I'm staying here. Manasseh!
Lay the couch down here,
light the torches,
bring out the ivory and marble tables!
The air here is..
delicious.
I shall take more wine with my guests.
To the ambassadors of Caesar..
one must afford..
all of the honors.
It's not because of them that
you're staying out here.
Yes, the air here is exquisite!
Come my dear Herodias, we're
keeping our guests waiting!
Oh! I've slipped!
Slipped in blood!
It's a bad omen, a very bad omen!
What is this blood doing here?
And this corpse!
What is this corpse doing here?
Do you think I'm like the King of Egypt,
who never holds a banquet without
showing a corpse to his guests?
Who is he anyway? I..
I don't want to look at him!
It's our captain, my Lord!
It's that young Syrian you made
captain only three days ago.
I gave no orders to kill him!
He killed himself.
- Why? I made him a captain!
We don't know why, my Lord. He just..
killed himself.
How strange!
I thought it was only Roman philosophers
who killed themselves.
Isn't that true, Tigellinus, that the
philosophers of Rome commit suicide?
There are others that kill
themselves, my Lord.
The stoics, for instance,
are a very crass people.
In fact, they are ridiculous!
I find them ridiculous. - So do I!
It is ridiculous to kill oneself!
We laugh a lot about it in Rome.
The Emperor has written a satirical poem
about them. It is recited everywhere.
He wrote a satirical poem about them?
Caesar is marvelous!
He can do anything!
It's strange young Syrian..
should kill.. himself.
I'm sorry, very sorry for he
was handsome. He was..
very handsome.. he had languid eyes.
I've seen him looking at Salome with..
languorous eyes.
As I recall,
he looked at Salome a little too often.
There are others, who also
look at her too often!
His father was a king.
I chased him from his kingdom..
and you made a slave of his mother..
who was a queen, Herodias!
He was a guest here,
that's why I made him a captain.
I'm sorry he's dead, I'm sor..
Why have you left the body lying here?
Take it away. I don't want to
look at it! Take it away!
There's a wind.
Isn't there a wind?
- No, there is no wind.
Yes, there is a wind!
And I hear on that wind something
akin to the beating of wings.
The beating of giant wings.
Don't you hear it?
I hear nothing.
I don't hear it anymore either..
but I did hear it.
Maybe it was just
the wind, it's gone.
No! I can still hear it.
Don't you hear it? Just like a beating
of wings! - I tell you there is nothing!
You are ill, let's go inside.
I am not ill!
It is your daughter who is ill.
She seems very ill your daughter..
never have I seen her looking..
so pale.
Then don't look at her!
Give me some wine!
Salome.. come drink a
little wine with me.
This wine is exquisite.
Caesar himself sent it to me.
Come, moisten your
sweet red lips with me..
and I will drain the cup!
I am not thirsty, Tetrarch.
Salome, come eat some fruits with me!
I love to see the marks
your little teeth make.
Come.. bite into this.. piece of fruit..
and I will finish it off.
I am not hungry, Tetrarch.
See, how you brought her up!
My daughter and I are of royal heritage.
Your grandfather kept camels!
And he was a thief as well.
- You lie!
You know it's the truth.
Salome, come and rest with me.
I will give you your mother's throne.
I am not tired, Tetrarch.
Bring me..
I forgot what I wanted..
Oh, yes, I remember!
The time has come!
What I predicted has come to pass,
sayeth the Lord God!
This is the day..
Shut him up!
I can't bear to hear
the sound of his voice!
Forever spewing up insults about me!
He hasn't said anything against you!
He's a great prophet.
I don't believe in prophets!
How can anyone say what
will happen? No one knows!
He's always insulting me!
But I think you are afraid of him!
Yes, I know very well,
you are afraid of him!
I am not afraid of him!
I am not afraid of anybody!
Yes, you are afraid of him!
If you are not afraid of him,
why do you not deliver him to the Jews?
They've been asking for
the past six months!
That is so my Lord, it would
be better to hand him over to us.
Enough!
I have already given you my answer!
I don't want to hand him over!
He's a holy man.
He's a man who has seen God!
That's impossible! No one has seen
God since the Prophet Elijah!
He was the last to see him.
God does not show himself
these days. He is in hiding!
