Salome is a 1953 American drama Biblical film directed by William Dieterle and produced by Buddy Adler from a screenplay by Harry Kleiner and Jesse Lasky Jr.

The film stars Rita Hayworth as Salome, as well as Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton and Judith Anderson, with Cedric Hardwicke, Alan Badel and Basil Sydney.

In Galilee, during the rule of Tiberius Caesar, King Herod and Queen Herodias sit on the throne and are condemned by John the Baptist, a prophet.

Herod is not pleased with John condemning his rule, but fears facing the same fate his father suffered after ordering the murder of the land's firstborn males.

Trapped in a loveless and potentially deadly marriage to Herod, Herodias refuses, wishing to preserve the throne for Salome's sake.

Shortly after, Herod decides to arrest John, ostensibly for treason but in reality to protect him from the actions of Herodias, who has attempted to have him assassinated.

[4] According to her biographers, Hayworth's erotic Dance of the Seven Veils routine was "the most demanding of her entire career", necessitating "endless takes and retakes".

[2] Bosley Crowther of The New York Times called the film "a lush conglomeration of historical pretenses and make-believe, pseudo-religious ostentation and just plain insinuated sex" with "a righteously sanctimonious air, suggesting the whole thing is intended to be taken on a high religious plane.

"[7] Variety wrote that Hayworth's performance was "among her best," but "the film doesn't deliver on the promised sex-religion combo and needs more hokum, spectacle and excitement to click with the regular run of filmgoers.

"[8] Edwin Schallert of the Los Angeles Times called the film "a gaudy and garish affair" with its primary weakness being "discovering just what sort of a woman Salome is supposed really to be.

"[9] Orval Hopkins of The Washington Post called it "gee-whiz picture" with "tremendous" color shots, "startling" scenes aboard the Roman galley and some acting "of the scenery-chewing variety.

"[10] Harrison's Reports declared, "It is a fairly spectacular production, has fine photography, and considerable sex exposure, but the story does not touch one's heartstrings.

"[11] The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote, "Salome seems wholly fake, even its vulgarity strikes one as lifeless ... Rita Hayworth, though she performs her dances like a Trojan, seems sadly to have lost her earlier vitality.