 John the Baptist, the prophet of Israel, is imprisoned by Herod, governor of Judea for protesting Herod s marriage to his brother s wife. Jealousies rage and Herod s step-daughter and niece Salome seduces Herod by means of a torrid dance to give her the head of the prophet - but then tries to save the life of the man she has thus condemned. Updated to a WWII setting