Amadeus Page #50

SALIERI:

He said to give you this. And if you

finish the work by tomorrow night,

he will pay you another hundred

ducats.

Mozart looks at the coins astonished.

MOZART:

Another? But that's too soon! Tomorrow

night? It's impossible! Did he say a

hundred?

SALIERI:

Yes. Can I - could I help you, in

any way?

MOZART:

Would you? Actually, you could.

SALIERI:

My dear friend, it would be my

greatest pleasure.

MOZART:

But you'd have to swear not to tell

a soul. I'm not allowed.

SALIERI:

Of course.

MOZART:

You know, it's all here in my head.

It's just ready to be set down. But

when I'm dizzy like this my eyes

won't focus. I can't write.

SALIERI:

Then, let us try together. I'd regard

it as such an honour. Tell me, what

is this work?

MOZART:

A Mass. A Mass for the Dead.

CUT TO:

INT. A SMALL DANCE HALL - BADEN - NIGHT - 1790'S

Trivial dance music is playing. Constanze is doing a waltz

with a young OFFICER in military uniform. At the moment we

see her, she stops abruptly, as if in panic.

OFFICER:

What is it?

CONSTANZE:

I want to go!

OFFICER:

Where?

CONSTANZE:

I want to go back to Vienna.

OFFICER:

Now?

CONSTANZE:

Yes!

OFFICER:

Why?

CONSTANZE:

I feel wrong. I feel wrong being

here.

OFFICER:

(laying a hand on her

arm)

What are you talking about?

CUT TO:

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

Mozart is sitting up in bed, propped against pillows. The

coins lie on the coverlet; many candles burn in the necks of

bottles. Salieri, without coat or wig, is seated at an

improvised worktable. On it are blank sheets of music paper,

quills, and ink. Also the score of the Requiem Mass as so

far composed. Mozart is bright-eyed with a kind of fever.

Salieri is also possessed with an obviously feverish desire

to put down the notes as quickly as Mozart can dictate them.

MOZART:

Where did I stop?

SALIERI:

(consulting the

manuscript)

The end of the Recordare - Statuens

in parte dextra.

MOZART:

So now the Confutatis. Confutatis

Maledictis. When the wicked are

confounded. Flammis acribus addictis.

How would you translate that?

SALIERI:

Consigned to flames of woe.

MOZART:

Do you believe in it?

SALIERI:

What?

MOZART:

A fire which never dies. Burning one

forever?

SALIERI:

Oh, yes.

MOZART:

Strange!

SALIERI:

Come. Let's begin.

He takes his pen.

SALIERI:

Confutatis Maledictis.

MOZART:

We ended in F Major?

SALIERI:

Yes.

MOZART:

So now - A minor. Suddenly.

Salieri writes the key signature.

MOZART:

The Fire.

SALIERI:

What time?

MOZART:

Common time.

Salieri writes this, and continues now to write as swiftly

and urgently as he can, at Mozart's dictation. He is obviously

highly expert at doing this and hardly hesitates. His speed,

however, can never be too fast for Mozart's impatient mind.

MOZART:

Start with the voices. Basses first.

Second beat of the first measure -

A.

(singing the note)

Con-fu-ta-tis.

(speaking)

Second measure, second beat.

(singing)

Ma-le-dic-tis.

(speaking)

G-sharp, of course.

SALIERI:

Yes.

MOZART:

Third measure, second beat starting

on E.

(singing)

Flam-mis a-cri-bus ad-dic-tis.

(speaking)

And fourth measure, fourth beat - D.

(singing)

Ma-le-dic-tis, flam-mis a-cri-bus ad-

dic-tis.

(speaking)

Do you have that?

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