Amadeus Page #16

COLLOREDO:

And how will you make him keep it?

LEOPOLD:

Oh, sir, he's never disobeyed me in

anything. Please, Your Grace, give

him one more chance.

COLLOREDO:

You have leave to try.

LEOPOLD:

Oh, Your Grace - I thank Your Grace!

I thank you!

In deepest gratitude he kisses the Archbishop's hand. He

motions Leopold to rise. We hear the first dark fortissimo

chord which begins the Overture to Don Giovanni: the theme

associated with the character of the Commendatore.

LEOPOLD (V.O.)

My dear son.

The second fortissimo chord sounds.

INT. A BAROQUE CHURCH - DAY - 1780'S

We see a huge CU, of Mozart's head, looking front and down,

as if reading his father's letter. We hear Leopold's voice

over this image, no longer whining and anxious, but

impressive.

LEOPOLD (V.O.)

I write to you with urgent news. I

am coming to Vienna. Take no further

steps toward marriage until we meet.

You are too gullible to see your own

danger. As you honour the father who

has devoted his entire life to yours,

do as I bid, and await my coming.

MOZART:

I will.

The camera pulls back to see that he is in fact kneeling

beside Constanze. A PRIEST faces them. Behind them are Madame

Weber, Josefa and Sophie Weber, and a very few others. Among

them, a merry looking lady in bright clothes: the BARONESS

WALDSTADTEN.

PRIEST:

And will you, Constanze Weber, take

this man, Wolfgang to be your lawful

husband?

CONSTANZE:

I will.

PRIEST:

I now pronounce you man and wife.

The opening kyrie of the great Mass in C Minor is heard.

Mozart and Constanze kiss. They are in tears. Madame Weber

and her daughters look on approvingly. The music swells and

continues under the following:

INT. A ROOM IN LEOPOLD'S HOUSE - SALZBURG - NIGHT - 1780'S

There is a view of a castle in background. Leopold sits alone

in his room. He is reading a letter from Wolfgang. At his

feet are his trunks, half-packed for the journey he will not

now take. We hear Mozart's voice reading the following letter

and we see, as the camera roves around the room, mementos of

the young prodigy's early life: the little forte-piano made

for him; the little violin made for him; an Order presented

to him. We see a little starling in a wicker cage. And we

see portraits of the boy on the walls, concluding with the

familiar family portrait of Wolfgang and his sister Nannerl

seated at the keyboard with Leopold standing, and the picture

of their mother on the wall behind them.

MOZART (V.O.)

Most beloved father, it is done. Do

not blame me that I did not wait to

see your dear face. I knew you would

have tried to dissuade me from my

truest happiness and I could not

have borne it. Your every word is

precious to me. Remember how you

have always told me Vienna is the

City of Musicians. To conquer here

is to conquer Europe! With my wife I

can do it. I vow I will become

regular in my habits and productive

as never before. She is wonderful,

Papa, and I know that you will love

her. And one day soon when I am a

wealthy man, you will come and live

with us, and we will be so happy. I

long for that day, best of Papas,

and kiss your hand a hundred thousand

times.

The music of the Mass fades as Leopold crumples the letter

in his hand.

EXT. THE IMPERIAL GARDENS - VIENNA - DAY - 1780'S

Salieri stands waiting, hat in hand. Beside him stands a

royal servant. Behind him, gardeners are glimpsed tending

the shrubs and bushes along a grassy ride. Down this ride

are seen cantering two people on horseback: the Emperor Joseph

and his niece, the PRINCESS ELIZABETH. They are mounted on

glossy horses. The Princess rides side-saddle. Running beside

her is a panting groom. The Emperor rides elegantly; his

niece, a dumpy little Hapsburg girl of sixteen, like a sack

of potatoes. As they draw level with Salieri they stop, and

the groom holds the head of the Princess' horse. Salieri

bows respectfully.

JOSEPH:

Good morning, Court Composer. This

is my niece, the Princess Elizabeth.

SALIERI:

Your Highness.

Out of breath, the Princess nods nervously.

JOSEPH:

She has asked me to advise her on a

suitable musical instructor. I think

I've come up with an excellent idea.

He smiles at Salieri.

SALIERI:

Oh, Your Majesty, it would be such a

tremendous honour!

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