Maestro Sparacino

The play SALOME' is unquestionably Oscar Wilde's greatest work. Although seldom performed in the theater today, it held the stage with great popularity for many years. The poetic dialogue is highly stylized and very beautiful. Ken Russell incorporates a complete performance of the play in his movie "Salome's Last Dance" with a brilliant pretext, that as censors had banned the play in England, Wilde's friends had banded together to produce an "Underground" Premiere given in an upscale London brothel as a special surprise gift to Oscar Wilde. The various roles being played by prostitutes, drag queens, gay men, clients and management. The film is brilliantly directed and the play is done to perfection. Ken Russell is extremely sensitive to all of the nuance in Wilde's highly perfumed dialogue. Glenda Jackson is magnificent as the Queen Mother Herodias. The principal role of the Princess Salome' seems to have been tailor made for the young Imogen Millais-Scott. She is frighteningly evil in her spoiled, innocent decadence. This is a very entertaining movie all around. There are no weak performances from any of the cast. 5 ***** !