Films Of The 80's: Amadeus

Rating: 10/10 (5 May 2006)

Amadeus (1984): Starring Tom Hulce, F. Murray Abraham, Jeffrey Jones, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Christine Ebersole, Charles Kay, Barbara Bryne, Simon Callow, Kenny Baker, Herman Meckler, Cynthia Nixon. Director Milos Foreman Best Picture Of The Year For 1984, Amadeus was previously a smash Broadway play by Peter Schaffer. The film boasts an extensive Mozart score, authentic period costumes and stunning cinematography, not to mention the first-rate performances by all the principal actors, particularly in F. Murray Abraham's portrayal of the wicked and jealous rival composer Antonio Salieri, a performance which earned his Best Actor Oscar. Amadeus is a fine introduction to the times of Mozart and his music, and many music history classes find it worthy class viewing material, but truthfully, the play and the film was so compelling for the reason it was mostly fictional. Any learned music scholar will tell you that Salieri never killed Mozart nor was insanely jealous the way he is in this movie. Mozart is portrayed as a flamboyant man-child, an excessive hedonist and a vulgar, smart-aleck rebel. He may not have been this wild in real life. He did in fact drink and party too much and his alcohol problem gave way to his liver complications which resulted in death. His musical genius is never in question, though and that part is at least accurate. Emperor Joseph (played by Jeffrey Jones) was indeed a great patron of his music. Small-theater manager Emmanuel Schikaneder (played by Simon Callow) was a friend of Mozart and collaborated in the production of "The Magic Flute", even acting and singing the part of Papageno, as shown in the film. There are some truths to the film concerning Mozart's childhood and his constant hand-to-mouth lifestyle and the fact his father Leopold never approved of him as an adult. There are genuine moments of humor and brilliant screen writing, such as the scene in which his wife Constanza shows Salieri a sample of Mozart's music, and Salieri is in awe at the music. Other great scenes include Salieri burning a cross and giving up his Catholic faith, believing God has abandoned him, a dying Mozart composing the Requiem with the help of Salieri, who is only there to see he dies. The opening scene, in which Salieri attempts suicide, is also quite powerful, and opens the film rather well. Salieri's final monologue at the asylum, in which he proclaims himself the patron saint of mediocrities everywhere is also poignant. Pathetic he is, but somehow it's rather sad to see him fall to pieces that way. The music is what makes this film especially good, at least for me. The soundtrack is unbeatable, full of a plethora of Mozart's piano concerti, operas (Figaro, Don Giovanni and Magic Flute) chamber works and of course the final piece - the Requiem. The movie is rather dark in that Salieri seems to give up his humanity for the sake of extracting revenge, consumed by jealousy and envy of a man he felt superior to him musically. This is a well-made DRAMA, but not a history lesson in music. But as a drama, one must admit it's wonderful. I, for one, was on the side of Mozart, Constanza and their son, and absolutely disliked the stuffy, snobbish Court at Vienna. The late 18th century period, from horse-drawn carriages, to the way operas were performed, to the interior of the homes, is all remarkably real. It remains a great film and justly deserved its Oscar.