Amadeus Page #6

He tries to drag her back under the table.

CONSTANZE:

No! No! No!

MOZART:

Yes! Back! Back! Listen - don't you

know where you are?

CONSTANZE:

Where?

MOZART:

We are in the Residence of the

Fartsbishop of Salzburg.

CONSTANZE:

Fartsbishop!

She laughs delightedly, then addresses an imaginary

Archbishop.

CONSTANZE:

Your Grace, I've got something to

tell you. I want to complain about

this man.

MOZART:

Go ahead, tell him. Tell them all.

They won't understand you anyway.

CONSTANZE:

Why not?

MOZART:

Because here everything goes

backwards. People walk backwards,

dance backwards, sing backwards, and

talk backwards.

CONSTANZE:

That's stupid.

MOZART:

Why? People fart backwards.

CONSTANZE:

Do you think that's funny?

MOZART:

Yes, I think it's brilliant. You've

been doing it for years.

He gives a high pitched giggle.

CONSTANZE:

Oh, ha, ha, ha.

MOZART:

Sra-I'm-sick! Sra-I'm sick!

CONSTANZE:

Yes, you are. You're very sick.

MOZART:

No, no. Say it backwards, sh*t-wit.

Sra-I'm-sick Say it backwards!

CONSTANZE:

(working it out)

Sra-I'm-sick. Sick - kiss I'm - my

Kiss my! Sra-I'm-sick - Kiss my arse!

MOZART:

Em iram! Em iram!

CONSTANZE:

No, I'm not playing this game.

MOZART:

No, this is serious. Say it backwards.

CONSTANZE:

No!

MOZART:

Just say it - you'll see. It's very

serious. Em iram! Em iram!

CONSTANZE:

Iram - marry Em - marry me! No, no!

You're a fiend. I'm not going to

marry a fiend. A dirty fiend at that.

MOZART:

Ui-vol-i-tub!

CONSTANZE:

Tub - but i-tub - but I vol - love

but I love ui - You. I love you!

The mood becomes suddenly softer. She kisses him. They

embrace. Then he spoils it.

MOZART:

Tish-I'm tee. What's that?

CONSTANZE:

What?

MOZART:

Tish-I'm-tee.

CONSTANZE:

Eat

MOZART:

Yes.

CONSTANZE:

Eat my - ah!

Shocked, she strikes at him. At the same moment the music

starts in the salon next door. We hear the opening of the

Serenade for Thirteen Wind Instruments, K.

MOZART:

My music! They've started! They've

started without me!

He leaps up, disheveled and rumpled and runs out of the room.

Salieri watches in amazement and disgust.

CUT TO:

INT. PALACE CORRIDOR - DAY - 1780'S

The music is louder. Mozart hastens towards the Grand Salon

away from the buffet room, adjusting his dress as he goes.

INT. GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780'S

The opening of the Serenade is being tentatively conducted

by the leader of the wind-musicians. Guests turn around as

Mozart appears - bowing to the Archbishop - and walks with

an attempt at dignity to the dais where the wind band is

playing. The leader yields his place to the composer and

Mozart smoothly takes over conducting.

Constanze, deeply embarrassed, sneaks into the room and seats

herself at the back.

INT. PALACE BUFFET ROOM - DAY - 1780'S

The music fades down. Salieri stands shocked from his

inadvertent eavesdropping. After a second he moves almost in

a trance toward the door; the music dissolves.

INT. GRAND SALON - DAY - 1780'S

Mozart is conducting the Adagio from his Serenade (K. 361),

guiding the thirteen wind instrumentalists. The squeezebox

opening of the movement begins. Salieri appears at the door

at the back of the salon. He stares in disbelief at Mozart.

OLD SALIERI (V.O.)

So that was he! That giggling, dirty-

minded creature I'd just seen crawling

on the floor. Mozart. The phenomenon

whose legend had haunted my youth.

Impossible.

The music swells up and Salieri listens to it with eyes closed -

amazed, transported - suddenly engulfed by the sound. Finally

it fades down and away and changes into applause. Salieri

opens his eyes.

The audience is clearly delighted. Mozart bows to them, also

delighted. Colloredo rises abruptly, and without looking at

Mozart or applauding and leaves the Salon. Count Arco

approaches the composer. Mozart turns to him, radiant.

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