电影以剧情片和纪录片的方式拍摄,试图通过戏剧《莎乐美》来探寻王尔德本人和他的戏剧。帕西诺曾经出演过舞台剧《莎乐美》,并在其中扮演希律王一角。本片拍摄了该舞台剧幕后的制作,以及舞台上的表演两部分故事相交叉。通过围读剧本等讨论,让人们更深入的了解该剧,体会其时代背景和角色心理动机,让大家在欣赏戏中戏的正式演出部分时可以很快进入状况。Pacino tells the story of how he came to do Oscar Wilde's Salomé, in documentary style. He travels to the Mojave desert ("dessert?"), to Ireland and the UK to let the viewer take knowledge of who Oscar Wilde was as a private person and as a writer. Pacino invites the viewer to his love for Wilde and the story of Salomé in particular. You see rehearsals, custome meetings and more behind the scenes material. Celebrities like Gore Vidal and Bono are featured shortly to give their vision on Oscar Wilde.