And that is why there are great
misfortunes in this country!
Ah! We don't know for sure if the
great Prophet Elijah really saw God!
It is more likely that he
saw the shadow of God!
God never hides from anything!
He shows himself in everything!
God is in good as he is in evil.
You mustn't say that! That
is a very dangerous idea!
It's an idea which comes
from the schools of Alexandria,
where they teach Greek philosophy!
And the Greeks, they are Gentiles!
They're not even circumcised!
We can't know how God acts!
His ways are mysterious!
God is all-powerful! He breaks
the weak and the strong together!
He cares for nobody!
That is true. God is all terrible,
he crushes the weak and the strong..
as you would crush wheat in a mortar!
But this man has never seen God!
No one has seen God
since the Prophet Elijah!
Shut them up!
They bore me!
But it is said that John the Baptist
himself is your Prophet Elijah.
It's not possible! 300 years have
passed since the Prophet Elijah..
There are those who say that
he is the Prophet Elijah!
Oh, I'm sure.. he's the Prophet Elijah.
Oh, no! He's not the Prophet Elijah!
The day has come!
The day of the Lord!
And on the mountains there
sound the footsteps..
of the Savior of the World!
What does that mean?
The Savior of the World?
What does that mean?
The Savior of the World!
This is what Caesar calls himself.
Caesar is not coming to Judea.
Only yesterday, I had letters from Rome,
they didn't mention it.
Tigellinus, you were in Rome during the
winter. Did you hear anything about it then?
No, my Lord, I haven't
heard anything either.
I was merely explaining about the title.
It is one of Caesar's titles.
Oh, Caesar can't come, he has gout.
They say he has elephant's feet.
Also, for political reasons.
He who leaves Rome, loses Rome.
He won't come!
On the other hand, Caesar is master.
He'll come if he wants to.
But I don't think he'll come.
The prophet was not speaking
of Caesar, my Lord.
Not Caesar?
- No, my Lord!
So, who was he speaking of?
- Of the Messiah who has come.
The Messiah has not come. - He has come!
He's performing miracles everywhere.
Not miracles! I don't believe in
miracles. I've seen far too many!
This man performs real miracles.
Once, during a marriage in the town of
Galilee, a town of some importance,
he changed the water into wine.
My fan!
People who were there, told me.
He also cured some lepers who
were sitting at the gate of Cafarnaum..
simply by touching them.
No! It was two blind people
he cured in Carfarnaum.
No, they were lepers.
But he cured the blind too.
And we saw him on a mountain..
speaking with angels!
Angels don't exist.
- Angels do exist..
but I don't believe that
man spoke with them.
He was seen by a crowd of people,
talking to the angels!
These men irritate me, they are stupid!
So stupid! So utterly stupid!
Where is my fan?
You seem to be dreaming.
One shouldn't dream!
Dreamers are sick people.
Go! - Then there's the miracle
of the daughter of Jairus!
That's absolutely right!
You can't deny it.
These people are mad!
They've mooning at the moon too long.
Tell them to be quiet!
What was that?
The miracle of the daughter of Jairus?
Yes, it's true.
You can't deny it.
But what was it?
The miracle of the daughter of Jairus!
The daughter of Jairus was dead!
He restored her to life!
He raises the dead?
Yes, my Lord. He raises the dead.
I don't want him to do that!
I forbid him to do that!
You must find this man and tell him
I will not allow him to raise the dead!
Where is he now, this man?
He's everywhere, my Lord.
But is very difficult to find.
They say he's in Samaria at present.
It's easy to see, he's not
the Messiah if he's in Samaria!
It's not to the Samaritans,
the Messiah will come!
He left Samaria a few days ago.
I think he's on the
outskirts of Jerusalem.
Oh, no, he's not there!
I've just come from Jerusalem.
No one has heard anything
about him for two months!
So, it doesn't matter!
You must find this man
and tell him on my behalf..
that I don't want him
to go around raising the dead.
Turning water into wine, curing
lepers and the blind..
he can do that if he wants.
I have nothing against that!
In fact, I think curing
lepers is a good deed!
But I will not have him
going around raising the dead!
It would be terrible if the
dead were to come back.
Ah, the wanton one!
