Amadeus

The throng is mostly seated. The musicians are in their places, holding their vari-

ous exotic-looking wind instruments; the candles are all lit. A Majordomo appears

and bangs his staff on the floor for attention. Immediately COLLOREDO,

Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg enters. He is a small self-important figure of fifty

in a wig, surmounted by a scarlet skullcap. He is followed by his Chamberlain, the

Count ARCO. Everyone stands. The Archbishop goes to his throne and sits. His

guests sit also. Arco gives the signal to start the music. Nothing happens. Instead,

a wind musician gets up, approaches the Chamberlain and whispers in his ear. Arco

in turn whispers to the Archbishop.

ARCO

Mozart is not here.

COLLOREDO

Where is he?

ARCO

They're looking for him, Your Grace.

27 INT. A PALACE CORRIDOR - DAY - 1780's 27

Three servants are opening doors and looking into rooms going off the corridor.

CUT TO:

28 INT. PALACE GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780's 28

The guests are turning around and looking at the Archbishop. The musicians are

watching. There is puzzlement and a murmur of comment. The Archbishop

tightens his lip.

COLLOREDO

(to Arco)

We'll start without him.

29 INT. PALACE BUFFET ROOM - DAY - 1780's 29

Mozart is on his knees before the tablecloth, which reaches to the floor. Under it is

Constanze. We hear her giggling as he talks.

MOZART

Miaouw! Miaouw! Mouse-wouse? It's Puss-wuss, fangs-wangs.

Paws-claws. Pounce-bounce!

He grabs her ankle. She screams. He pulls her out by her leg.

CONSTANZE

Stop it. Stop it!

They roll on the floor. He tickles her.

CONSTANZE

Stop it!

MOZART

I am! I am! I'm stopping it - slowly. You see! Look, I've

stopped. Now we are going back.

He tries to drag her back under the table.

CONSTANZE

No! No! No!

MOZART

Yes! Back! Back! Listen - don't you know where you are?

CONSTANZE

Where?

MOZART

We are in the Residence of the Fartsbishop of Salzburg.

CONSTANZE

Fartsbishop!

She laughs delightedly, then addresses an imaginary Archbishop.

CONSTANZE

Your Grace, I've got something to tell you. I want to complain

about this man.

MOZART

Go ahead, tell him. Tell them all. They won't understand you

anyway.

CONSTANZE

Why not?

MOZART

Because here everything goes backwards. People walk backwards,

dance backwards, sing backwards, and talk backwards.

CONSTANZE

That's stupid.

MOZART

Why? People fart backwards.

CONSTANZE

Do you think that's funny?

MOZART

Yes, I think it's brilliant. You've been doing it for years.

He gives a high pitched giggle.

CONSTANZE

Oh, ha, ha, ha.

MOZART

Sra-I'm-sick! Sra-I'm sick!

CONSTANZE

Yes, you are. You're very sick.

MOZART

No, no. Say it backwards, shit-wit. 襍ra-I'm-sick Say it

backwards!

CONSTANZE

(working it out)

Sra-I'm-sick. Sick - 襨iss I'm - 襪y 襅iss my! Sra-I'm-

sick - 襅iss my arse!

MOZART

Em iram! Em iram!

CONSTANZE

No, I'm not playing this game.

MOZART

No, this is serious. Say it backwards.

CONSTANZE

No!

MOZART

Just say it - you'll see. It's very serious. Em iram! Em iram!

CONSTANZE

Iram - 襪arry Em - 襪arry me! No, no! You're a fiend.

I'm not going to marry a fiend. A dirty fiend at that.

MOZART

Ui-vol-i-tub!

CONSTANZE

Tub - 襜ut i-tub - 襜ut I vol - 襩ove 褺ut I love ui -

襶ou. I love you!

The mood becomes suddenly softer. She kisses him. They embrace. Then he

spoils it.

MOZART

Tish-I'm tee. What's that?

CONSTANZE

What?

MOZART

Tish-I'm-tee.

CONSTANZE

褽at

MOZART

Yes.

CONSTANZE

Eat my - ah!

Shocked, she strikes at him. At the same moment the music starts in the salon

next door. We hear the opening of the Serenade for Thirteen Wind Instruments, K.

361.

MOZART

My music! They've started! They've started without me!

He leaps up, disheveled and rumpled and runs out of the room. Salieri watches in

amazement and disgust.

CUT TO:

30 INT. PALACE CORRIDOR - DAY - 1780's 30

The music is louder. Mozart hastens towards the Grand Salon away from the buf-

fet room, adjusting his dress as he goes.

31 INT. GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780's 31

The opening of the Serenade is being tentatively conducted by the leader of the

wind-musicians. Guests turn around as Mozart appears - bowing to the

Archbishop - and walks with an attempt at dignity to the dais where the wind

band is playing. The leader yields his place to the composer and Mozart smoothly

takes over conducting.

