Masterpiece of jealousy & musical genius, woefully unhistorical

Rating: 9/10 (9 March 2006)

When I saw this movie upon its release, I was enthralled with it. Even today, I'm sure I'd regard it as a cinematic masterpiece. The lead actors are all brilliant in their roles (especially F. Murray Abraham as the jealous Salieri), the plot gripping, the flashback mode of storytelling compelling, the sets and costumes spectacular, and Mozart's music of course divine, literally, as only God could impart to a mere mortal such musical genius.
That being said, and it may make for tremendous drama, but is it quite right to rewrite history to that extent for the stage or screen? There may have been rumours of a deathbed confession, but to the best of my knowledge there is no historical credence whatsoever given to any claim that Salieri murdered or conspired to murder Mozart. They were contemporaries & possibly rivals, but to what extent was he even jealous? My sources claim more evidence of a cooperative spirit between the two composers than any genuine antipathy. Salieri is not here to defend himself, and it's reprehensible to accuse the deceased of murder (or imply as much), simply to inaccurately entertain the masses and make bucks for the theatre or film industry.
True, the movie never outright states that Salieri murdered Mozart; maybe it is only extreme guilt from his consuming jealousy that makes him believe he did so. However, as presented, many viewers (especially those who aren't music scholars) will retain permanently as truth this film's picture of the two composers, long after the closing credits, and their picture of Salieri will be that of a murderer. Mind you, I had no such qualms of conscience myself when I originally saw this film 20 or so years ago.
The movie seems to have taken a lot of dramatic license as its Salieri makes a vow of celibacy when young, causing him to feel sexually frustrated throughout life. The real Salieri married and fathered eight children!
Of course the plot revolves around the supposedly mediocre composer, Antonio Salieri, who is consumed with jealousy for the genius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Abraham plays Salieri to perfection, his hatred and his attempts to conceal it obvious to the viewer, who completely sympathizes with his inner struggles. Also, the entire concept of his devotion to God, questioning why? why? why? did He not impart such musical genius to him, Salieri, who would have used it for God's glory, rather than squandering it on the totally undeserving Mozart. It's a question many people of faith must ask when they look at others and see academic, musical, artistic, athletic, or whatever talents that they themselves long for but lack, while others less worthy in their midst have unjustly been granted them. A theme that many can relate to in ordinary life, brilliantly conveyed.
As for Mozart (played by Tom Hulce), if he was really as silly, crude, and obnoxious as this movie portrayed, I might well have murdered him myself! I was relieved to read one comment claiming that Mozart is not depicted accurately here, that he was fun loving but socially quite proper. Thus, another desecration of the dead. Personally, I found the movie's most touching scene to be near the end when Mozart is buried in a mass, common grave. That outrage at least is historically accurate...a moving, tragic picture that is worth a thousand words, of a genius not truly honored in his day, at least not in death.
Possibly relative to Mozart, but it's unfair to cast Salieri as a mediocre composer. My son (a flute player) actually quite likes Salieri's compositions, praises Mozart's genius but suggests that many of his works are very similar. He especially appreciates Salieri's Concerto for Flute and Oboe.
Yes, Amadeus is a tremendous musical spectacle, a masterpiece of cinematography, an extraordinary (if extremely inaccurate) drama of human jealousy at its absolute worst (yet most sympathetic), but my conscience now does bother me just a little. Antonio Salieri should have been allowed to rest in peace.