"He had simply written down music already finished in his head".

Rating: 9/10 (8 May 2011)

My disadvantage watching this film is that I don't know a lot about the life of Mozart. Therefore I was put off by Tom Hulce's fey portrayal of the legendary composer, and struggled to accept the characterization offered here. However the picture seems to have more to say about Austrian court composer Antonio Salieri, and the relationship he developed with Mozart upon learning how unprincipled and downright vulgar the man was. Repressing his own personal desires, Salieri comes to realize he will never be as masterful a musician as the much younger Mozart, at once blaming himself and God for the talent he can never hope to acquire. This was skillfully conveyed when he read Mozart's musical notes for a particularly important piece, and marveled that there were no corrections or erasures on the finished product. That moment led to the comment in my summary line above, an observation that described Mozart's talent as an almost matter of fact skill rather than the product of some long and laborious process of creation. This was given further support by Mozart himself when he objected to Emperor Joseph's request to rewrite one of his operas - "I can't rewrite what's perfect" was the composer's response" - a comment that would challenge the Emperor to accept all or nothing, such was Mozart's supreme confidence in his own ability.
I've always wondered why the theatrical poster for this film looked so odd, with the black caped masked figure, and the question was answered with Salieri's disguise, commissioning Mozart to write a majestic funeral composition. The mask was two faced, one presenting a smiling, contented face, the other one of bitter scorn, perhaps the best expression of Salieri's dual nature in regards to his relationship with Mozart. Although truth be told, Salieri never appeared to have an outwardly happy demeanor in his quest to leave a musical legacy.
So I have mixed feelings about the picture. On an artistic level, it certainly deserves it's string of Oscars honoring Art Direction, Costume Design and Makeup. However the way Mozart's character is portrayed leaves me strangely perplexed, notwithstanding his creative genius. It didn't help that actor Hulce developed that irritating laugh to go with the vulgar outlook that his character carried into personal relationships. Still, I'd recommend it for cinema fans who enjoy classical music, as a wonderful sampling of Mozart's best work is ever present throughout the story.