The slut! The whore!
Ah! the daughter of Babylon!
Silence him!
.. eyes have golden eyelids!
This is what the Lord God commands..
This is iniquitous!
.. a multitude of men! So that the
people may take up rocks and stone her!
Do you hear what he is saying about me?
Do you allow him to insult your wife?
He hasn't even mentioned your name!
You know very well that I am
the one he is insulting!
And I am your wife, aren't I?
Oh, yes, my dear and noble
Herodias! You are my wife.
You were also my brother's wife!
You tore me from his arms!
Quite so! I was the stronger.
But let's not talk these things now.
It's because of this, the prophet
has said these terrible things!
And in consequence something dreadful
may happen! Let's not talk about it!
Just pour me a drink, beloved!
You haven't mentioned how
pale your daughter is!
What is it to you whether she's pale
or not? - Never have I seen her so pale!
Don't look at her!
Me?
Him!
Herodias!
Me too?
On that day, the sun will become
as black as a sack of feathers..
and the moon will become like blood..
and the stars of the sky
will fall to the earth,
like green figs from the fig tree..
and the kings of the
earth will be afraid!
I'd really like to see the day
when the moon drips blood..
and the stars fall to
earth like ripe figs!
He talks like a drunk!
I cannot bear the sound of his voice!
Order him to be silent!
- No!
I don't understand what he is saying..
but it could be omen! - I don't believe
in omens! He speaks like a drunk!
Maybe he's drunk.. on the wine of God.
What wine is that, the wine of God?
What vines does it grow on and
in what wine cellars will you find it?
Tigellinus..
when.. you were in Rome.. recently, um..
what did the um.. the Emperor have
to say on the subject?
What subject, my Lord?
- What subject?
Uh.. ah.. I.. I.. I..
I.. asked you a question, didn't I?
I forgot what it was!
You're looking at my daughter again!
Don't look at her,
I told you this before!
You're always saying it!
- And I am saying it again!
The..
The uh..
the.. the.. the restoration of the uh..
the temple we talked so much about..
are we.. are we.. we going to do
some.. something about that? They..
They said the uh..
the veil from the Sanctuary disappeared.
You took it yourself.
You're talking nonsense!
Dance for me, Salome.
I don't want her to dance!
I have no desire to dance, Tetrarch.
Salome, daughter of Herodias..
dance for me!
Leave her alone!
I command you to dance for me, Salome!
I will not dance, Tetrarch.
See how she obeys you!
What is it to me if she dances or not.
Doesn't matter!
Tonight I'm happy! I'm very happy.
I've never been so happy!
The Tetrarch looks glum. Don't you think
he looks glum? - He's glum all right!
Why shouldn't I be happy?
Caesar..
who is the master of the world,
master of everything, loves me very much!
He just sent me some valuable gifts!
Also, he has promised to summon my
enemy, the King of Capadoccia to Rome.
Maybe, he'll be crucified in Rome!
He can do anything, Caesar..
After all he is master!
So you see I have every
reason to be happy!
In fact.. I am happy!
I've never been happier!
There's nothing in the world
that can spoil my happiness!
He will be seated on his throne.
He will be clothed in purple and scarlet.
In his hand, he will
carry a golden vessel..
filled with his blasphemies!
And the Angel of God
will strike him down!
He will be eaten by worms!
Do you hear what he's saying about you?
He says you will be eaten by worms!
The Prophet never said
anything against me!
It's.. it's the King of Capadoccia
he's talking about!
The King of Capadoccia who's my enemy!
It is he who will be eaten by worms!
Never, never has the Prophet
said anything against me!
Except to say that I was wrong to take
the wife of my brother as my wife.
Maybe he's right!
After all, you are barren!
Barren!
You dare say that to me?
You who are forever ogling my daughter!
Who asked her to dance for your
pleasure? It is ridiculous to say that!
I have.. a child.
You have never had a child
even by one of your slaves!
If anyone is sterile, it is you, not I!
Shut up! I'm telling you you're barren!
You have not given me a child.
And the Prophet says that our
marriage is not a true marriage.
He says it is an incestuous marriage!
A marriage which will bring misfortune!
I'm afraid he might be right.
I'm sure he's right!
But now is not the time
to talk about such things.
