Salomé(1923),asilentfilmdirectedbyCharlesBryantandstarringAllaNazimova,isafilmadaptationoftheOscarWildeplayofthesamename.TheplayitselfisalooseretellingofthebiblicalstoryofKingHerodandhisexecutionofJohntheBaptist(here,asinWilde'splay,calledJokaanan)attherequestofhisstepdaughter,Salomé,whomhelustsafter.　　SaloméisoftencalledoneofthefirstartfilmstobemadeintheU.S.[citationneeded]Thehighlystylizedcostumes,exaggeratedacting(evenfortheperiod),minimalsets,andabsenceofallbutthemostnecessarypropsmakeforascreenimagemuchmorefocusedonatmosphereandonconveyingasenseofthecharacters'individualheighteneddesiresthanonconventionalplotdevelopment.　　Despitethefilmbeingonlyalittleoveranhourinlengthandhavingnorealactiontospeakof,itcostover$350,000tomake.Allthesetswereconstructedindoorstobeabletohavecompletecontroloverthelighting.Thefilmwasshotcompletelyinblackandwhite,matchingtheillustrationsdonebyAubreyBeardsleyintheprintededitionofWilde'splay.Thecostumes,designedbyNata