Amadeus Page #53

CONSTANZE:

What is this?

She looks at it and recognizes it.

CONSTANZE:

Oh no, not this. Not this, Wolfi!

You're not to work on this ever again!

I've decided.

She takes it from his weak hand. At the same moment Salieri

reaches out his hand to take it and add it to the pile on

the table.

She stares at him, trying to understand - suspicious and

frightened and at the same time unable to make a sound. Mozart

makes a convulsive gesture to reclaim the pages. The coins

brought by Salieri fall on the floor. Karl runs after them,

laughing.

CONSTANZE:

(to Salieri)

This is not his handwriting.

SALIERI:

No. I was assisting him. He asked

me.

CONSTANZE:

He's not going to work on this

anymore. It is making him ill. Please.

She extends her hand for the Requiem, as she stands up.

Salieri hesitates.

CONSTANZE:

(hard)

Please.

With extreme reluctance - it costs him agony to do it -

Salieri hands over the score of the Requiem to her.

CONSTANZE:

Thank you.

She marches with the manuscript over to a large chest in the

room, opens it, throws the manuscript inside, shuts the lid,

locks it and pockets the key. Involuntarily Salieri stretches

out his arms for the lost manuscript.

SALIERI:

But - but - but -

She turns and faces him.

CONSTANZE:

Good night.

He stares at her, stunned.

CONSTANZE:

I regret we have no servants to show

you out, Herr Salieri. Respect my

wish and go.

SALIERI:

Madame, I will respect his. He asked

me to stay here.

They look at each other in mutual hatred. She turns to the

bed. Mozart appears to have gone to sleep again.

CONSTANZE:

Wolfi?

(louder)

Wolfi?

She moves to the bed. The child is playing with the coins on

the floor. Faintly we hear the start of the Lacrimosa from

the Requiem. Salieri watches as she touches her husband's

hand. As the music grows, we realize that Mozart is dead.

CU, Constanze staring wide-eyed in dawning apprehension.

CU, Salieri also comprehending hat he has been cheated.

The music rises.

CU, The child on the floor, playing with the money.

CUT TO:

EXT. STEPHEN'S CATHEDRAL - VIENNA - A RAINY DAY - 1790'S

The Lacrimosa continues through all of the following: a small

group of people emerges from the side door into the raw, wet

day, accompanying a cheap wooden coffin. The coffin is borne

by a gravedigger and Schikaneder in mourning clothes. They

load it onto a cart, drawn by a poor black horse. All the

rest are in black, also: Salieri, Von Swieten, Constanze and

her son, Karl, Madame Weber and her youngest daughter Sophie,

and even Lorl, the maid. It is drizzling. The cart sets off.

The group follows.

CUT TO:

EXT. OUTSIDE THE CITY WALLS OF VIENNA - RAINY DAY - 1790'S

The group has already passed beyond the city limits following

the miserable cart. The Lacrimosa accompanies them with its

measured thread.

The drizzle of rain has now become heavy. One by one, the

group breaks up and shelters under the trees. The cart moves

on toward the cemetery, alone, followed by nobody, growing

more and more distant. They watch it go.

Salieri and Von Swieten shake hands mournfully, the water

soaking their black tall hats. Schikaneder is in tears.

Constanze is near collapse. Salieri moves to assist her, but

she turns away from him, seeking the arm of Cavalieri. Madame

Weber takes Karl's hand.

The music builds to its climax on Dona Eis Pacem! We CUT

back to:

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

Morning light fills the room. Old Salieri sits weeping

convulsively, as the music stops. Tears stream down his face.

Vogler watches him, amazed.

VOGLER:

Why? Why? Why? Why add to your misery

by confessing to murder? You didn't

kill him.

OLD SALIERI:

I did.

VOGLER:

No, you didn't!

OLD SALIERI:

I poisoned his life.

VOGLER:

But not his body.

OLD SALIERI:

What difference does that make?

VOGLER:

My son, why should you want all Vienna

to believe you a murderer? Is that

your penance? Is it?

OLD SALIERI:

No, Father. From now on no one will

be able to speak of Mozart without

thinking of me. Whenever they say

Mozart with love, they'll have to

say Salieri with loathing. And that's

my immortality - at last! Our names

will be tied together for eternity -

his in fame and mine in infamy. At

least it's better than the total

oblivion he'd planned for me, your

merciful God!

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