Why do people give in so deeply to faith and a belief in a fate for themselves?
Life can be quite scary with the amount of uncertainty that we face each day. There is a comfort in attaching a belief that something or someone is watching over us to make sure that we will be okay. The sad truth is that even if that entity is there and watching over us, there is no guarantee that they will spare us from pain or suffering. On the contrary, there are many beliefs that point to a life of trials as our destiny to prove ourselves through life to achieve peace in the afterlife. Fate can also provide us with a guide and purpose. If we believe that we are meant for a specific thing (and hopefully some form of greatness), then we can avoid the fear of living what very well be a meaningless existence. Whether you are deeply religious or see the world as something that is only right there in front of us, faith and fate can wrap a comforter around us.
But do these things have to go together, per see?
I have been confirmed Roman Catholic but these days I feel more agnostic than ever. Existence is overwhelming with its scope and reach so it makes sense to not feel confident in believing in something specific. It is completely reasonable (at least from my perspective) to wonder what could really be out there (if anything). But fate can be a different story altogether. I personally do not find much value in a specific fate for myself. Life presents too much free will and chaos to make me comfortable in stating that my life will go one way. Life is dictated by timing which can be everything when it comes to human connections and opportunities to expand or redirect your life. I do not believe my life to be set (echoing the iconic words of Sarah Connor as T2 Judgment Day ends). I do believe in a purpose. I feel like a major piece of why I am here is to help others. That is why I am drawn to the work that I do. But as someone who has changed careers, rekindled relationships, and backed my way into fantastic opportunities (including all the writing that I do), I believe that life is chaotic and unpredictable.
But why did I spend so much time weaving in worldly thoughts and perspectives for this article about a music biopic?
At the heart of Amadeus, there is an existential war within the mind and soul of Antonio Salieri. But isn’t this a film about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? This is one of the most iconic musical geniuses in history. Of course, the film is about him. That is…only partially true. Sure, we do see the descent of a genius whose life spirals to poverty and grief. But whose eyes do we see this all through? Whose words fill our ears with the exploits of Mozart? Whose soul and deepest desires do we explore in Milos Forman’s grand cinematic achievement? Salieri. This is a man forgotten in mediocrity until a play by Peter Shaffer changed all of that. This play gave a spotlight to a man who even referred to himself as “The Patron Saint of Mediocrity”.
But who is Salieri?
This was a man who was the composer for the Emperor of Austria. This was a man of status and wealth. But not of talent. Talent is where Salieri lost in life. Don’t worry, these ideas are shared…by Salieri. But one man came into his life and shattered his illusion of just how great he really was. Mozart. This man was portrayed as a silly man who focuses on nothing but sexy, booze, and excess. All that talent is lost in the shuffle. But the way that Mozart squandered his talents, Salieri hated him for it. But Salieri had a bigger target for his hatred…God. His faith is tested and shattered. He believed that his fate was greatness only for the destiny to never come to pass.
How does this deeply thematic and layered tale come about?
Near-death and a cry for help, of course. Salieri cuts this throat one fateful night as he finds himself in front of the perfect soundboard and audience, a priest. Salieri’s vendetta is against God himself mind you, so it is only fitting that Salieri’s last pleas are directed at a steward for the word of God. Forman’s film could not have a better framing device. This whole story (even those elements deeply personal to Mozart are told from the perspective of Salieri. There are no unbiased perspectives to be had. We all might have worked with those whose morals are messed and broken. Mozart is a beloved figure in music history but who this all plays out for is subjective. We can hear the same album, and both get differing perspectives. Salieri might come after Mozart and try to break him but that is not his real target. God is the one who “slighted” Salieri, but Mozart is the “voice of God”.
Where does Salieri’s grudge against God come about?
From early in his life, he believed he would be famous and renowned. But one figure was in his way. His father. He prayed for salvation and prayed to not get abused anymore. He prayed for the death of his father. Guess what? This came true in a horribly poignant way. Salieri’s father dropped dead, and this man rejoiced. This arrogant and obsessed man takes this as a sign that his fate is greatness. But there was one scene that inhabited the turn. One moment that captures the shattering of Salieri’s perspective of his purpose. Salieri presents the emperor with a new composition. This proud composer must stand with a grin as this monarch butchers his work. But that is certainly not enough. Once the vulgar and brash Mozart arrives and provides backhanded compliments, the situation begins to spiral. The cherry on top of Salieri’s embarrassment is when Mozart takes his work and drastically improves it on the fly. At this moment, Salieri sees Mozart as the instrument of his embarrassment at the hands of his creator. God shames Salieri and now Salieri must destroy the voice of God.
What a great conflict to anchor your film on?
Most biopics find a musician rising to the top and then dealing with societal pressures, conflict with their fellow musicians, or the eventual descent into their vices. But how many biopics can you think of where the central figure sparks a rivalry with God himself? It might be framed in the context of Salieri versus Mozart, but these dense and poignant themes are bold enough to make this film rise above so many others. The film then presents Salieri’s systematic destruction of Mozart and his eventual “murder” of him. He provides Mozart with advice that will cause him grief. He purposefully talks down Mozart’s works so that they will be shut down after only a few performances. He hires a maid to spy and infiltrate the home of this mercurial genius. But he finally commissions (in secret) a piece of music that will finally push Mozart over the edge. Diabolical are his actions but conflicted are his motivations. Even if he caused Mozart’s best works to only be performed five times, Salieri sat there every night in awe. This complex and tortured mission provides layered and impact drama that few other biopics can muster when they worry about being a Wikipedia of that artist’s life.