At the moment, I want to be happy!
Get off!
I'm happy! I'm very happy!
There's nothing I could wish for!
I am delighted to see you
in such good humor tonight.
It is so unusual!
But it is getting late. Let us go in!
Have you forgotten?
We are hunting at dawn.
We must bestow honors on Caesar's
ambassador, must we not?
How glum Tetrarch looks.
Yes, he does seem glum.
Salome.. Salome.. Salome!
Dance for me, Salome!
I beg you!
I'm sad tonight.
Yes, tonight I'm.. very sad.
When I came out here, I slipped in some
blood. That's a very bad omen.
And then I heard..
I am sure I heard the beating of wings
in the air. The beating of giant wings.
I don't know what it means..
I'm sad tonight.
Dance for me, Salome!
Dance for me, I'll..
I'll give you anything you ask for.
Even if it's.. half my kingdom!
You will give me anything
that I ask for Tetrarch?
Don't dance, my daughter.
Anything..
even if it's half my kingdom!
Do you swear it, Tetrarch?
I swear it, Salome.
My daughter, do not dance!
On what do you swear, Tetrarch?
On my life..
on my crown..
on my gods!
I will give you anything you want..
even half my kingdom!
if.. if you dance for me.
Salome, Salome..
Dance for me?
You have sworn, Tetrarch!
I.. I have.. sworn, Salome!
My daughter, do not dance!
I will give you..
one half of my kingdom.
As queen, you would look very beautiful,
if you were ask me for one
half of my kingdom.
Wouldn't she look
very beautiful as queen!
It's cold!
It's very cold! I.. I.. I hear..
Oh, why do I hear those
beating wings in the air?
It is though there's a bird. A big
black bird hovering over the terrace.
The wind coming from
its wings is fierce.
It's a cold wind!
It isn't cold at all!
The contrary..
it's too hot. I'm suffocating!
Pour water on my hands!
Give me snow to eat!
But fast, my choker quickly!
Quick! Careful, no, leave it!
It's my crown that's hurting me!
My crown of roses!
It's as though the petals
are made of flames!
It's burning my forehead!
Ah, that's better.
I can breathe at last.
How red they are the petals.
Like.. drops of blood!
But it doesn't matter!
One must not look for symbolic
meanings in everything one sees,
it makes life impossible!
But let's not talk about that now!
I want to be happy.
I'm happy. I'm very happy!
I have every reason to
be happy, haven't I?
Your daughter is going to dance for me!
Aren't you Salome?
You promised to dance!
I don't want her to dance.
I will dance..
for you..
Tetrarch!
You hear what your daughter is saying?
She is going to dance
for me, your daughter!
Quite right to dance for me Salome.
And after you have danced, don't forget
to come and ask for anything you want!
Anything you want, I'll give you..
I have sworn it, haven't I?
You have sworn!
I have never.. gone back on my word.
I'm.. I'm not one of those
to go back on my word. I..
I don't know how to lie!
I am slave to my word because
my word is a word of a king!
The King of Capadoccia lies all the
time.. he's not a proper king!
He's a coward. And he owes me
money he doesn't want to repay!
He said.. hurtful things..
He insulted my ambassadors!
But Caesar will crucify him
when he gets to Rome.
I'm sure Caesar will crucify him!
Or he'll die eaten by worms,
as the Prophet has predicted!
Salome..
Salome, what are you waiting for?
I am waiting for my slaves
to bring me perfumes..
and the seven veils..
and to unlace my boots.
You're going to dance barefoot!
Oh, that's good! That's good!
Your little feet will
be like white doves.
They'll be like little white flowers
that dance in the trees!
No..
I don't want her to.. dance barefoot..
She'll dance in blood.
There was blood spilt.
I won't have her dancing in blood!
That would be a very bad omen!
What does it matter
if she dances in blood!
You have walked in it yourself!
What does it matter?
Look at the moon!
She's turned red as blood..
as the Prophet said!
He predicted the moon would turn as
red as blood. Don't you see?
I see it perfectly well..
and the stars will fall like green figs..
and the sun is turning as black
as a sack of feathers..
and the kings of the earth are afraid!
That at least we can see.
For the first time in his life,
the Prophet is right.