Constanze, deeply embarrassed, sneaks into the room and seats herself at the back.

32 INT. PALACE BUFFET ROOM - DAY - 1780's 32

The music fades down. Salieri stands shocked from his inadvertent eavesdropping.

After a second he moves almost in a trance toward the door; the music dissolves.

33 INT. GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780's 33

Mozart is conducting the Adagio from his Serenade (K. 361), guiding the thirteen

wind instrumentalists. The 襰queezebox opening of the movement begins.

Salieri appears at the door at the back of the salon. He stares in disbelief at

Mozart.

OLD SALIERI

(V.O.)

So that was he! That giggling, dirty-minded creature I'd just seen

crawling on the floor. Mozart. The phenomenon whose legend

had haunted my youth. Impossible.

The music swells up and Salieri listens to it with eyes closed - amazed, trans-

ported - suddenly engulfed by the sound. Finally it fades down and away and

changes into applause. Salieri opens his eyes.

The audience is clearly delighted. Mozart bows to them, also delighted.

Colloredo rises abruptly, and without looking at Mozart or applauding and leaves

the Salon. Count Arco approaches the composer. Mozart turns to him, radiant.

ARCO

Follow me, please. The Archbishop would like a word.

MOZART

Certainly!

He follows Arco out of the room, through a throng of admirers.

34 INT. ANOTHER PALACE CORRIDOR - DAY - 1780's 34

Mozart and Arco walk side by side. They pass Salieri who is staring at Mozart in

fascination. As they disappear, he steals toward the music stands, unable to help

himself.

MOZART

Well, I think that went off remarkably well, don't you?

ARCO

Indeed.

MOZART

These Viennese certainly know good music when they hear it.

ARCO

His Grace is very angry with you.

MOZART

What do you mean?

They arrive at the door of Colloredo's private apartment.

ARCO

You are to come in here and ask his pardon.

Arco opens the door.

39 INT. ARCHBISHOP'S PRIVATE ROOM - DAY - 1780's 39

The Archbishop is sitting, chatting to quests. Among them are several ladies. Arco

approaches him obsequiously.

ARCO

Your Grace.

COLLOREDO

Ah, Mozart. Why?

MOZART

Why what, sir?

COLLOREDO

Why do I have to be humiliated in front of my guests by one of

my own servants?

MOZART

Humiliated?

COLLOREDO

How much provocation am I to endure from you? The more li-

cense I allow you, the more you take.

The company watches this scene, deeply interested.

MOZART

If His Grace is not satisfied with me, he can dismiss me.

COLLOREDO

I wish you to return immediately to Salzburg. Your father is

waiting for you there patiently. I will speak to you further when I

come.

MOZART

No, Your Grace! I mean with all humility, no. I would rather

you dismissed me. It's obvious I don't satisfy.

COLLOREDO

Then try harder, Mozart. I have no intention of dismissing you.

You will remain in my service and learn your place. Go now.

He extends his hand to be kissed. Mozart does it with a furious grace, then leaves

the room. As he opens the door we see:

40 INT. PALACE CORRIDOR - DAY - 1780's 40

A group of people who have attended the concert, among them Constanze, are

standing outside the private apartment. At sight of the composer they break into

sustained applause. Mozart is suddenly delighted. He throws the door wide open

so that the guests can see into the private apartment where the Archbishop sits -

and he can see them. Colloredo is clearly discomfited by this reception of his

employee. He smiles and bows uneasily, as they include him in the small ovation.

Mozart stands in the corridor, out of the Archbishop's line of sight, bowing and

giggling, and encouraging the applause for the Archbishop with conducting ges-

tures. Suddenly irritated, Colloredo signs to Arco, who steps forward and shuts

the door, ending the applause.

41 INT. PALACE GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780's 41

Salieri, in this vast room, is standing and looking at the full score of the Serenade.

He turns the pages back to the slow movement. Instantly, we again hear its lyrical

strains.

CU, Salieri, reading the score of the Adagio in helpless fascination. The music is

played against his description of it.

OLD SALIERI

(V.O.)

Extraordinary! On the page it looked nothing. The beginning

simple, almost comic. Just a pulse - bassoons and basset horns -

like a rusty squeezebox. Then suddenly - high above it - an

oboe, a single note, hanging there unwavering, till a clarinet took

over and sweetened it into a phrase of such delight! This was no

composition by a performing monkey! This was a music I'd never

heard. Filled with such longing, such unfulfillable longing, it had

me trembling. It seemed to me that I was hearing a voice of God.

Suddenly the music snaps off. Mozart stands before him as he lays down the

score.

MOZART

Excuse me!

He takes the score, bows, and struts briskly out of the room. Salieri stares uncom-

prehendingly after the jaunty little figure.