But why Salieri?
Mozart is the genius we speak of today. Because this is a man on a mission and that mission is compelling. We can never know the truth of Mozart’s life as it was so long ago. To paint a more compelling narrative, the audience is treated to a legend. A murder mystery. The confession of a tired and broken man at the end of his life. How did Salieri kill Mozart? This confession to a priest is what keeps us on the edge of our seats for over 140-minutes. But it is also the man who tells this tale that compels us. Much of that comes from a career-defining performance by F. Murray Abraham. Even with plenty of aging make-up, you can feel every ounce of Abraham’s efforts pouring from this character. His voice…just perfect. Abraham has shown in so many films that he has one of the best narration voices in all of film. His voice captivates and that just makes this story more compelling. The sophistication of his present and the arrogance that he executes in every line is hard not to eat up. The framing device of this film allows Abraham to flex his acting powers with this lone priest as his cinematic soundboard. But in the actual narrative, we can see Abraham has to put on a façade. He must hide his judgment behind a smile and proper effect. We also get to see Abraham show great joy and awe in the presence of Mozart’s work. Dynamic and towering are two perfect words to encapsulate this Academy Award-winning performance.
But what about Abraham’s foil?
His fellow Academy Award nominee for Best Actor puts on a show as well. Tom Hulce was such an interesting choice for the role of Mozart. But he is the Mozart that Amadeus calls for. This is the kid from Animal House, mind you. With this vulgar, petulant, and brash take on a young genius who never grew up, Hulce is able to inject an infinite amount of charm and energy into his performance. That laugh. It is annoying, absurd, and perfect. This vocalization grabs your attention every time Hulce pulls it out from his sleeve. But let’s not write this performance off as a one-note clown. Hulce injects arrogance, self-assuredness, but also real pride. Mozart has every right to be proud of his incredible work and Hucle makes Mozart a real fighter. He has great sexual chemistry with Elizabeth Berridge who plays his beloved Constanze. Seeing how Mozart interacts with his father shows a side to Hulce’s performance roots in fear and childlike innocence.
But there can only be one scene that truly defines these two towering and impactful performances, right?
The creation of “Requiem in D minor” is a cinematic experience to behold. Mozart is on death’s door. His consumption of all types of vices plus exhaustion has brought his existence to one of pain and grief. His wife has left him and leaves him to just his work and Salieri’s predatory nature. Hulce is incredible as he is bed-ridden and seemingly beyond any help. But that is the moment we see the real Mozart. Up to this point, Mozart has been horny, complaining, and overall childish at every turn. Without those impulses to distract him, we see a fiery, intense, and passionate creator. There is a commanding presence that is quite unexpected. Mozart is the true maestro and Salieri sits in awe of his genius. Salieri becomes subservient in this scene as he scribes Mozart’s masterwork. We see the cracks in Salieri and Abrahams shine with his excitement but also confusion as he cannot fully comprehend the magic that Mozart is creating. This vulnerable state is refreshing to see Salieri so raw with all of his façades torn away. This scene is so impactful because we see two actors shifting so powerfully to show their characters as they really are.
What about the rest of the cast who fills out this period drama?
I already mentioned Berridge who provides so much life into the love of Mozart’s life. Constanze is a young woman who seems to be naïve but she is the real adult in her marriage. She has strength and knows what to do to do right by her family. She takes her husband’s work to Salieri to get him a job that they need but he is too proud to take it. She weathers uncomfortable sexual tension from Salieri (a man who swore off the flesh for his God but who still channels these desires in uncomfortable and predatory ways) to make this happen. She stands up to her husband when he continues to drag their family down. In the final moments she shares with her now deceased husband, there is a level of emotion that is important to praise. The other loved one in Mozart’s life was his commanding and cold father. When we see him for the first time, he is towering over Mozart and dressed all in black. The music is tense, and Mozart’s reaction is a mixture of fear and admiration. Roy Dotrice has a pitch-perfect stiff upper lip throughout the film delivering silent judgment over his son. One of the best comic relief characters in the film must be Emperor Joseph II. Jones is such a delight in this role with his stoicism and awkwardness. But I cannot help but laugh out loud when he asks if anyone likes a music-less ballet scene in Mozart’s opera.
But there is more to this film than just actors and characters, right?
Milos Forman has created two of the greatest films in history. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest set the stage for people to see Forman’s talent. But he took things to the next level with Amadeus and is big, bold, and truly affecting. The film is strikingly gorgeous. The production design is impeccable. The opera houses are opulent and gorgeous. The costumes and wigs are on a whole other level. You can just look at Mozart’s colorful wigs to see just how bold the choices would be in this film. The pacing is electric. Mozart’s father’s front and back black masks are striking and evocative. Dare I say iconic. You never feel like this film is if it is. The music is used perfectly to capture Mozart’s legacy and to deliver plenty of emotions. There is an air of drama with plenty of jolts of humor as well. There is a sly wit to this film that will give you laughs while stills seeing the seriousness of this story.
Why is Amadeus being one of the true greats of cinema that always gets left out of the conversation?
This is a big and bold epic worth every single second.
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This is too easy to pigeonhole the “Oscar bait” conversation. It is a biopic, a period piece, and about a classic musician. But guess what? That is a poor and disrespectful simplification of an artistic triumph. The layers of this narrative are impressive, and the ideas are bold and thought-provoking. We will see very few films like Amadeus going into the future…and that is a shame.