The kings of the earth are afraid!
So let us go in. You are ill! They are
going to say in Rome that you are mad!
Let us go in, I tell you!
Who is he who come from Edom,
who comes from Bosra..
with his purple colored robe?
Who glows in the beauty of his clothes..
and walks with a powerful stride?
Why are his clothes dyed scarlet?
Let us go in!
The sound of this man's
voice exasperates me!
I don't want my daughter to dance,
while he is carrying on like this!
I don't want my daughter to dance,
while you are looking at her like that!
In fact, I don't want my
daughter to dance at all!
Don't go in!
Arrive(?) my queen!
It's no use!
I will not go in until
I've seen her dance!
Salome!
Dance for me!
I am ready.. Tetrarch!
Do not dance, my daughter!
Marvelous! Marvelous!
You see she has danced
for me, your daughter!
Come here, Salome! Come here,
so I can reward you!
Anything you want, I'll give you.
What do you want? Tell me!
I want it brought to me presently..
on a silver platter!
On a silver platter?
On a silver platter, of course!
Isn't she charming!
What do you want brought to you on a silver
platter, my dear and beautiful Salome?
You're the most beautiful
of all the girls in Judea!
What do you want brought
to you on a silver platter?
Tell me and I'll give it to you..
all my treasures belong to you.
Tell me, what do you want?
The head of John the Baptist!
Well said, my daughter!
I beg you, Salome,
do not ask this of me!
Don't pay any attention to your mother!
She's always giving you bad advice.
You mustn't listen to her!
- I'm not listening to her!
It is for my own pleasure that I ask
for the head of John the Baptist..
on a silver platter!
Remember! You swore Herod!
I know I swore by the gods,
I know very well!
But I beg you, do not ask this of me,
ask for anything else,
ask for half my kingdom!
I will give it to you, but..
I beg you do not ask this of me!
I am asking you for the
head of John the Baptist!
Salome, Salome..
Let's be friends, eh? You see..
What was I gonna say? I forgotten.
Yes, I remember what it was, uh..
Oh, Salome! Come.. come.. come closer!
I.. I'm afraid you.. you won't hear me.
You know my beautiful peacocks, my
beautiful white peacocks which..
live between the cypress trees
and the myrtles in the garden?
Their heads are golden,
the grain they eat is gold too and..
their feet are dyed purple.
The rains come when they cry out..
and when they open their fans,
the moon appears in the sky.
They walk two by two between the cypress
trees and the black myrtles..
and each one has a
slave to look after him.
Sometimes they fly through the trees..
and sometimes they sleep in
the grass or by the pool.
There are no animals in the world,
as beautiful as they.
I'm sure no king on earth
has birds as perfect.
I'm sure even Caesar.. Caesar!
Has not got birds as beautiful.
I will give you..
fifty of them!
They will go everywhere with you and
amongst them, you'd be like the moon,
on a great white cloud!
I will..
I will give them all to you!
I have only one hundred..
and there's no king on earth
who has peacocks such as mine!
I will give them all to you!
But.. but you must release
me from my promise and..
and not ask me what
you have asked of me!
Give me the head of John the Baptist!
Well said my daughter! You.. you are
ridiculous with your white peacocks!
Shut up!
You're always shouting!
You screech like a bird of prey.
Stop screeching like that!
Salome.. Salome,
think of what you're doing!
This man comes from God.. perhaps.
I am sure he comes from God.
He's a holy man.
The finger of God is upon him and God
has put terrible words in his mouth!
In the palace as in the desert,
God is always with him.
It's possible isn't it?
Well, we don't know.
But it is possible that
God is always with him!
And it could be that if he dies,
something terrible will happen to me!
Well, he said the day he died, a great
misfortune would befall someone!
It could only be me!
When I came out here,
I slipped in blood..
and then I heard, I know I heard the
beatings of wings in the air,
the beating of giant wings!
These are both very bad omens..
and there are others!
I know there are others..
though I haven't seen them.
So.. so Salome,
you.. you don't want something
terrible to happen to me, do you?
Listen to me!
Give me the head of John the Baptist!
Ah, you see! You're not listening to me!
Stay calm. I'm very calm!
What are you looking for?
- A handbag.
A handbag!