OLD SALIERI

(V.O.)

But why?

41A INT. OLD SALIERI'S HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT - 1823 41A

OLD SALIERI

Why? Would God choose an obscene child to be His instrument?

It was not to be believed! This piece had to be an accident. It

had to be!

42 INT. PALACE DINING ROOM - DAY - 1780's 42

At the table sits the EMPEROR JOSEPH II, eating his frugal dinner and sipping

goat's milk. He is an intelligent, dapper man of forty, wearing a military uniform.

Around him but standing, are his Chamberlain, JOHANN VON STRACK: stiff

and highly correct. COUNT ORSINI-ROSENBERG: a corpulent man of sixty,

highly conscious of his position as Director of the Opera. BARON VON

SWIETEN, the Imperial Librarian: a grave but kindly and educated man in his

mid-fifties. FIRST KAPELLMEISTER GIUSEPPE BONNO: very Italian,

cringing and time-serving, aged about seventy. And Salieri, wearing decorous

black, as usual.

At a side-table, two Imperial secretaries, using quill pens and inkstands, write down

everything of importance that is said.

JOSEPH

How good is he, this Mozart?

VON SWIETEN

He's remarkable, Majesty. I heard an extraordinary serious opera

of his last month. Idomeneo, King of Crete.

ORSINI-ROSENBERG

That? A most tiresome piece. I heard it, too.

VON SWIETEN

Tiresome?

ORSINI-ROSENBERG

A young man trying to impress beyond his abilities. Too much

spice. Too many notes.

VON SWIETEN

Majesty, I thought it the most promising work I've heard in years.

JOSEPH

Ah-ha. Well then, we should make some effort to acquire him.

We could use a good German composer in Vienna, surely?

VON STRACK

I agree, Majesty, but I'm afraid it's not possible. The young man

is still in the pay of the Archbishop.

JOSEPH

Very small pay, I imagine. I'm sure he could be tempted with the

right offer. Say, an opera in German for our National Theatre.

VON SWIETEN

Excellent, sire!

ORSINI-ROSENBERG

But not German, I beg your Majesty! Italian is the proper lan-

guage for opera. All educated people agree on that.

JOSEPH

Ah-ha. What do you say, Chamberlain?

VON STRACK

In my opinion, it is time we had a piece in our own language, sir.

Plain German. For plain people.

He looks defiantly at Orsini-Rosenberg.

JOSEPH

Ah-ha. Kapellmeister?

BONNO

(Italian accent)

Majesty, I must agree with Herr Dirretore. Opera is an Italian

art, solamente. German is - scusate - too bruta for singing, too

rough.

JOSEPH

Ah-ha. Court Composer, what do you say?

SALIERI

I think it is an interesting notion to keep Mozart in Vienna,

Majesty. It should really infuriate the Archbishop beyond mea-

sure - if that is your Majesty's intention.

JOSEPH

You are cattivo, Court Composer. (briskly, to Von Strack) I want

to meet this young man. Chamberlain, arrange a pleasant wel-

come for him.

VON STRACK

Yes, sir.

JOSEPH

Well. There it is.

43 INT. BEDROOM IN SALIERI'S APARTMENT - DAY - 1780's 43

A somber room which serves both as a bedroom and a study. We see a four-poster

bed. Also, a marble mantelpiece above which hangs a handsome cross in olive-

wood, bearing the figure of a severe Christ. Opposite this image sits Salieri at his

desk, on which stands a pile of music paper, quill pens and ink. On one side of

him is an open forte-piano on which he occasionally tries notes from the march he

is composing, with some difficulty. He scratches notes out with his quill, and ruf-

fles his hair - which we see without a powdered wig. There is a knock at the door.

SALIERI

Si.

A servant admits LORL, a young lower-class girl, who appears carrying a basket in

which is a box covered with a napkin. She has just come from the baker's shop.

SALIERI

Ah! Here she comes. Fra焞ein Lorl, good morning.

LORL

Good morning, sir.

SALIERI

What have you got for me today? Let me see.

Greedily he unwraps the napkin and lifts the lid on the box.

SALIERI

Ah-ha! Siena macaroons - my favourites. Give my best thanks

to the baker.

LORL

I will, sir.

He takes a biscuit and eats.

SALIERI

Thank you. Are you well today, Fra焞ein Lorl?

LORL

Yes, thank you, sir.

SALIERI

Bene! Bene!

She gives a little curtsey, flattered and giggling and is shown out. Salieri turns back

to his work, chewing. He plays through a complete line of the march. He smiles,

pleased with the result.

SALIERI

Grazie, Signore.

He inclines his head to the Christ above the fireplace, and starts to play the whole

march, including the phrase which pleased him.

