What does it mean to be mediocre? How does it truly feel to be just good enough at something you love to know that you’re a hack? How devoted does one need to be for it to actually pay off in the end? These and many other questions and themes are addressed in Milos Forman’s 1984 masterpiece “Amadeus.” Originally a stage play written by Peter Shaffer, it was adapted (by Shaffer, mind you) only years later to a screenplay that would become the film. It is important to note that both the play and the movie are very loose depictions of the actual characters and events involved and that a lot of creative liberties were taken. That being said, let’s jump right in!
The story begins in 1823 with elderly classical composer Antonio Salieri in an insane asylum where he meets with a young priest and tells his story of bitter jealously towards the genius that was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The rest of the film cuts back and forth between various important points in Salieri’s confession. Some of the biggest themes in this film are that of competition, devotion, and identity. The way those (among other themes) are explored is through comparisons of the two characters Salieri and Mozart. Salieri from a young age devoted himself to God and music, promising celibacy if God were to make him a renowned and talented musician. When Salieri met Mozart, his entire world collapsed around him––He had never heard anything so effortlessly masterful as Mozart's music. And that is exactly what music was to Mozart, effortless. Salieri grew a bitter, quiet hatred toward Mozart and, more tragically, toward God; even though he was a respected court composer, all his work paled in comparison to that of Mozart. I won’t spoil any more of the story because it is something to behold, but let’s talk about all the awesome technical decisions the director made while making this film.
So right off the bat, it’s a movie about classical musicians and music, so obviously the soundtrack has gotta be classical right? Yes but it goes beyond that. Several scenes show Mozart working on a new piece––Salieri will get his hands on it, read it, and boom! Just like that, as Salieri is experiencing it for the first time, we are hearing the music right alongside him and feeling what he is feeling. There is an especially great example towards the end of the film pertaining to Mozart’s death (spoiler: Mozart is dead) that I can’t talk about, but I guess that’s just another reason you should see it.
I haven’t even mentioned Mozart as a character! When you think of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart you might think "classic," you might think "distinguished," and "poised and proper," as was the custom of nobility back in the late 1700s, but the way he was portrayed in the film does not fit that at ALL. He is a giggling goofy kid who likes to go to parties and have fun; he’s immature and entitled and high-strung, and worst of all, he KNOWS how good he is and lets it go to his head. One of the biggest changes from stage to screen was the tone of the story and the character interactions. The film is more human, it’s more lighthearted and focuses on Mozart’s relationships to those around him such as his wife and father and Salieri, of course.
It’s kind of crazy that a film like this even exists. It must have been a huge gamble on Forman’s part; who would want to finance a serious-sounding biopic about Mozart? It does everything in its power to separate itself from a textbook; however, and if I’m completely honest, I’ve never had more fun learning about a classical composer. With a run time of 161 minutes, you’ll hardly notice the time fly because you’re just so engrossed in these fascinating characters. Because it’s adapted from a play, each scene is methodically orchestrated and meticulously performed so that it plays out almost as a song and dance itself.
“Amadeus” was a movie which left me feeling angry and sad, which is good! Art is supposed to emotionally and intellectually challenge us as a viewer and this did exactly that. You never think about what it is to be truly great until you witness it with your own eyes. This film shows you that and basically says each and every one of us is Salieri, not Mozart. In the end scene, Salieri is wheeled through the insane asylum while he spreads his arms like a prophet declaring he is the patron saint of mediocrity.
This movie asks if we have the capacity to be happy for those who succeed while we struggle just to scrape the bottom of the barrel or if we become jealous and resent them for their success. When I saw this movie, it struck me as incredibly real and relatable, because I think everyone sees themselves as mediocre, there will always be someone better than you no matter what you do and who you pray to. BUT it is important to note that true greatness comes at a heavy price: Mozart died at a very young age and a popular theory is that he simply worked himself to death. It’s like I always say, you just got to be okay with never being okay: meaning that as long as you keep improving, it doesn’t matter who you compare yourself to or even how hard you need to constantly be working. That’s just my two cents though––you can see the effect this movie has already. It raises so many thought provoking questions with not a lot of answers ,and that is what makes it endlessly fun to talk about. Definitely see "Amadeus" as soon as you can (it’s on Netflix)!