I have got jewels hidden here that
even you're mother has never seen!
In a casket of ebony, I have two apple
goblets that look like golden apples.
If an enemy puts poison in the goblets,
they become silver apples.
In a chest covered in amber, I have
slippers encrusted with glass!
I've got cloaks from the country of Ceres.
I have got bangles garnished
with carbuncles..
and jade from the city of Euphrates.
So tell me, Salome, what do you want?
Anything you desire, I'll give you. I'll
give you everything except one thing.
I'll give you everything I own except..
my life!
I will give you the cloak
of the high priest.
I'll give you the veil
from the Sanctuary.
Oy vey!
Give me the head of John the Baptist!
What did she say? - The head of John the
Baptist! - The head of John the Baptist!
Give her what she asks for.
She is truly her mother's daughter!
Why did I give my word?
Kings should never give their word.
If you don't keep it, it's bad..
if you keep it, it's worse.
- I think my daughter did right.
I'm afraid something
terrible is going to happen.
There isn't any noise.
I can hear nothing!
Why doesn't he cry out?
If someone were trying to kill me,
I'd scream and fight!
I wouldn't want to suffer.
Strike! Strike, Naamn!
Strike, I tell you!
I hear nothing!
You didn't want to let me
kiss you, John the Baptist!
Well, I will kiss you now!
I will bite your mouth with my teeth,
the way I bite into a ripe fruit!
Yes, I'll kiss your mouth,
John the Baptist!
I told you so, didn't I?
I told you.
Well, I will kiss it now.
Why don't you look at me,
John the Baptist?
Your eyes which were so terrible..
so full of anger and contempt
are closed now.
and your tongue that was like
a red snake darting poisons..
it doesn't move anymore..
it doesn't say anything now,
John the Baptist!
That red viper who vomited
his venom on me!
Strange, isn't it?
Why is it that the red snake is still?
You didn't want me!
You rejected me!
You said infamous things to me!
You treated me like
a courtesan, a whore!
Me! Salome,
Daughter of Herodias, Princess of Judea!
Though now, John the Baptist,
I am still alive but you are dead!
And your head is mine!
I can do with it as I please.
I can.. throw it to the dogs
or the birds of the air!
What the dogs leave, the birds will eat.
John the Baptist, John the Baptist..
You were.. the only man..
I've ever loved.
All the others filled me with disgust..
but you.. you were beautiful!
Your body was an ivory column
on a silver pedestal.
It was garden filled with doves
and silver lilies.
It was a silver tower
adorned with ivory shields.
There was nothing in the world
as white as your body.
There was nothing in the world
as black as your hair.
In all the world, there was
nothing as red as your mouth.
Your voice was a censor..
filled with strange perfumes.
And when I looked.. at you..
I heard strange music.
Oh, why didn't you look at me,
John the Baptist?
You hid your face behind your
hands and your blasphemy!
You placed on your eyes, the bandage
of one who wishes to see his god!
Well.. you have seen him, your god..
John the Baptist!
But me! Me!
You have never seen me!
How I loved you!
I love you still John the Baptist.
I love only you!
I am thirsty for your beauty..
I am hungry for your body!
And neither wine nor fruit
can appease my desire.
Oh, tell me what to do now,
John the Baptist!
Neither rivers nor floods
can drown my passion.
I was a princess!
And you humiliated me!
I was a virgin and you raped me!
I was chaste and you
filled my veins with fire!
Why didn't you look at me,
John the Baptist?
If you had looked at me,
you would have loved me!
I know you would have loved me!
And the mystery of love..
is greater than the mystery of death.
One must look only..
to love.
She is monstrous, you're daughter!
Utterly monstrous!
It's a vile crime she's done!
It's a crime against an unknown God!
I approve of what my daughter has done.
I like it out here..
I want to stay for awhile.
Ah! The incestuous wife speaks!
Come! I do not wish to stay here.
I am afraid something
terrible is going to happen.
Come, I say!
Manasseh, Issachar, Ozas!
Put out the torches!
I don't want to see anything,
I don't want anything to see me.
Extinguish the torches!
Hide the moon! Hide the stars!
Come, let us hide in
our palace, Herodias.
I'm beginning to feel afraid.
