Amadeus

The incredible story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told in flashback mode by Antonio Salieri – now confined to an insane asylum.

• Director: Milos Forman
• Genre:Drama / Music
• Runtime:180 minutes

Cast

F. Murray Abraham: Antonio Salieri
Tom Hulce : Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Elizabeth Berridge: Constanze Mozart
Simon Callow : Emanuel Schikaneder / Papageno in ‘The Magic Flute’
Roy Dotrice : Leopold Mozart

The film begins in 1823 as Salieri, as an old man, attempts suicide by slitting his throat while loudly begging forgiveness for having killed Mozart in 1791. Placed in a lunatic asylum for the act, Salieri is visited by a young priest who seeks to take his confession. Salieri is sullen and uninterested but eventually warms to the priest and launches into a long “confession” about the relationship between himself and Mozart. As the scenes later cut back to this dialogue, it appears that Salieri’s tale goes on through the night and into the next day. This dialog comprises a frame story, with the bulk of the movie being flashbacks to Mozart’s lifetime.

Salieri reminisces about his youth, particularly about his devotion to God and his love for music and how he pledges to God to remain celibate as a sacrifice if he can somehow devote his life to music. He describes how his father’s plans for him were to go into business, but Salieri suggests that the sudden death of his father, who choked to death during a meal, was “a miracle” that allowed Salieri to pursue a career in music. In his narrative, he is suddenly an adult joining the 18th century cultural elite in Vienna, the “city of musicians.” Salieri begins his career as a devout, God-fearing man who believes his success and talent as a composer are God’s rewards for his piety. He is content as the court composer for Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II.

Mozart arrives in Vienna with his patron, Count Hieronymus von Colloredo, the Archbishop of Salzburg. Salieri secretly observes Mozart at the Archbishop’s palace, but they are not properly introduced. Salieri sees that Mozart off-stage is irreverent and lewd. He also first recognizes the immense talent displayed in the adult works of Mozart. In 1781, when Mozart meets the Emperor, Salieri presents Mozart with a little “March of Welcome,” which he had toiled to create. At this meeting, Mozart first displays a childish high-pitched laugh which is heard, at times, throughout the rest of the film. After hearing the march only once, Mozart spontaneously “improves” this piece with minimal effort, transforming Salieri’s “trifle” into the “Non più andrai” march from his opera The Marriage of Figaro.

Salieri reels at the notion of God speaking through the childish, petulant Mozart, whose music he regards as miraculous. Gradually, Salieri’s faith is shaken. He believes that God, through Mozart’s genius, is cruelly laughing at Salieri’s own musical mediocrity. Salieri’s struggles with God are intercut with scenes showing Mozart’s own trials and tribulations with life in Vienna: pride at the initial reception of his music; anger and disbelief over his subsequent treatment by the Italians of the Emperor’s court; happiness with his wife Constanze and his son Karl; and grief at the death of his father Leopold. Mozart becomes more desperate as the family’s expenses increase and his commissions decrease. When Salieri learns of Mozart’s financial straits, he finally sees his chance to avenge himself, using “God’s Beloved” (the literal meaning of “Amadeus”) as the instrument. Read more

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