Dir: Milos Forman | Cast: Tom Hulce, F Murray Abraham, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dottrice, Simon Callow | 1984. Musical Biopic
reviewed by Peter Herbert
With the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart continuing to resonate 234 years after his death in 1791, Milos Forman’s 1984 biopic drama Amadeus is faring well with the passage of time and is arguably the most significant film about the musical genius of Mozart.
The structure of Amadeus is a huge advance on other films about classical music composers including the tepid tone of William Dieterle’s film of Richard Wagner in Magic Fire (1955) through to the bombastic Lisztomania of Ken Russell’s 1975 film.
Although not centred on Mozart himself and viewed through the eyes and mind of his musical contemporary Antonio Salieri, a creative portrait of the composer emerges. From Mozart’s early years as a child prodigy in the Emperor’s Court, followed by marriage, family life and musical patronage, the film also feels, as if at its heart, it is the alter-ego metamorphous of both men, united through death, as one who will die early, aged 38 years and live on in the mentally unstable shadow of the other.
There is an element of irony here, as although some facts related to the creative rivalry and envy of Salieri towards Mozart have been questioned, the film has dramatic narrative and visual power involving the contrast of opposites that is comparable to the great master of melodrama Douglas Sirk.
Amadeus also recalls symbiotic relationships between two people in films as diverse as Todd Haynes’ May/December or Bergman’s Persona, concluding with the idea that the persona of both men may be both sides of the same musical coin during the film’s profound finale.
Directed by the Czech filmmaker Milos Forman in Hollywood, where he found success in 1975 with One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the film is beautifully lit by the great Czech camera man Miroslav Ondricek for which the new digital 4k restoration preserves grain of the original film’s lighting camerawork without over cleaning up detail.
Scripted by Peter Shaffer from his successful original play, Amadeus offers rich sumptuous set design by Patrizia Von Brandenstein, and won eight Oscars. The sumptuous staging of vivid opera sequences are filmed in a number of the original venues used by Mozart in the staging of his operas.
Amadeus also benefits from Forman’s skilful use of actors within a rich ensemble cast. F. Murray Abraham, as Salieri, delves into the complex layers of a mild musician who will forever be overshadowed and only achieve remembrance through that of a far more flamboyant musician.
Tom Hulce captures the youthful cheeky bravura of a creative genius perfectly contrasting the more conservative nature of Salieri. Amadeus has plenty to offer the eyes and ears for new generations of viewers who may see in the drama the seeds for current hard-hitting, irreverent and non-realist historical features Versailles, Careme, Marie Antoinette and The Great. PETER HERBERT
AMADEUS IN UK CINEMAS FROM 25 JULY 2025