44 INT. A WIGMAKER'S SHOP - VIENNA - DAY - 1780's 44

The march continues on the forte-piano as we see Mozart, seated in front of a mir-

ror, wearing an extravagant wig. On either side of him stands a SALESMAN, one

of them holding another wig, equally extravagant. Mozart takes off the first wig,

to reveal his own blonde hair, of which he is extremely proud, and hands it back.

MOZART

And the other one?

The Salesman puts the second wig on his head. Mozart pulls a face of doubt in the

mirror.

MOZART

And the other one?

He takes it off and the other Salesman replaces it with the first wig on his head.

MOZART

Oh, they're both so beautiful, I can't decide. Why don't I have

two heads?

He giggles. The music stops.

45 INT. GRAND SALON - THE ROYAL PALACE - DAY - 1780's 45

A door opens. We glimpse in the next room the Emperor Joseph bidding goodbye

to a group of military officers standing around a table.

JOSEPH

Good, good, good.

He turns and comes into the salon, where another group awaits him. It consists of

Von Strack, Orsini-Rosenberg, Bonno, Von Swieten and Salieri. The room con-

tains several gilded chairs dotted about, and a forte-piano.

JOSEPH

Good morning, gentlemen.

All bow and say, 褿ood morning, Your Majesty!

JOSEPH

(to Von Strack)

Well, what do you have for me today?

VON STRACK

Your Majesty, Herr Mozart -

JOSEPH

Yes, what about him?

VON STRACK

He's here.

JOSEPH

Ah-ha. Well. There it is. Good.

SALIERI

Majesty, I hope you won't think it improper, but I have written a

little March of Welcome in his honour.

He produces a paper.

JOSEPH

What a charming idea. May I see?

SALIERI

(handing it over)

It's just a trifle, of course.

JOSEPH

May I try it?

SALIERI

Majesty.

The Emperor goes to the instrument, sits and plays the first bars of it. Quite well.

JOSEPH

Delightful, Court Composer. Would you permit me to play it as

he comes in?

SALIERI

You do me too much honour, Sire.

JOSEPH

Let's have some fun. (to the waiting Majordomo) Bring in Herr

Mozart, please. But slowly, slowly. I need a minute to practice.

The Majordomo bows and goes. The Emperor addresses himself to the march.

He plays a wrong note.

SALIERI

A-flat, Majesty.

JOSEPH

Ah-ha!

46 INT. PALACE CORRIDOR - VIENNA - DAY - 1780's 46

Taking his instructions literally, the Majordomo is marching very slowly toward

the salon door. He is followed by a bewildered Mozart, dressed very stylishly and

wearing one of the wigs from the perruqier.

47 INT. ROYAL PALACE GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780's 47

Joseph finishes the march. The door opens.

MAJORDOMO

Herr Mozart.

Mozart comes in eagerly. Immediately the march begins, played by His Majesty.

All the courtiers stand, listening with admiration. Joseph plays well, but applies

himself fiercely to the manuscript. Mozart, still bewildered, regards the scene, but

does not seem to pay attention to the music itself. It finishes and all clap obse-

quiously.

ORSINI-ROSENBERG

Bravo, Your Majesty!

VON STRACK

Well done, Sire!

The Emperor rises, pleased with himself. He snatches the manuscript off the stand

and holds it in his hand for the rest of the scene.

JOSEPH

Gentlemen, gentlemen, a little less enthusiasm, I beg you. Ah,

Mozart.

He extends his hand. Mozart throws himself to his knees, and to Joseph's discom-

fort kisses the royal hand with fervour.

MOZART

Your Majesty!

JOSEPH

No, no, please! It is not a holy relic. (raising Mozart up) You know

we have met already? In this very room. Perhaps you won't re-

member it, you were only six years old. (to the others) He was

giving the most brilliant little concert here. As he got off the

stool, he slipped and fell. My sister Antoinette helped him up

herself, and do you know what he did? Jumped straight into her

arms and said, 襑ill you marry me, yes or no?

Embarrassed, Mozart bursts into a wild giggle. Joseph helps him out.

JOSEPH

You know all these gentlemen, I'm sure.

Von Strack and Bonno nod.

JOSEPH

The Baron Von Swieten.

VON SWIETEN

I'm a great admirer of yours, young man. Welcome.

MOZART

Oh, thank you.

JOSEPH

The Director of our Opera. Count Orsini-Rosenberg.

MOZART

(bowing excitedly)

Oh sir, yes! The honour is mine. Absolutely.

Orsini-Rosenberg nods without enthusiasm.

JOSEPH

And here is our illustrious Court Composer, Herr Salieri.

SALIERI

(taking his hand)

Finally! Such an immense joy. Diletto straordinario!

MOZART

I know your work well, Signore. Do you know I actually com-

posed some variations on a melody of yours?

SALIERI

Really?

MOZART

Mio caro Adone.

SALIERI

Ah!

MOZART