I have kissed your mouth,
John the Baptist!
I have kissed your mouth!
Is that the taste of blood?
Perhaps it is the taste of love!
They say love leaves a bitter taste..
But what of that?
I have kissed your mouth!
Kill that woman!
Bravo! Well done! Bravo!
What, no curtains calls?
It wasn't as bad as all that!
They're getting out of their drag.
I wish they drag me out of this hole!
Dear Bosie!
I knew you were more than
just a pretty face..
but considering how distasteful
you must have found it,
that was quite a performance!
I wish I could be as
enthusiastic about yours!
Come, come! Jealousy is not
part of a prophet's makeup.
And yours, my dear,
is just a little overdone.
If I may be permitted
a teeny criticism.
Oh, how I love your lips!
Let me kiss your lips, John the Baptist!
No, thank you!
You got too much gold on your own!
I'm well aware that he's your favorite,
but I find gold irresistible!
And as you know, I can
resist anything but temptation!
You took advantage of my position!
And I might be tempted to do so again,
if you don't close your mouth!
Ah, Alfred!
Our prophet is somewhat at a loss!
Bravo, Bosie! Don't panic,
help is on its way!
When you feel yourself getting a groping
you know the stagehands have arrived.
Very touching, isn't he?
He was always is.. touching!
The casting was nigh on perfect.
I've always admired the talent here,
but never more so than tonight.
Your Herod out-Heroded Herod!
You don't think it was mistake casting
the soldiers from the rough trade, then?
Inspired, my dear Alfred!
Absolutely inspired!
I was delighted to find that
written yet another comedy.
I'm afraid the staging left
a little to be desired.
On the contrary, I found it
extremely stagey!
The death of Salome was pure verissimo.
How on earth do you
achieve such realism?
I wondered if you were going to..
- Well, Oscar, tell us the worst!
My dear Lady Alice.
You're acting to tell the truth..
That remark generally
precedes an untruth.
I make no excuses, for my performance.
If it is good enough for Queen Victoria,
it is certainly good enough for you.
You've done a royal
command performance?
No Christmas at Balmoral would be complete
without the entire family staging "Macbeth".
Why Macbeth? - I had no idea her
Majesty admired Shakespeare!
The Balmoral ghost walks
only at Christmas Eve.
I was not referring to my acting,
but to my costume.
It is the one I usually wear
as Lady Macbeth.
My dear Lady Alice..
You transcended country, class
and indeed the very centuries!
Sarah Bernhardt should
look to her laurels!
Though I must confess, you lack one of
her most singular attributes.
Indeed! And pray what is that?
A wooden leg!
Remain where you are!
Nobody is to leave the room!
- What is the meaning of this?
We're here to run you in!
- Run us in!
Oh, please, Alfred, not the
"Pirates of Penzance".
I'd hate to share a double bill
with Gilbert and Sullivan!
I assure you, Oscar..
- Oscar Wills Fingal O'Flahertie Wilde?
You're under arrest! Charged
with gross sexual indecency..
and the corruption of minors!
Bosie!
Alfred Taylor, you're also under arrest.
Charged with running a disorderly house.
I've.. - Now, will you both come
quietly or shall we use the handcuffs?
That won't be necessary, officer.
We've had one melodramatic ending
tonight, two might be an indulgence!
Chilvers, my top hat and cloak.. I'm
going out.. I may be some little time.
You called, Sir?
Know Alfred, I think Bosie was miscast!
If you mount a revival, he really
should play Salome..
and I should play the Prophet.
With your head served up
in a silver platter?
Or my balls!
If you think that I am traveling in this
horsebox with two dangerous criminals..
You are mightily mistaken, my man!
Name and address, Miss?
"Miss"? I have never been
called Miss in my life!
I am the Lady Alice
Fitzkensington Windsor!
I beg your pardon, your Ladyship.
I had you down for an 'ore!
You have to come along all the same.
Since when has it been
a crime to play charades?
Never your Ladyship!
But we need you as a witness..
one of the chambermaids
just been murdered!
Murdered! Nonsense! It was
death by misadventure!
She slipped on a banana skin!
Mr. Taylor! Mr. Taylor, I got them!
Mr. Taylor, come back! Mr. Taylor!