Amadeus (1984)

Film: Amadeus

Director: Miloš Forman

Country: Czech Republic / USA

Released: September 1984

Runtime: 161 minutes

Genre: Biopic

Studio: Saul Zaentz Company

Influenced: Bernard Rose, John Madden, Olivier Dahan, Sofia Coppola, Todd Haynes, Christopher Nolan

Amadeus is arguably the greatest biopic ever made and the film has been the inspiration for so many similar biopics that have followed, from Shakespeare In Love (1998) to Oppenheimer (2023). In Amadeus, we're given the impression of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as an eccentric genius with an impulsive laugh and a ravenous sexual appetite and this does have some grounding in reality. Mozart's letters to his "little cousin", Bäsle, do actually reveal his odd humour, his precocity and his narcissism, as well as his penchant for gambling, women and drink. He cheated on his wife Constanze and was always in debt but still lived extravagantly, sponging off his relatives. Director Miloš Forman based his film on the acclaimed stage play of the same name by Peter Shaffer, which is also primarily centred around the fictional character of Antonio Salieri, a successful composer who becomes consumed with envy and bitterness towards Mozart's unparalleled musical talent.

One of many beautiful moments in the film sees Salieri (played by F. Murray Abraham) describing a Mozart piece and its "rusty squeezebox" opening and stunning use of oboes, leading him to ponder, "Why would God choose an obscene child to be his instrument?" When Mozart (Tom Hulce) arrives in Vienna, Salieri is both fascinated and dismayed by the young composer's extraordinary gift. The story is narrated by an elderly Salieri while residing in a mental asylum, recounting his memories and the events that led him there. Salieri was once an esteemed court composer in Vienna, enjoying a considerable reputation and favour with Emperor Joseph II (Jeffrey Jones), but Mozart's arrival turns his world upside down.

Mozart's genius is evident as he effortlessly composes and performs masterpieces that astound all who hear them. We see the premier of Mozart's opera, "The Abduction from the Seraglio", which cements his status as a musical prodigy in Vienna, and also the composition and performance of Mozart's operatic masterpiece, "The Marriage of Figaro". Salieri becomes increasingly jealous of Mozart's musical prowess; the fact that God has chosen to bestow such talent upon someone Salieri perceives as undeserving and vulgar is particularly upsetting for an apparent man of religion. Salieri becomes so obsessed with undermining Mozart's career that he goes so far as to cause him and his family financial and personal sruggles, eventually leading to Mozart's tragic decline and untimely death.

One of Forman's many innovations in the film was the way he portrays classical music and the creative process involved, with Amadeus very effectively weaving Mozart's compositions into the narrative, using the music to drive the story and evoke emotions. The film provides a rich and authentic depiction of 18th-century Vienna, capturing the opulence and social nuances of the time. Forman also uses Salieri as an ambiguous narrator, serving as both protagonist and antagonist, a trick that is pulled off so well by Abraham's masterful acting. Amadeus was a commercial and critical success, winning eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Abraham (who competed against Hulce). Not only is it one of the most celebrated films about classical music, but it is also an unrivalled portrayal of genius and jealousy; in later films like Nolan's Oppenheimer, we again see the dynamic of a brilliant, troubled mind and a petty, powerful man who both admired and tormented him.