Amadeus Page #21

SALIERI:

Go! Go! Go!

He snatches up the bell and shakes it frantically, not

stopping until the two servants we saw earlier appear at the

door. The music stops abruptly. They stare at the appalled

and frightened Constanze, who is desperately trying to cover

her nakedness.

SALIERI:

Show this woman out!

Constanze hurls herself at him.

CONSTANZE:

You sh*t! You sh*t! You rotten sh*t!

He seizes her wrists and thrusts her back. Then he leaves

the room quickly, slamming the door behind him. Constanze

turns and sees the two servants goggling at her in the room.

CONSTANZE:

What are you staring at?

Wildly, she picks up the candelabrum and throws it at them.

It shatters on the floor.

INT. SALIERI'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1780'S

CU, Salieri standing, his eyes shut, shaking in distress.

He opens them and sees Christ across the room, staring at

him from the wall.

OLD SALIERI (V.O.)

From now on, we are enemies, You and

I!

CUT TO:

INT. OLD SALIERI'S HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT - 1823

The old man is reliving the experience. Vogler looks at him,

horrified.

OLD SALIERI:

Because You will not enter me, with

all my need for you; because You

scorn my attempts at virtue; because

You choose for Your instrument a

boastful, lustful, smutty infantile

boy and give me for reward only the

ability to recognize the Incarnation;

because You are unjust, unfair,

unkind, I will block You! I swear

it! I will hinder and harm Your

creature on earth as far as I am

able. I will ruin Your Incarnation.

CUT BACK TO:

INT. SALIERI'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1780'S

CU, the fireplace. In it lies the olivewood Christ on the

cross, burning.

OLD SALIERI (V.O.)

What use after all is Man, if not to

teach God His lessons?

The cross flames up and disintegrates. Salieri stares at it.

CUT TO:

INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - 1780'S

The front door bursts open. Mozart stumbles in, followed by

EMMANUEL SCHIKANEDER, three young actresses, and another

man, all fairly drunk. Schikaneder (who appears everywhere

accompanied by young girls) is a large, fleshy, extravagant

man of about thirty-five.

MOZART:

Stanzi! Stanzi! Stanzi-Manzi!

The others laugh.

MOZART:

Sssh!

SCHIKANEDER:

(imitating Mozart)

Stanzi-Manzi-Banzi-Wanzi!

MOZART:

Sssh! Stay here.

He walks unsteadily to the bedroom door and opens it.

SCHIKANEDER:

(to the girls, very

tipsy)

Sssh! You're dishgrashful!

INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1780'S

Constanze lies in bed, her back turned to her husband, who

comes into the room and shuts the door.

MOZART:

(playfully)

Stanzi? How's my mouse? Mouse-wouse?

I'm back - puss-wuss is back!

She turns around abruptly. She looks dreadful; her eyes red

with weeping. Mozart is shocked.

MOZART:

Stanzi!

He approaches the bed and sits on it. Immediately she starts

crying again, desperately.

MOZART:

What's the matter? What is it?

Stanzi!

He holds her and she clings to him in a fierce embrace, crying

a flood of tears.

MOZART:

Stop it now. Stop it. I've brought

some friends to meet you. They're

next door waiting. Do we have anything

to eat? They're all starving.

CONSTANZE:

Tell them to go away. I don't want

to see anybody.

MOZART:

What's the matter with you?

CONSTANZE:

Tell them to go!

MOZART:

Sssh. What is it? Tell me.

CONSTANZE:

No!

MOZART:

Yes!

CONSTANZE:

I love you! I love you!

She starts crying again, throwing her arms around his neck.

CONSTANZE:

I love you. Please stay with me. I'm

frightened.

INT. THE ROYAL PALACE - DINING ROOM - DAY - 1780'S

Joseph sits eating. A butler serves him goat's milk to drink.

Joseph is holding a memorandum from Salieri in his hand.

Salieri stands before him.

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