Amadeus Page #48

At certain moments we see the stage from Salieri's point of

view:
Schikaneder singing, then pretending to play; and then

we see Mozart playing the glockenspiel with great flourishes

in the wings. Then, suddenly, the actor mimes playing, and

no sound comes. He mimes again, but still nothing comes. He

looks offstage in anxiety; there is evidently some commotion.

People are looking down on the floor. The song comes to a

near-halt. Schikaneder stares. Then the comedian signals to

the deputy conductor to pick up the song and finish it. At

this moment Salieri gets up and hastily leaves his box.

CUT TO:

INT. WINGS OF SCHIKANEDER'S THEATRE - NIGHT - 1790'S

We see the actress playing Papagena, wearing an old tattered

cloak and about to tie a little painted cloth representing a

hideous old woman over her face. She is looking worriedly

down at Mozart, who is lying unconscious on the floor.

A few people around him are trying to revive him. One has

put a wet handkerchief around his temples. Another is holding

a small bottle of smelling salts. There are voices saying,

'Doctor! Take him to a dressing room. Someone call a carriage.

Take him home.' Etc. Papagena is urged to go on stage by a

distracted stage manager. Suddenly we hear the voice of

Salieri.

SALIERI:

I'll take care of him.

He steps forward.

SALIERI:

I have a carriage. Excuse me.

The actors step back respectfully. He stoops and picks up

the frail composer in his arms. Mozart is quite limp and

Salieri has to fling his arms around his own neck. All this

is watched nervously by Schikaneder on stage whilst performing

his scene with Papagena as an ugly old woman.

UGLY OLD WOMAN:

Here I am, my angel.

PAPAGENO:

(appalled)

What? Who the devil are you?

UGLY OLD WOMAN:

I've taken pity on you, my angel. I

heard your wish.

PAPAGENO:

Oh. Well, thank you! How wonderful.

Some people get all the luck.

Audience laughter. The actress raises the little painted

cloth with the ugly old face on it to show her own pretty

young one to the audience. More laughter.

UGLY OLD WOMAN:

Now you've got to promise me

faithfully you'll remain true to me

forever. Then you'll see how tenderly

your little birdie will love you.

PAPAGENO:

(nervous)

I can't wait.

UGLY OLD WOMAN:

Well, promise then.

PAPAGENO:

What do you mean - now?

UGLY OLD WOMAN:

Of course now. Right away, before I

get any older.

Laughter.

PAPAGENO:

Well, I don't know! I mean you're a

delicious, delightful, delectable

little bird, but don't you think you

might be just a little tough?

UGLY OLD WOMAN:

(amorously)

Oh, I'm tender enough for you, my

boy. I'm tender enough for you.

Laughter.

EXT. SCHIKANEDER'S THEATRE - NIGHT - 1790'S

A waiting sedan chair. Mozart has recovered consciousness,

but looks exceedingly ill. Salieri has set him down in the

winter's night. Snow is falling.

MOZART:

What happened? Is it over?

SALIERI:

I'm taking you home. You're not well.

MOZART:

No, no. I have to get back. I have -

He starts to collapse again. Salieri helps him into the sedan.

The door is shut. The chair sets off and Salieri strides

beside it, through the mean street. A lantern with a candle

swings from the chair.

INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - 1790'S

The door opens. Salieri enters carrying the lantern from the

sedan chair. He is followed by Mozart, carried in the arms

of one of the porters. The room is now really in complete

disarray. The table is piled high with music: the pages of

the Requiem lie amongst many empty wine bottles. The porter

carries Mozart into

INT. MOZART'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT - 1790'S

This room is miserably neglected. The bed is unmade, clothes

lie about on the floor. A sock has been stuck into the broken

pane of one window.

The porter lays Mozart down on the bed as Salieri lights

candles from the lantern to reveal plates of half-eaten food

and other signs left by a man whose wife has departed. It is

obviously very cold. Another very small bed nearby belongs

to the child, Karl.

SALIERI:

(handing the porter

the lantern)

Thank you. Go.

The porter leaves the room. Mozart stirs.

MOZART:

(vaguely singing)

Papa! Papa!

He opens his eyes and sees Salieri staring down at him. He

smiles.

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