Movie: Wolfgang Amadeus MozartThe movie takes place in Vienna, Austria in the 1700’s. The film beginswith the attempted suicide of Antonio Salieri, a court composer of the AustrianEmperor. He is placed in a mental asylum where a priest visits and asks for hisconfession. Salieri claims to have caused the death of Mozart. The rest of themovie is a narration by the court composer, mostly in flashbacks, of how hecaused this death.
Salieri recounts that while he was playing games as a boy Mozart wasplaying music for the King. At the age of four, Mozart composed his firstconcerto, at seven, his first symphony, and at twelve, his first opera. He wasconsidered a child prodigy.
Salieri wished to become a famous composer, like his idol. However, hisfather would not allow this. He didn’t want his son to be a trained monkey, ontour around Europe performing tricks like a circus’. Salieri prayed to God andwhat he considered a miracle happened: his father dies and he was able to pursuehis musical studies. He eventually became a popular musician and teacher in theEmperor’s court. When he heard Mozart was coming to Vienna from Salzburg, heeagerly sought him out. He finally found him at a party, way from the otherguests, acting like a silly animal, chasing a young woman. However, as soon ashe heard his music starting without him, he changed into a serious musician,rushing to take his place as conductor. Salieri noticed that Mozart conductedwithout notes. Although he recognized that Mozart was a giggling, dirty-mindedcreature’, he was also able to see the genius in him. He couldn’t understand whyGod had chosen a obscene child to be his instrument’. At another time, Mozart’swife presents to Salieri some of his work in an attempt to get him a job as ateacher. Salieri sees that the music sheets have no corrections and no notes.
Mozart simply composed from his head onto paper. It is then that Salieri isoverwhelmed by his brilliance. He realized that God has given to Mozart theskills and genius that he has always prayed for, and all he gave to Salieri isthe ability to recognize it. It is at this point that he turned away from Godand set out to ruin Mozart.
Salieri then describes what Mozart was like. Mozart drank too much, hepartied all day and composed all night. He disobeyed his father by marryingwithout permission. He was stressed out. He had bad manners, he wasinconsiderate of his wife and child, rude to others, selfish and conceited. Hehad a horrible financial situation. He spent money he didn’t have and had manydebts. In other words, the only positive part of his personality was hiscomposing.
Mozart’s father came for a stay. There was much friction between hisfather and his wife. His father, who had devoted so much time to teaching hisson music, was devastated by his lifestyle. They argued and the result was thedeparture of Herr Mozart. His father died a short time later.
One day, a housemaid offers her services to the poor Mozart family. Sheexplains that she will be paid for by a anonymous admirer, but in fact Salierihas hired her to spy. He discovers that Mozart is putting forbidden parts intohis opera. Salieri tries to ruin him but the Emperor bends the rules to allowMozart to play his brilliant music. The opera is a masterpiece and made Salierimore jealous and angrier at both Mozart and God. He uses his position as courtcomposer to cancel the show after only a few performances, and does this withother operas also. As a result, Mozart becomes poorer, more discouraged and actscrazier and even mocks his dead father.
Near the end of the movie, Salieri disguises himself in a costume wornbefore by Herr Mozart. He offers young Mozart a lot of money to compose afuneral (requiem) mass. His plan is to have Mozart write this piece, then killMozart and pretend that he (Salieri) has written this wonderful music for thedead composer. However, Mozart cannot complete the opera. Instead, he getssicker and sicker. He seems to be going insane. He becomes physically ill aswell. He drinks and parties all hours. His wife finally leaves him.
One evening, while conducting a popular opera, he collapses. AlthoughSalieri hates him, he also secretly cannot stay away from his brilliantperformances, so he is there when Mozart collapses. He brings him home and triesto get him to finish his requiem mass. In his last few hours, they seem to bealmost friends. In the morning, Mrs. Mozart returns just in time to see herhusband die. Because of their poverty, Mozart is buried with other men in acommunal, unmarked grave.
Now Salieri once again blames God, this time for killing Mozart andkeeping Salieri alive to suffer. As the movie ends, Salieri is being wheeledthrough a room of mentally ill patients and this is where he will spend hisremaining days.
I think that Hollywood may have over-exaggerated Mozart’s behaviour. Inmy reading there is no evidence that he was like this. I wonder if Salierireally hated or was jealous of Mozart. Did Salieri really plan to kill thecomposer? The World Book Encyclopedia states that Mozart did try to earn moneyby teaching pupils. There is no mention of any abnormal behavior.
Whether the movie is true or false, I think the movie tries to show thatgenius is next to madness. A person may excel in one subject, yet the growth ofthe other parts of his behavior may be stunted. The movie also points out thatjealousy brings misery. Salieri was well paid and popular, had a high position,and had respect from other people. Yet he remained unhappy and even ruined hislife, all over the fact that another musician was better than he. Finally, it’sa great tragedy that Mozart died so young and penniless.
The movie was well acted, and the music was beautiful to hear. Music and Movies
