Amadeus Page #31

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EXT. MOZART' S APARTMENT - AFTERNOON - 1780'S

Lorl is opening the door admitting Salieri. They go in. The

door shuts.

INT. MOZART'S LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON - 1780'S

The room is considerably tidier as a result of Lorl's

ministrations. Salieri stands looking about him with

tremendous curiosity.

LORL:

I think I've found out about the

money, sir.

SALIERI:

Yes what?

She opens a drawer in a sideboard. Inside we see one gold

snuff box:
it is the one we saw Mozart being presented with

as a child in the Vatican.

LORL:

He kept seven snuff boxes in here.

I could swear they were all gold.

And now look there's only one left.

And inside, sir, look - I counted

them - tickets from the pawnshop.

Six of them.

Salieri turns to look around him.

SALIERI:

Where does he work?

LORL:

In there, sir.

She points across the room to the workroom. Salieri crosses

and goes in alone.

INT. MOZART'S WORKROOM - AFTERNOON - 1780'S

Salieri enters the private quarters of Amadeus. He is

immensely excited. He moves slowly into the 'holy of holies'

picking up objects with great reverence - a billiard ball; a

discarded wig; a sock; a buckle - then objects more important

to him. Standing at Mozart's desk, strewn with manuscripts,

he picks up Mozart's pen and strokes the feather. He touches

the inkstand. He lays a finger on the candlestick with its

half-expired candle. He touches each object as if it were

the memento of a beloved. He is in awe. Finally his eye falls

on the sheets of music themselves. Stealthily he picks them

up.

CU, The pages.

We see words set to music. Against each line of notes is the

name of a character: Contessa, Susanna, Cherubino. Then

another page - the title page - written in Mozart's hand.

Le Nozze di Figaro Comedia per musica tratta dal Francese in

quattro atti.

CU, The word Figaro.

CU, Salieri. He stares amazed.

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EXT. ORNAMENTAL GARDEN - VIENNA - AFTERNOON - 1780'S

Mozart is playing the cadenza and coda of Piano Concerto (K.

482). He completes the work with a flourish. There is loud

applause. The Emperor rises and all follow suit. Mozart comes

down to be greeted by him.

JOSEPH:

Bravo, Mozart. Most charming. Yes,

indeed. Clever man.

MOZART:

Thank you, Sire!

VON SWIETEN:

Well done, Mozart. Really quite fine.

MOZART:

Baron!

He sees his wife and father standing by in the crowd. Leopold

is signaling insistently.

MOZART:

Majesty, may I ask you to do me the

greatest favour?

JOSEPH:

What is it?

MOZART:

May I introduce my father? He is on

a short visit here and returning

very soon to Salzburg. He would so

much like to kiss your hand. It would

make his whole stay so memorable for

him.

JOSEPH:

Ah! By all means.

Leopold comes forward eagerly and fawningly kisses the royal

hand.

LEOPOLD:

Your Majesty.

Constanze curtsies.

JOSEPH:

Good evening.

(to Leopold)

We have met before, Herr Mozart.

LEOPOLD:

That's right, Your Majesty. Twenty

years ago. No, twenty-two! twenty-

three! And I remember word for word

what you said to me. You said - you

said --

He searches his memory.

JOSEPH:

Bravo?

LEOPOLD:

No! Yes, 'bravo,' of course 'bravo'!

Everybody always says 'bravo' when

Wolfi plays. Like the King of England.

When we played for the King of

England, he got up at the end and

said, 'Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!' three

times. Three bravo's. And the Pope

four! Four bravo's from the Holy

Father, and one 'bellissimo.'

All the courtiers around are looking at him.

MOZART:

Father -

LEOPOLD:

Hush! I'm talking to His Majesty.

Your Majesty, I wish to express only

one thing - that you who are the

Father of us all, could teach our

children the gratitude they owe to

fathers. It is not for nothing that

the Fifth Commandment tells us:

'Honour your Father and Mother, that

your days may be long upon the earth.'

JOSEPH:

Ah-ha. Well. There it is.

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