Amadeus (film)

Amadeus (film)
Name	Amadeus
Director	Miloš Forman
Producer	Saul Zaentz
Writer	Peter Shaffer
Starring	F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Simon Callow, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones
Music	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Cinematography	Miroslav Ondříček
Editing	Michael Chandler, Nena Danevic
Studio	The Saul Zaentz Company
Distributor	Orion Pictures
Released	19 September 1984
Runtime	160 minutes (theatrical), 180 minutes (director's cut)
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$18 million
Gross	$91.9 million

Amadeus (film). *Amadeus* is a 1984 American period biographical drama film directed by Miloš Forman and adapted by Peter Shaffer from his own 1979 stage play of the same name. The story, presented as a flashback from the perspective of an aged Antonio Salieri, explores his bitter rivalry with the musical genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the court of Emperor Joseph II in Vienna. A critical and commercial success, the film is celebrated for its lavish production, powerful performances, and innovative use of Mozart's music, though its historical narrative is largely fictionalized.

Plot

In 1823, an elderly and institutionalized Antonio Salieri attempts suicide while shouting a confession that he murdered Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart decades earlier. A young priest, Father Vogler, visits him, prompting Salieri to narrate the story of his intense envy. He recounts his own rise as a devout and respected composer in the court of Emperor Joseph II in Vienna, a position shattered by the arrival of the brilliant but vulgar and immature Mozart. Salieri is both awed and horrified by Mozart's divine talent, perceiving it as a cruel joke by God. His envy festers into obsession, leading him to undertake a campaign to undermine Mozart's career and finances, culminating in a scheme involving a disguised commission for a Requiem Mass. The film depicts Mozart's descent into poverty and illness, his composition of *The Magic Flute*, and his eventual death, with Salieri secretly transcribing the final passages of the Requiem.

Cast

The ensemble cast features F. Murray Abraham in an Academy Award-winning performance as the envious court composer Antonio Salieri. Tom Hulce portrays the prodigious yet irreverent Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, earning an Academy Award nomination. Elizabeth Berridge plays Mozart's wife, Constanze Weber. Key supporting roles include Roy Dotrice as Mozart's demanding father, Leopold Mozart; Simon Callow as the librettist and theater impresario Emanuel Schikaneder; and Christine Ebersole as the Emperor's niece and Salieri's pupil, Katerina Cavalieri. Jeffrey Jones appears as the well-meaning but musically naive patron, Emperor Joseph II.

Production

Director Miloš Forman and producer Saul Zaentz filmed *Amadeus* primarily in Prague and Kroměříž in Czechoslovakia, utilizing the city's preserved Baroque and Rococo architecture to authentically stand in for 18th-century Vienna. The production faced significant challenges, including working behind the Iron Curtain and meticulously recreating period costumes and opera productions. Forman made a key departure from Shaffer's stage play by casting American actors for the lead roles to achieve a more naturalistic performance style. The film's soundtrack, conducted by Sir Neville Marriner with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, features extensive performances of works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, including excerpts from *The Marriage of Figaro*, *Don Giovanni*, and *Symphony No. 25*.

Historical accuracy

While grounded in the real figures of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, the film is a highly fictionalized drama based on Peter Shaffer's theatrical interpretation. The central premise of a murderous rivalry and Salieri's confession is apocryphal, stemming from rumors that circulated after Mozart's death, though most scholars dismiss the idea of animosity beyond professional competition. The portrayal of Mozart as a perpetual, crude adolescent is exaggerated, and characters like Emperor Joseph II and Constanze Mozart are simplified for dramatic effect. The film accurately depicts many locations, such as the Burgtheater, and correctly uses Mozart's compositions from the correct periods, but the narrative is ultimately a thematic exploration of genius, mediocrity, and divine injustice rather than a factual biography.

Reception

Upon its release, *Amadeus* received widespread critical acclaim. Reviewers in publications like *The New York Times* and *The Washington Post* praised its opulent visual style, compelling narrative, and the tour-de-force performances of F. Murray Abraham and Tom Hulce. The film was a major box office success, grossing over $90 million worldwide against an $18 million budget. It sparked renewed popular interest in the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and in classical music generally, with the soundtrack album selling millions of copies. The film's exploration of artistic jealousy and the nature of talent resonated deeply with both audiences and critics, cementing its status as a classic.

Awards and accolades

*Amadeus* was a dominant force during the 1984 awards season. At the 57th Academy Awards, it won eight Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director for Miloš Forman, Best Actor for F. Murray Abraham, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Peter Shaffer. It also won four BAFTAs, including Best Film, and four Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama. The film is preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Category:1984 films Category:American biographical drama films Category:Best Picture Academy Award winners